Thymus vulgaris, or "Garden Thyme", "German Thyme", "Common Thyme", of just "Thyme" is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe from the western Mediterranean to southern Italy. It usually grows to 15-30cm tall by 40cm wide. It is a bushy, woody-based evergreen subshrub with small, highly aromatic, grey-green leaves and clusters of purple or pink flowers in early summer.
Thyme is best cultivated in a hot, sunny location with well drained soil. It is generally planted in the spring, and thereafter grows as a perennial. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or by dividing rooted sections of the plant. It is useful in the garden as groundcover, where it can be short-lived, but is easily propagated. It is also the main source of thyme as an ingredient in cooking and as an herbal medicine. It is slightly spicier than oregano and sweeter than sage. Thyme tolerates drought well. The plants can take deep freezes and are found growing wild on mountain highlands. Along the Riviera it is found from sea level and up to 800m.
Numerous cultivars and hybrids have been developed for ornamental purposes. French, German and English varieties vary by leaf shape, color, and essential oils. The many cultivars include "Argenteus" (silver thyme) and "Silver Queen" (with white-margined leaves) has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming. The Ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage. The spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be due to the Romans, as they used it to purify their rooms and to "give an aromatic flavor to cheese and liquors". In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and to ward off nightmares. In this period, women would also give knights and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves, as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals, as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life.
Thyme is also frequently used for culinary purposes. In some Levantine countries, and Assyria, the condiment za'atar (Arabic for both thyme and marjoram) contains many of the essential oils found in thyme. Thyme is a common component of the "Bouquet garni", and of "Herbes de Provence". Thyme is sold both fresh and dried. While summer-seasonal, fresh greenhouse thyme is often available year-round. The fresh form is more flavorful, but also less convenient; storage life is rarely more than a week. However, the fresh form can last many months if carefully frozen. Thyme retains its flavor on drying better than many other herbs. Oil of thyme, the essential oil of common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), contains 20–54% thymol, which has strong antiseptic properties. Thyme essential oil also contains a range of additional compounds, such as p-cymene, myrcene, borneol, and linalool. Thymol, an antiseptic, is an active ingredient in various commercially produced mouthwashes such as Listerine. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, oil of thyme was used to medicate bandages to avoid infection.
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