Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
📖 About this plant
Low-growing woody perennial herb with tiny aromatic leaves and a warm, earthy flavor. Used in countless savory dishes worldwide; excellent ground cover; attracts bees and butterflies.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Low (30-50%)
10-28°C
Well-draining, sandy or rocky, slightly alkaline loam (pH 6.0-8.0)
Very minimal; poor soil produces more concentrated essential oils and better flavor
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
- 📏 Max height
- 15-30 cm (6-12 inches)
- 📐 Spread
- 15-30 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring - Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Pink, Purple, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Gray-Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans; safe culinary herb. Non-toxic to pets in normal culinary amounts; concentrated thyme oil should be used with caution around pets.
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seed (slow and variable); semi-hardwood cuttings in summer; division of established plants
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic to humans; safe culinary herb. Non-toxic to pets in normal culinary amounts; concentrated thyme oil should be used with caution around pets.
Common issues
- Root rot from overwatering
- Spider mites
- Whitefly
- Woolly thyme aphid
💡 Care tips
- Excellent ground cover that thrives in poor rocky soil
- Drought-tolerant perennial that returns each year
- HARVEST before flowering for the strongest flavor
- Prune woody stems in early spring