Oregano flowers are considered a special speci alty in the homeland of the wild growing dost. You can carefully pluck the delicate flowers from the plant and use them directly or dry or preserve them together with the oregano branches.
Are oregano flowers edible and how to use them?
Oregano flowers are edible, aromatic and are suitable as a decorative ingredient in salads, herb butter or quark. They can be used fresh or dried and stored in jars. Ice cubes with oregano flowers give summer cocktails a special touch.
The flowers: Edible and very aromatic
The oregano develops densely packed false panicles with inflorescences at the tips of the shoots, from which the small labial flowers develop from the beginning of July to the end of September. The white, delicate pink or purple flowers have a very aromatic scent and serve as a source of food for numerous insects.
The four stamens protrude clearly from the center of the inflorescence. The short upper lip of the flower is edged at the tip. The lower lip is three-lobed. After flowering, when it is dry, the fruit breaks down into nuts about one millimeter in size (claw fruits), which are spread in the surrounding area by the wind.
The eye eats too
Use fresh oregano flowers as a decorative and aromatic ingredient in salads or as an edible food decoration. The aroma of the flowers goes perfectly with tomato or cucumber salad. They also look extremely attractive in herb butter or quark and give dishes an interesting note.
Preserving the flowers
If you want to preserve the oregano after harvesting, you should tie it together with the flower umbels into small bunches and hang it upside down to dry. Remove the completely dried flowers and leaves from the branches and store the herb in tightly sealed jars in a dark place.
You can also dry the flowers individually and store them separately from the leaves. Scatter the dried flowers on a plate and wet them carefully. They immediately develop their delicate color and characteristic aroma.
Tips & Tricks
Ice cubes with oregano flowers give summer cocktails a special touch. Put some of the small cones in the ice cube maker and fill it with water.
