The scientific name of this plant is thyme or savory, but even within the same country it is called by different names. In Russia, in the Arkhangelsk, Kirov, and Vologda regions, it is known as Bogorodskaya travka (Thyme), and in the central Russian region as chebarka (Thyme's twig) or pine pepper. The aromatic leaves of this miniature shrub are used as a culinary spice, and in folk medicine, infusions are prepared to treat various ailments. The thyme genus comprises over four hundred species and varieties, some of which grow wild, while others are cultivated by gardeners. New varieties have been developed (see photo), distinguished by their ornamental qualities and beneficial properties.
Description of the plant
The name "thyme" is derived from the Greek word "incense," meaning fragrant, aromatic substances. The plant belongs to the large Lamiaceae family and grows everywhere.
Externally, all plants are shrubs or subshrubs, with stems no more than 32-35 cm tall. The stems grow upward, spreading along the ground. The leaves are small, round, oval, or linear in shape. The surface is tough and leathery, and the leaf blades are attached to the stem by short petioles. Bushes growing in the Far East have serrated leaflets.
The inflorescences are elongated and capitate, with flowers featuring a cylindrical calyx and a bilabiate corolla. The color range is varied, with thyme growing in lilac, pink, purple, and whitish colors in different regions. The main flowering period is summer, with flowers beginning in early June and continuing until early September. By autumn, the fruit capsules, bearing spherical nuts, ripen.
Thyme grows extensively, with entire clumps found across Eurasia and northern Africa. Common thyme prefers to grow at forest edges, in clearings, and along highways. The plant is undemanding and can be found in steppes and black soils, on rocky cliffs and hills, and among sandstones.
Thyme leaves and stems contain essential oils and amino acids beneficial to the human body. The dried herb is used to make medicinal decoctions and tinctures, and the leaves are added to tea for flavor.
Black thyme is an excellent honey plant, attracting bees and bumblebees to your property. This low-growing shrub is indispensable in landscape design, particularly for rock gardens and borders.
Varieties and types of thyme
The genus Thymus includes a large number of species. Since 2002, specialists have created a new classification system for the genus, grouping similar varieties into sections.
Thyme purple-violet
Landscape designers have noted the beauty and ease of this thyme species. This tiny plant, barely reaching 8-10 cm, grows quickly and covers large areas with a veritable green carpet.
When the Bogorodskaya grass blooms, the carpet turns from green to lilac-purple. It's a beautiful and attractive sight! Purple-violet thyme requires regular pruning, otherwise the bushes become overgrown. If left unattended, it chokes out other plants, taking over the entire garden.
Mountain thyme
A beautiful perennial with bright pink and purple flowers grows in rocky crevices and on rocky slopes. The plant has short stems that form a wide rosette. It reaches a height of no more than 15 cm.
The bushes are heavily branched, and a distinctive spicy aroma is noticeable during flowering. Flowering begins in early June and continues until autumn. Mountain thyme leaves are an excellent seasoning for soups and meat dishes.
In gardens it is often planted in rockeries.
Thyme chalky
A unique member of the genus, it grows practically without soil. Rarely found in the wild, it primarily grows in limestone. Hence the name "chalkwort." It blooms late, producing beautiful, deep pink inflorescences.
The plant grows to a height of 28-30 cm. It has few leaves and bare stems. In garden plots, it is planted near vegetable plots, as the strong aroma of thyme flowers attracts large numbers of bees.
Rainbow thyme
A fluffy subshrub, 18-20 cm tall. In spring, it quickly produces early greens, used as a seasoning for vegetable and meat dishes.
The creeping stems spread widely around the plant. It takes just over a month from germination to harvesting, and the leaves are ready for consumption. Another name for this plant is vegetable.
It's grown as a perennial in garden plots, but requires additional cover during the winter. In regions with harsh winters, thyme bushes will freeze without mulch.
Pygmy Thyme
The variety gets its name from its dwarf growth habit. Its slender shoots grow to a height of 4-5 cm, making it almost invisible in dense grass.
Tiny dark green leaves cover the stems. The plant overwinters well under snow and is cold-hardy. Its main flowering period is from late May to mid-July. It is undemanding of soil, growing and blooming in poor, poorly cultivated soils. The flowers are pinkish-scarlet and form dense cones.
Thyme bug
Native to the Southern Urals, this plant is listed in the Red Book of Threatened Species. This rare plant forms a green blanket with purple flowers on slopes and foothills.
