Is Oregano deer resistant?
Origanum sp.
Plant typePerennialHardinessZones 4–9, genus rangeLightFull sun
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Oregano
Culinary oregano doubles as a decent front-of-border plant, and bees work the flowers hard. Flavour is strongest on poor dry soil, so do not feed it.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 8
- Drainage
- Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 12 to 18 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Oregano
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- Anise HyssopAgastache sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Basket of GoldAurinia saxatilisZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Bearded IrisIris germanicaZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Bigleaf GoldenrayLigularia dentataZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Bleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Butter and EggsLinaria vulgarisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
Where Oregano grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
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Every list Oregano belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Oregano
- Is Oregano deer resistant?
- Oregano (Origanum sp.) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Oregano grow in?
- Oregano is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat. That is the range across the genus, so a named species or cultivar may be narrower.
- Does Oregano grow in shade?
- No. Oregano wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- Is Oregano toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Oregano as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.