Basil thyme, Mother of thyme
Acinos arvensis

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

There are 10 Acinos species.

Where it is found

It is a cool temperate plant. It does best in light well drained soil. Sandy soils and alkaline conditions suit it. It is very hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to -15°C. It suits plant hardiness zone 4.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Britain, Caucasus, Europe, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Middle East, North America, Norway, Scandinavia, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The flowering tops are used for flavouring and in salads. It only has a very mild flavour. They are used to flavour meat.

Edible parts

Leaves - flavouring

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed. These should be put in a nursery then transplanted. It can also be grown from division of the plant and from cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Aconis, Bakkemynte

Synonyms

Acinos thymoides (Moench.); Calamintha acinos (L.) Clairv.; Satureja acinos (L.) Scheele.;