The shoots reach 13-15 cm in height, with ovoid leaves arranged in pairs. Flowering begins around midsummer and continues until September.
Bush thyme
Among its low-maintenance relatives, bush thyme is distinguished by its demanding soil fertility. In poor soil, it produces weak rosettes, but in rich black soil, it forms a dense, dark green crown.
Height: 20-25 cm, shoots grow upward. Few leaves, but this is compensated by the abundance of fragrant flowers. The flowers are white with a slight pinkish sheen. This variety is recommended for growing as a houseplant. Bush thyme also grows well in containers.
Altai thyme
In Altai, the slopes of numerous mountains are covered with this undemanding plant. The bushes form a grass cover, reaching a height of 18-25 cm.
The species is undemanding regarding soil, growing best in chalky and calcareous areas. Drought-resistant, it prefers to grow in sunny areas.
It begins blooming early, from around the end of May until September. In addition to its culinary uses, the leaves and shoots are used to make medicinal tinctures and decoctions. It is a valuable honey plant and is highly ornamental.
Wild thyme
Wild thyme, a low-growing and undemanding plant, grows on forest edges. It reaches 18-20 cm in height, with small, purple flowers. Its peak bloom occurs in mid-summer.
A highly aromatic herb that attracts pollinating insects, honey harvested from thyme has a distinctive flavor profile and a spicy aroma. Wild thyme grows well in shade but prefers sunny areas.
Thyme is beautiful
A rare and beautiful member of the thyme genus grows in the steppe on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains. The bushes reach 25-30 cm in height. Stems with numerous small leaflets form a green cover. The leaf blades are green, with short petioles.
It produces panicle-shaped inflorescences with purple flowers and a spicy aroma. By the end of July, the seed capsules ripen. The plant is an endangered species and requires protection.
Thyme Sommertime
This variety was bred for pot cultivation. The plant is compact, with upright shoots, reaching a height of 20-25 cm.
The shoots are covered with greenish-gray leaves. The leaves are elongated, resembling long needles. This variety blooms from late spring to midsummer, producing luxurious caps of lilac-colored inflorescences.
It is primarily grown as an annual, using seedlings. It does not tolerate low temperatures; when grown as a perennial, the bushes are brought indoors for the winter.
The variety is used in folk medicine; cough decoctions are prepared from dried leaves and stems.
Ural Thyme
This fairly tall plant, reaching 30-35 cm, thrives on the slopes of the Southern Urals. Unpretentious and growing in all types of soil, thyme requires plenty of sun. It is often called Siberian thyme. It prefers dry soils and sunny areas. Even in light partial shade, it fails to produce flowers and is susceptible to disease.
In open areas, it blooms profusely, covering the ground with a fluffy lilac-pink blanket. The aroma of Ural thyme can be detected several meters from the clumps.
Thyme moss
A variety of thyme grown for landscaping. Characteristics: short (2-3 cm) height, creeping stems. Groundcover plant with small, dark green foliage.
The foliage is dense, reminiscent of moss (hence the name). The plant blooms sparingly, and is primarily valued for its dense foliage. The flowers are lilac in color.
Crimean Thyme
This cold-sensitive "southerner" grows in the valleys between the cliffs and mountains of the Crimean Peninsula. This undemanding plant is characterized by vigorous growth, a highly branched stem, and abundant green leaves.
It blooms for only 30-40 days, forming seed pods by early July in Crimea. When grown in temperate climates, it requires winter protection. It freezes in winters with little snow.
Thyme Talieva
This variety of thyme grows in Siberia and parts of European Russia. It is named after scientist and professor at the Petrovskaya Agricultural Academy, Valery Ivanovich Taliev.
Spreading bushes up to 13-15 cm tall bear sparse, long-petiolate leaves. The inflorescences are collected in paniculate racemes, pink with purple flecks. This species prefers rocky, stony soils.
When used for decorative purposes, garden thyme is planted in alpine gardens and rockeries. It blooms from mid-summer to early fall.
Thyme early Minor
This thyme variety is characterized by its early blooming and long flowering period. Honey-scented paniculate inflorescences form as early as mid-June, and the capsules ripen by early autumn.
