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Thymus praecox - Opitz.

Author	Opitz.	Botanical references	93, 200
Family	Labiatae	Genus	Thymus
Synonyms
Known Hazards	None known
Range	S. W. and C. Europe.
Habitat	Stony and rocky mountain slopes, 1000 - 3600 metres in Turkey[93].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 0.05m by 0.3m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats

Ground Cover; Cultivated Beds; East Wall In; South Wall In; West Wall In;

Edible Uses

Edible Uses: Condiment.

The leaves are used as a food flavouring[177, 238]. 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[200].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antiseptic; Deodorant; Disinfectant.

The leaves, and especially the essential oil contained in them, are strongly antiseptic, deodorant and disinfectant[200, 238]. 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[238].

Other Uses

Essential; Ground cover.

Can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position[188]. The essential oil obtained from the leaves is used in perfumery, as a mouth wash, medicinally etc[200].

Scented Plants

Leaves:

Cultivation details

Requires a light well-drained preferably calcareous soil in a sunny position[1, 200]. Succeeds in dry soils. Grows well between stepping stones on paths, tolerating light treading[183, 200]. 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[238]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[238]. The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to honey bees[200]. This is a very difficult genus taxonomically, the species hybridize freely with each other and often intergrade into each other[1]. There are some named varieties selected for culinary and ornamental purposes[183, 200].

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[200]. 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[200]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[200]. Layering.

Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Ground cover plants..

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[93] Davis. P. H. Flora of Turkey. Edinburgh University Press 1965
Not for the casual reader, this is an immense work in many volumes. Some details of plant uses and habitats.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

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