Plant guide
Greek oregano
Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum
Greek oregano is toxic to cats and can cause vomiting or diarrhea if eaten. Keep it out of your cat’s reach; its use in human cooking does not make it a cat treat.
What this guide covers: Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum only. Confirm the botanical identity; a photograph alone cannot establish plant identity.
Photo:
Photo details
Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum — Full Form (Haywood County,NC)-Mid Summer
By Marcia Boyle
License: CC BY 4.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
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Photo:
Photo details
Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum — Full Form (Haywood County,NC)-Mid Summer
By Marcia Boyle
License: CC BY 4.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
Greek oregano seeds
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Keep away from cats. We do not recommend this plant for a home where cats could reach it.
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Look for Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum and check the selected variety. Listings and availability can change.
Plant identity
- Scientific name
- Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum
- Scope
- Species
- Family
- Not recorded
- Also known as
- No reviewed aliases available
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How to grow this plant
Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum only. Confirm the botanical identity; a photograph alone cannot establish plant identity.
- Light
- Sunny position or Some direct sun
Full sun to partial shade.
- Watering
Allow good drainage; established plants tolerate drier periods.
- Temperature
- Temperature range not yet established
Tolerates heat; no preferred numerical temperature range established.
- Humidity
No specific humidity target established.
- Potting
- Well-drained soil; avoid persistent wetness.
- Through the year
- Trim regularly before flowering. Watch for root rot in poorly drained containers.
Growing-guide sources
- Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum only. Confirm the botanical identity; a photograph alone cannot establish plant identity.
Growing advice reviewed 2026-10-16. Plant safety is assessed separately.
Reviewed safety information
- Toxic principle
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
- Reported signs
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
- Severity
- Severity not established
Missing information is unknown. It should not be interpreted as an absence of risk.
Safe alternatives
No verified alternative recommendations are available for this guide.
Sources & review
- Greek oregano: source assessment ↗ASPCA · Accessed
Listed by the source as Origanum vulgare hirtum. ASPCA prints Origanum vulgare hirtum; NC State identifies the matching Greek oregano subspecies. Limit this guide to subsp. hirtum, not all plants sold as oregano. No essential-oil or feeding advice.
- Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
- Greek oregano: source assessment ↗ASPCA · Accessed 2026-10-16
Safety last reviewed .