Lemon Thyme, Creeping Lemon Thyme, Lemon-Scented Thyme
Thymus x citriodorus

Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Lavender. Main Bloom Time: Mid summer. Form: Spreading or horizontal.

Thymus x citriodorus is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and 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). It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 0.1

Where it is found

Not known in the wild.

A hybrid of garden origin between T. pulegioides and T. vulgaris.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Canada, North America, Spain, Tasmania,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Leaves - raw in salads or added as a flavouring to cooked foods. A delicious lemon flavour. 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. An aromatic tea is made from the leaves. It has a pleasant lemon-like flavour and is very refreshing.

Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

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. The leaves contain an antioxidant and regular use of the raw leaves has been shown to increase average life expectancy by about 10%. The essential oil obtained from this plant is thought to be less irritant than other thyme oils and so it is used in aromatherapy to treat asthma and other respiratory complaints, especially in children.

Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.

Aromatherapy: Plants whose essential oils are used in Aromatherapy.

Deodorant: Masks smells. Is this medicinal?

Disinfectant: Used for cleaning wounds.

Other

Rating: 5

The essential oil obtained from the leaves and flowering stems is used in perfumery, as a mouth wash, medicinally etc. The aromatic leaves are dried and used in pot-pourri and herbal pillows. The plant makes an attractive ground cover for a sunny position. They are best spaced 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.

Pot-pourri: Aromatic plants used to impart a pleasant smell to an area. Can this be grouped with incense or essential oil?

Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife

Ground cover: Ground Cover

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Ground cover, Rock garden. Requires a light well-drained preferably calcareous soil in a sunny position. Succeeds in dry soils. 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. Plants are hardy to about -15°c. This is a very difficult genus taxonomically, the species hybridize freely with each other and often intergrade into each other. Often cultivated in the herb garden for its leaves, there are some named varieties. The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to honey bees. A good companion for most plants. Special Features:Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Suitable for dried flowers.

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. This species is a hybrid and will not breed true from seed. 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: 5-10

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Tomillo,

Synonyms

T. serpyllum citratus. T. serpyllum citriodora.