Thymus praecox arcticus
| Thymus praecox | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 6.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 0.2' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Thymus praecox arcticus (common name: wild thyme)
Propagation: 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[1]. 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[1].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[1].
Layering.
Cultivation: Requires a light well-drained preferably calcareous soil in a sunny position[2][1]. Succeeds in dry soils, tolerating drought once it is established[3]. Grows well between stepping stones on paths, tolerating light treading[4][1]. 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[5].
Hardy to about -15°c[1].
Closely related to T. serpyllum[6], this plant is the true native wild thyme in Britain[6]. It is a very polymorphic plant, there are a number of named forms[4]. This is a very difficult genus taxonomically, the species hybridize freely with each other and often intergrade into each other[2].
A good companion for most other plants[7], it makes a very good carpeting plant for the rockery or between paving stones[2].
The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to honey bees[1].
Range: Western Europe, including Britain, from Iceland and Norway to France and Spain.
Habitat: Chalk downs, dry grassland, heaths, dunes, screes and amongst rocks[8].
Edibility: Leaves - raw in salads or added as a flavouring to cooked foods[4]. Retains its flavour well in long slow cooking. 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[1].
An aromatic tea is made from the leaves or dried flowers[4].
Medicinal: The leaves, and especially the essential oil contained in them, are anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, deodorant, diaphoretic, disinfectant, expectorant, sedative and tonic[9][10][11][1][5]. 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[5].
Usage: An essential oil from the leaves is used in perfumery, soaps, medicinally etc[1]. It has fungicidal properties[12].
The dried flowers are used to repel moths from clothing[9].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, lepidoptera
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: T. arcticus. T. brittanicus. T. carniolicus. T. drucei. T. neglectus. T. picnotrichus. T. pseudolanuginosus. T. serpyllum. non L.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Hill, Albert. Economic Botany. The Maple Press, 1952.