Practical
Plants

Thymus praecox arcticus

Wild Thyme

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Thymus genus in the family Labiatae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Thymus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
0.05 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw in salads or added as a flavouring to cooked foods[5]. Retains its flavour well in long slow cooking. If the leaves are to be dried, the plants should be harvested in early and late summer just before the flowers open and the leaves should be dried quickly[7]. An aromatic tea is made from the leaves or dried flowers[5].

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves, and especially the essential oil contained in them, are anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, deodorant, diaphoretic, disinfectant, expectorant, sedative and tonic[10][12][8][7][9]. The plant can be used fresh at any time of the year, or it can be harvested as it comes into flower and either be distilled for the oil or dried for later use[9].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Deodorant
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Disinfectant
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An essential oil from the leaves is used in perfumery, soaps, medicinally etc[7]. It has fungicidal properties[4]. The dried flowers are used to repel moths from clothing[10].

Product or use
Essential
Product or use
Fungicide
Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
Western Europe, including Britain, from Iceland and Norway to France and Spain.
Habitat
Chalk downs, dry grassland, heaths, dunes, screes and amongst rocks[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, drought
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Seed can also be sown in autumn in a greenhouse. Surface sow or barely cover the seed. Germination can be erratic. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn[7]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring. Cuttings of young shoots, 5 - 8cm with a heel, May/June in a frame[7]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[7]. Layering.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a light well-drained preferably calcareous soil in a sunny position[1][7]. Succeeds in dry soils, tolerating drought once it is established[6]. Grows well between stepping stones on paths, tolerating light treading[5][7]. Succeeds on walls. Thymes dislike wet conditions, especially in the winter. A layer of gravel on the soil around them will help protect the foliage from wet soils[9]. Hardy to about -15°c[7]. Closely related to T. serpyllum[2], this plant is the true native wild thyme in Britain[2]. It is a very polymorphic plant, there are a number of named forms[5]. This is a very difficult genus taxonomically, the species hybridize freely with each other and often intergrade into each other[1]. A good companion for most other plants[11], it makes a very good carpeting plant for the rockery or between paving stones[1]. The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to honey bees[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  4. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10

  8. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  9. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  11. Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-584-10141-4

    ↩

  12. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩

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