Groundcover bushes form a green carpet no more than 3-4 cm high. Long inflorescences rise above the surface of the green cover, reaching 12-13 cm. Early Minor is an easy-to-grow, undemanding thyme variety. It grows slowly, tolerates prolonged droughts, and requires no winter cover.
Red Carpet Thyme
A beautiful, low-growing perennial with slender stems and green foliage. It has a strong fragrance. It is used in landscape design to enhance bare spots in the garden.
Plants reach a height of no more than 6-7 cm. The leaves are triangular and silvery-green. This variety is characterized by rapid growth.
Forms numerous inflorescences with large purple and burgundy flowers.
The flowering period is late June through August. It's best to plant in sandy soil, which ensures lush blooms throughout the summer.
Lemon-scented
A hybrid variety, it boasts beautiful variegated leaves and lush blooms. Its distinctive feature is the rich citrus aroma of its flowers.
The flowers are a delicate pink, changing from pale to deep throughout the blooming period. The plant requires proper care: moderate watering and fertilizing. It grows best in fertile soil and does not tolerate loam. It produces profuse blooms in sunny locations.
Hybrids with different colored leaves have been bred: Bertram Anderson (yellowish-green foliage), Golden Duarf (small green leaves with bright yellow spots in the middle), Silver Queen (green leaves with a silver border).
Popular varieties include Donne Valley thyme, with beautiful golden foliage, and lemon-scented thyme Archers Gold.
Donna Vale
Reaches a height of almost 35 cm, forming multiple, arching shoots. It is prized for its decorative foliage—a delicate light green with vibrant lemon and gold spots.
The paniculate inflorescences are purple. The hybrid is demanding in terms of light and soil fertility. It does not tolerate overwatering and suffers from subzero temperatures, so it must be covered for the winter.
It is used in landscape design, planted in rock gardens, and as a border plant.
Common Compactus
It's ideal for landscaping, as it's considered a low-maintenance and easy-to-care-for species. Plants reach 18-20 cm in height, forming a continuous green carpet.
The leaves are smooth on the upper side and slightly pubescent on the underside. They bloom in early summer and continue to bloom for a long time, almost all summer long. Colors include purple, burgundy, pink, lilac, and white. In addition to single-color varieties, bicolor varieties have been developed.
Dried leaves and shoots are used as a spice and as a raw material for infusions and decoctions in folk medicine. Extracts from this variety of thyme are also components of various medicinal preparations. The most popular varieties are Elfin (purple flowers) and the snow-white Alba.
Creeping Thyme
This group comprises several plant species with similar stem structure. It is distinguished by long shoots that creep along the ground. The leaves are small, glossy, and bright green. Glands containing essential oils are located on the surface.
The panicle-shaped inflorescences come in white, pink, purple, burgundy, and coral. It's an easy-to-grow species, growing in any soil, and prefers light partial shade. Creeping thyme begins to produce flowers in the second half of summer.
Flea thyme
The prostrate bushes of this thyme variety often grow along roadsides, on hills, and mountain slopes. The bushes are dense, with numerous glossy leaves. The plant reaches a height of 13-15 cm, forming panicle-shaped flower stalks. The flowers are pink with lilac highlights.
This species is valued thyme for its medicinal properties.
Dorfler
The Dorflera thyme variety is found primarily in southern Europe. It's a fussy plant, loving warmth and plenty of sun, making it unsuitable for cultivation in central Russia.
It grows wild on the Balkan Peninsula. It forms low bushes with densely pubescent greenish leaves. The flowering period is long, with small, pale lilac-colored inflorescences.
Thyme Subarctic
Thyme with numerous purple flowers grows on the Kola Peninsula and in Scandinavia. It is a subarctic species characterized by its tolerance to low temperatures and low light.
The shoots grow to 5-7 cm, and the leaves have entire margins and are bright green. The inflorescences are sparsely pubescent and loose. The leaves, flowers, and stems of the plant contain a large amount of essential oils.
It is a rare representative of the genus and requires protection.
Conclusion
The fascinating plant thyme has become a favorite among gardeners and florists. It is prized for its decorative qualities, unique aroma and flavor, and beneficial properties. Due to its undemanding nature, thyme grows in a variety of conditions, making it easy to cultivate in garden plots or indoor pots.
Creeping thyme: variety description, outdoor cultivation, planting and care
How to grow thyme from seeds at home in a pot on a windowsill
How to grow thyme from seeds outdoors (with photos)
How to grow thyme outdoors in the Moscow region