Mother of thyme, Creeping thyme, Woolly Thyme
Thymus praecox
Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Pink. Main Bloom Time: Mid spring. Form: Rounded.
Thymus praecox 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 5. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. 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
Stony and rocky mountain slopes, 1000 - 3600 metres in Turkey.
S. W. and C. Europe.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
The leaves are used as a food flavouring. 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: 3
Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position. The essential oil obtained from the leaves is used in perfumery, as a mouth wash, medicinally etc.
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:Border, Container, Ground cover, Rock garden. Requires a light well-drained preferably calcareous soil in a sunny position. Succeeds in dry soils. 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. Plants are hardy to about -15°c. 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. There are some named varieties selected for culinary and ornamental purposes. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Edible, Fragrant foliage.
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: 5-8
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist