Lamiaceae
Oregano
Origanum vulgare
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Origanum
Pets and kids
- CatsMildly toxic
- DogsMildly toxic
- KidsSafe
Why
Cats: Mildly toxic
Mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants.
Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.
- Oregano - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Dogs: Mildly toxic
Mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants.
Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.
- Oregano - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Kids: Safe
Sources below say it is non-toxic to young children. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.
- Flower and vegetable plants safe for children #175836 - Ask Extension University or extension
Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free
Is Oregano safe for cats, dogs and kids?
Is Oregano safe for cats?
No. Our sources call Oregano mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.
- Oregano - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Is Oregano safe for dogs?
No. Our sources call Oregano mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: Gastrointestinal irritants. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea.
- Oregano - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Is Oregano safe for kids?
Our sources call Oregano non-toxic to young children. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.
- Flower and vegetable plants safe for children #175836 - Ask Extension University or extension
Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.
See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.
Similar names and close relatives
A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.
- Marjoram Origanum majoranasame genusCats: Mildly toxic; Dogs: Mildly toxic; Kids: Not sure
Common names
By language (88)
- Albanian
- Rigoni
- Arabic
- مردقوش شائع, أوريغانو, بردقوش, بردقوشة, زوباع, صعتر, فوذج جبلي, مردقوش
- Armenian
- Խնկածաղիկ սովորական
- arz
- اوريجانو
- azb
- عادی قاراقینیق
- Azerbaijani
- Adi qaraqınıq
- ba
- Мәтрүшкә
- Bangla
- জংলী মরুয়া, অরিগানো, ওরেগানো
- Basque
- Oregano
- Belarusian
- Мацярдушка, Мацярдушка звычайная
- bik
- Oregano
- Bosnian
- Origano
- Bulgarian
- Обикновен риган, Риган, Бял риган
- Cantonese
- 奧勒岡
- Catalan
- Orenga, Orégano, Origan
- Cebuano
- Oregano, Pot marjoram
- Central Kurdish
- ئەزبۆڵە
- Chinese
- 牛至, 野薄荷, 乳香草, 五香草, 俄力岡葉, 土菌陈, 土香薷, 地藿香
- Corsican
- Carnepula
- Croatian
- Mravinac, Cunila gallinacean, Origano
- Czech
- Dobromysl obecná, Dobromysl, Oregáno, Oregano
- Danish
- Almindelig Merian, Oregano, Vild Merian
- Dutch
- Wilde marjolein, Oregano
- English
- Oregano, Wild marjoram
- Esperanto
- Origano, Origanum
- Estonian
- Harilik pune, Oregano, Pune, Vorstirohi
- Filipino
- Oregano, Pot marjoram, Urigano
- Finnish
- Mäkimeirami, Oregano
- French
- Origan, Marjolaine sauvage
- frr
- Oregaano
- Galician
- Ourego
- German
- Oregano, Dost, Dostenkraut, Echter Dost, Gemeiner Dost, Gewöhnlicher Dost, Origano, Wilder Majoran
- Greek
- Ρίγανη, Ορίγανον το κοινόν
- gsw
- Mazaroo
- Guarani
- Orégano
- Hausa
- Ganyen Ƙamshi
- Hebrew
- אורגנו, אזובית פשוטה
- Hindi
- ऑरिगेनो
- Hungarian
- Szurokfű, Vadmajoránna
- Indonesian
- Oregano
- Irish
- Oragán
- Italian
- Origano
- Japanese
- オレガノ, ハナハッカ, 花薄荷
- Javanese
- Orégano
- Kannada
- ಮರುಗ
- Kazakh
- Кәдімгі жұпаргүл
- Korean
- 오레가노, 오레가노 꿀
- lah
- ساتل
- Latvian
- Parastā raudene
- lez
- ЧIулавкьалар
- li
- Marjolein, Oregano
- Lithuanian
- Paprastasis raudonėlis, Origan
- Luxembourgish
- Léiffrabettstréi, Oregano
- Macedonian
- Обично оригано
- Malay
- Pokok Oregano, Pokok Origano
- myv
- Карвотикше
- nap
- Rétëca
- Nepali
- रामतुलसी
- Norwegian Bokmål
- Bergmynte, Kung
- Norwegian Nynorsk
- Bergmynte, Kongsgress, Kung, Kungsgras
- os
- Къаххос
- pam
- Oregano
- pcd
- Marjolainne batèrde
- Persian
- پونه کوهی, مرزنجوش, مرزنگوش, مرزنگوش وحشی, پونهٔ کوهی
- Polish
- Lebiodka pospolita, Oregano
- Portuguese
- Orégano, Hissopo, Oregano, Orégão, Orégãos
- Quechua
- Unquy yuyu, Oregano, Orégano
- Romanian
- Sovârf, Oregano, Șovârf, Șovârv
- Russian
- Душица обыкновенная, Душница, Мацердушка, Орегано
- sah
- Көннөрү дыргыл
- sco
- Oregano
- Serbian
- Вранилова трава, Vranilova trava, Оригано
- Serbian (Latin)
- Origano, Mravinac, Vranilova trava
- Slovak
- Pamajorán obyčajný
- Slovenian
- Navadna dobra misel, Dobra misel, Origano, Divji origano
- Spanish
- Urégano, Furiégano, Mejorana silvestre, Oreganín, Orenga, Oriégano, Orégano, Orégano común
- Swedish
- Kungsmynta, Dosta, Frimodig, Konig, Koning, Oregano, Vild mejram, Vildmejram
- Tamil
- ஆர்கனோ
- Tatar
- Мәтрүшкә
- Telugu
- వాము ఆకు
- Thai
- ออริกาโน
- Turkish
- Keklik Otu, Güvey otu
- Ukrainian
- Материнка звичайна, Орегано
- Uzbek
- Oregano
- vls
- Oregano
- Walloon
- Såvaedje mariolinne
- Welsh
- Penrhudd, Oregano
- wuu
- 牛至
Synonyms
- Origanum floridum Salisb.
- Thymus origanum Kuntze
Flowers
- In flower
- July to August (from 2,677 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced
Photos
FlowerPhoto: Naturalista, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Евгений Маринкин, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Else Nolden, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Robert H. Wardell, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Chérif-Jacques Allali, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Origanum
- MarjoramOriganum majoranaLamiaceae
- Dittany of CreteOriganum dictamnusLamiaceae
- Biblical-hyssopOriganum syriacumLamiaceae
- Pot marjoramOriganum onitesLamiaceae
- Origanum laevigatumLamiaceae
- Origanum amanumLamiaceae
- Origanum rotundifoliumLamiaceae
- Origanum libanoticumLamiaceae
- Origanum microphyllumLamiaceae
- Origanum cordifoliumLamiaceae
- Origanum dayiLamiaceae
- Origanum ramonenseLamiaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.