Caraway Thyme
Thymus herba-barona
Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Lavender, Pink. Form: Prostrate.
Thymus herba-barona is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a slow rate. It is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 0.1
Where it is found
Not known
S. Europe - Mediterranean in Sardinia and Corsica.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Canada, Corsica, Mediterranean, North America, Sardinia,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
The herb has a fragrance reminiscent of caraway seeds and is an excellent flavouring for soups, vegetables etc. It is especially used with garlic. 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.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The leaves, and especially the essential oil contained in them, are strongly antiseptic, deodorant and disinfectant. 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.
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
Deodorant: Masks smells. Is this medicinal?
Disinfectant: Used for cleaning wounds.
Other
Rating: 4
The essential oil obtained from the leaves is used in perfumery, as a mouth wash, medicinally etc. Plants can be grown as a ground cover when planted about 30cm apart each way.
Deodorant: A pleasant smelling plant that is used on the body to mask the human smell.
Disinfectant: Plants used for disinfecting.
Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
Ground cover: Ground Cover
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Container, Ground cover, Rock garden. Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny position. Succeeds in dry soils, tolerating drought once it is established. Grows well between stepping stones on paths, tolerating light treading. 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. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The leaves of the species have a delicious caraway scent. There are some named varieties. 'Nutmeg' is fast growing and has a pronounced fragrance somewhat reminiscent of nutmeg. 'Lemon Scented' has a strong lemon scent. The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to honey bees. This is a very difficult genus taxonomically, the species hybridize freely with each other and often intergrade into each other. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Flower characteristics are unknown.
Propagating it: 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. 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. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Layering.
Best place to grow: Ground Cover; Cultivated Beds; East Wall. In. South Wall. In. West Wall. In.
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 8-10
Growth: Slow
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist