Wild oregano — Origanum vulgare subspecies hirtum — is the most medicinal of the oreganos. It grows on rocky hillsides in northern Greece, in soil that would kill most herbs. The stress is what makes the medicine.
The active compound is carvacrol. Anything below 60% is a culinary oregano. Above 70% and you're looking at a medicinal-grade oil. Above 80% — which is what we source — and the oil is sharply antimicrobial.
The supplier
I've worked with the same family-run distillery in Larissa for nine years. They harvest the plants by hand in July, when carvacrol is at its peak. The oil is steam-distilled the same day. Every batch comes with a certificate of analysis.
There are cheaper sources. There are oils labeled 'oregano' that are actually thyme. There are oils labeled 'wild' that are field-grown. I don't buy from any of them.
