Origanum minutiflorum
An oregano endemic to the western Taurus Mountains; its tiny whitish midsummer flowers supply nectar to mountain apiaries, and it needs protection from heavy wild harvesting.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,2-0,5 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
🐝 Add to my apiary
Log in to add it to your apiary.Value for beekeeping
Origanum minutiflorum is an endemic oregano found only on the rocky limestone slopes of the western Taurus Mountains around Isparta and Antalya. Despite its small range, it is collected from the wild in large quantities for the essential oil and dried oregano trade. Its very small white or pinkish-white flowers open in dense spikelets and are regularly visited by honey bees.
Flowering
It flowers in July and August, when many plants on the mountain slopes have dried up. This timing contributes to midsummer forage for apiaries on the Taurus high pastures.
Honey and pollen
No separate commercial honey is known; it is among the species that give highland honeys in the region their oregano aroma. Its pollen contribution is low. No yield measurements were found.
Note for the beekeeper
Overharvesting and uprooting are weakening local populations of the species; beekeepers who support sustainable harvesting in the region protect both the oregano and the bee forage. It can be grown from seed or cuttings.