Description of Thyme

The information that follows is excerpted from a longer post:  The Ultimate Guide to Thyme. For additional information about Thyme such as its cultivation, or medicinal and culinary uses, please click HERE to access the complete original post. Other individual sections are listed below:

Cultivation

Culinary Uses

Medicinal Uses

History, Lore and Magic

Thyme with Hat and Infusion of Thyme

Thyme is a member of the mint family (Labiatae).  It is native to the western Mediterranean region and southern Italy.  It was introduced in many other places and is now widely cultivated, especially in Hungary and Germany.  It was carried to the New World by the first European settlers and now grows wild in a few areas of North America.  One such place is in an area of the Catskill Mountains of New York where it was supposedly introduced in the fleece of sheep imported from Greece.  Another naturalized area is in western Massachusetts.  Mostly it is found in the wild in dry, rocky, well-drained soils.

Large Thyme Bush

Thyme is a small aromatic perennial evergreen shrub with thin, many branched stems that become woody after the second growing season.  Upright versions of thyme attain a height of about one foot, while the creeping varieties don't usually get over 3 or 4 inches tall.  These creeping types are an excellent ground cover, and will fill in the cracks between flagstones of a patio or path.  An old Herbal claims, "the more it is trodden upon, the faster it grows."  At any rate, it makes a lovely outdoor carpet that smells heavenly!

Creeping Thyme:  "The more it is trodden upon . . ."

Thyme stems are thin, square, gnarled, and greenish brown.  Snipping them off encourages branching and bushiness of the plant.  Thyme leaves are oval, pointed, stalkless or nearly stalkless and covered in fine hairs.  They grow opposite one another and are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch long with edges that are slightly rolled under.  The leaves are a gray-green in color and somewhat paler on their undersides.

Thyme Leaf Close Up

Flowers of thyme are quite small and very numerous. They are tubular and under 1/4 inch long.  They appear in small terminal clusters in spring through mid-summer.  They are pale lilac to pink in color.  Sometimes the flowers are so pale in color that they appear to be white.  The tiny flowers are extremely fragrant and are a favorite of bees.  In fact, thyme honey is quite a delicacy in some regions.  Each flower bears tiny, brown, shiny seeds that are spherical in shape.

Thyme Flower Close Up

This should assist you in identifying thyme plants.  Please leave any questions or comments you may have in the space below!

Peace and Love Always,

Thyme in a Bowl

Sources:

Bremness, Leslie. RD Home Handbook: Herbs. Pleasantville: Reader's Digest Association, 1990. Print.

Brown, Deni. The Herb Society of America Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1995. Print.

Clevely, Andi, and Katherine Richmond. The Complete Book of Herbs. New York: Smithmark, 1994. Print.

Cunnningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1992. Print.

Gips, Kathleen. Flora's Dictionary: The Victorian Language of Herbs and Flowers . Chagrin Falls: TM Publications, 1995. Print.

"Health Benefits Of Thyme: Medicinal Uses Of A Favorite Herb". Natural Society. N. p., 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

Kowalchik, Claire, and William H. Hylton, eds. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs . Emmaus: Rodale, 1987. Print.

Kruger, Anna. An Illustrated Guide to Herbs. Stamford: Longmeadow, 1993. Print.

"Medicinal Thyme - History And Modern Uses". NaturalNews Blogs. N. p., 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

"Medicinal Uses Of Thyme | Off The Grid News". Offthegridnews.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

Shaudys, Phyllis. The Pleasure of Herbs. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1986. Print.

Shaudys, Phyllis V. Herbal Treasures. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1990. Print.

"Thyme Leaf Benefits ". Anniesremedy.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

"THYME: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions And Warnings - Webmd". Webmd.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

"What Are The Health Benefits Of Thyme?". Medical News Today. N. p., 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016

Photo Credits:

Description of Thyme Background:  Photo Credit:  bunch of thyme on a white wooden background by nblxer

Thyme with Hat and Infusion:  Photo Credit:  Tea or infusion of thyme. by Martina Osmy

Thyme in Flower (in graphic):  Photo Credit:  Thyme by Barry Cornelius via Attribution Engine. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA.

Large Thyme Bush:  Photo Credit:  http://dadcooksdinner.com/2010/09/things-i-love-my-thyme-bush.html/

"The more it is trodden upon . . .":  Photo Credit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/125950601/creeping-thyme-ground-cover-1000-seeds

Thyme Leaf Close Up:   Photo credit: ZenKitty /Babushka via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC

Thyme Flowers Close Up:  Photo Credit:  http://flowers.pearljewelryusa.com/flower-thyme-florist/

Thyme in a Bowl:  Photo Credit:  fresh thyme herb in wooden bowl by dusk

Description of Thyme Background:  Photo Credit:  bunch of thyme on a white wooden background by nblxer