Caraway thyme
Thymus herba-barona
Family: Lamiaceae
What it is like
A small herb or shrub which lies along the ground. It grows 10 cm high and spreads 60 cm wide. It forms loose carpets. The flower heads are 5-13 cm high. The leaves are smooth and oval or sword shaped. They are flat, shiny and dark green. They are 1.3 cm long. They can smell like caraway, lemon or nutmeg when crushed. The flowers are bright pink and in rings in spikes.
There are between 300 and 400 Thymus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zone 7-9. Melbourne Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Canada, Corsica, Europe, Mediterranean, North America, Sardinia
How it is used for food
The leaves have a scent of caraway seeds and are used to flavour soups, vegetables and poultry.
Edible parts
Herb