Oregano blossoms are considered a particular specialty in the home of the wild-growing oregano. You can carefully pluck the delicate blossoms from the plant and use them directly or dry or preserve them together with the oregano sprigs.
The flowers: Edible and very aromatic
The oregano develops densely packed false panicles with inflorescences at the shoot tips, from which the small labial flowers develop from the beginning of July to the end of September. The white, pink or lilac colored flowers have a very aromatic scent and serve as a food source 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 top. The lower lip is three-lobed. After flowering, the fruit disintegrates into nuts about one millimeter in size when it is dry, which are then spread around by the wind.
The eye eats with you
Use fresh oregano flowers as a decorative and aromatic ingredient in salads or as an edible food decoration. The aroma of the flowers goes very well with tomato or cucumber salad. They also look extremely attractive in herb butter or quark and give the dishes an interesting touch.
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 them upside down to dry. Pick the fully 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 gently wet them. They immediately develop their delicate color and characteristic aroma.
tips and 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 up with water.
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