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Thyme
Thyme
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
strong medicinal doses should be avoided if there is any possibility that you are pregnant.
Thyme is a perennial native to the Mediterranean. It is hardy to zone five, but is prone to disease and insect infestation in the deep south. Southern gardeners may want to grow thyme indoors in containers so that conditions may be carefully controlled. Most varieties grow to only six to twelve inches in height, and they make an attractive edging for the perennial border. Leaves are dark gray-green in color, and pale pink flowers bloom at the tips of the stems in summer.
You can start thyme from seeds to get a wider selection of varieties. Most nurseries carry transplants in spring and summer. It prefers a sandy, dry soil and plenty of sun. If your soil is acidic, add some lime. If you live in a very cold climate, protect the plants in winter by mulching heavily. Once established, the only care will be regular pruning of the plants and removal of dead flowers and pruning to remove old wood.
Harvesting
Leaves can be harvested for fresh use throughout the summer, but the flavor is best just before flowering. To dry, cut the stems just as the flowers start to open and hang in small bunches. Harvest sparingly the first year.
Culinary Uses
Thyme has a strong piquant or lemony flavor. For fresh use, the flavor is best just before flowering.
Enhance the flavor of meat, fish and poultry dishes with thyme.
For chicken and fish marinades, bruise fresh sprigs of thyme and tarragon, and combine with red-wine vinegar and olive oil.
Use in herb butters and cottage cheese.
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Medicinal Uses
It is safe to use thyme as a seasoning during pregnancy , but strong medicinal doses should be avoided if there is any possibility that you are pregnant.
Thyme was grown in monastery gardens in southern France and in Spain and Italy during the Middle Ages for use as a cough remedy, digestive aid and treatment for intestinal parasites.
A solution of thyme's most active ingredient, thymol, thyme's most active ingredient, is used in such over-the-counter products as Listerine mouthwash and Vicks VapoRub because of its well-known antibacterial and antifungal properties. Thymol apparently also has a therapeutic effect on the lungs. Ingesting or inhaling the oil helps to loosen phlegm and relax the muscles in the respiratory tract.
In Germany, concoctions of thyme are frequently prescribed for coughs, including those resulting from whooping cough, bronchitis and emphysema. In the United States, thyme extract was included in a popular cough syrup, Pertussin, that is no longer on the market. Thyme is used in herbal teas prepared for colds and flus. In addition, thyme has antifungal properties and can be used against athlete's foot.
Taking thyme
To make a tea, use two teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water and steep for ten minutes. Add sage to the tea if you have a nagging cough. The Food and Drug Administration includes thyme on its list of herbs generally regarded as safe, but large doses may cause intestinal problems. If you experience diarrhea or bloating, cut back on the amount you're using or discontinue use altogether.
A stronger tea is useful as a mouthwash or rinse to treat sore gums.
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
Labiatae family Language and mythology The genus thymus is a Greek word for 'courage.' The name also may be derived from a Greek term meaning to fumigateš because the herb was burned to repel insects from the house. Fairies were thought to live in a bed of thyme. Historically, it has had a medicinal reputation. A soup of beer and thyme was used to overcome shyness, while a tea of wild thyme was used by Scots to gain strength and courage and to prevent nightmares. Description This small, shrublike plant has numerous quadrangular, woody stems that are finely covered with hair. The opposite, sessile leaves are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, ovate to lanceolate, and slightly rolled at the edges with a pale, hairy underside. The bluish purple to pink flowers are tubular, two-lipped, and less than 1/4 inch long. They are arranged in whorled terminal clusters. The fruit is comprised of four tiny, seedlike nutlets. Plant type and hardiness Perennial; hardiness zones 5 to 9. Height and width Height 12 inches; width 10 to 12 inches. Light and soil Full sun to partial shade; light, dry, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.3. Pests and disease Root rot, fungal diseases, and spider mites. Cultivation In spring, sow seeds in a seed tray or scatter directly onto the ground. Keep plants moist while young. Thin to about 6 inches apart. Once well established, thyme does not require much watering or any fertilizer. Propagation by root division should be done in spring. Divide the bush into smaller parts, making sure each piece has rootlets attached. Cuttings should be taken in late spring. Insert 4-inch shoot tips into pots of sand medium and keep them well watered. Companion planting Thyme is said to repel cabbage root flies. Since bees are strongly attracted to thyme, plant where pollination is required (e.g., with tomatoes). Propagation method June and July; bluish purple to pink. Bloom time and color Harvest the leafy branches just before the plant flowers. Gather them on a dry day after the dew has dried and before midday. Hang in bundles upside down in a shady, dry, airy place. When the leaves are crisp to the touch, strip them from the stems and store in airtight containers. Harvesting Seeds, layering, cuttings, or division. Herbal uses Aromatic, cosmetic, culinary, decorative, and medicinal.
The dried flowers and leaves scent potpourris and sachets. Thyme also is used as an antiseptic and stimulant in herb lotions and baths. It flavors vinegars, herbal butter, tea, poultry, fish, stuffings, stews, soups, bread, mayonnaise, mushrooms, and broccoli. Fresh or dried thyme may be added to salads. It is used in wreaths and in floral arrangements. Thyme can be grown in containers. It is said to have some medicinal qualities. Garden notes Our plants spread nicely and provided a showy display of flowers in August and September, possibly because the plants were set out late in the season. Visitors admired these low-growing plants, which were very effective on the edges of the garden border.
Aromatherapy Thyme Oil
> Essential Oils
Thymus vulgaris, Labiatae family
Description
A perennial evergreen shrub growing to 45cms high with woody root and branched upright stem. The plant has small green-gray, oval leaves and pale purple or white flowers. The aroma is rich, powerful, sweet warm and herbaceous with a somewhat spicy aroma.
Distribution
Native to Spain and the Mediterranean region, now found throughout Asia Minor, Algeria, Turkey, Tunisia, Israel, the USA Russia, China and central Europe. The oil is mainly produced in Spain but also in France, Greece, Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Germany and the USA.
History / Traditions
Used by the ancient Egyptians in the embalming process and by the Greeks to fumigate against infectious diseases, thyme was one of the earliest medicinal herbs of the Mediterranean region. Known by Hippocrates and Dioscorides. The name derives from the Greek 'thymos' meaning 'to perfume. It is also long established as a culinary herb.
Culpeper say of Thyme: It is a notable strengthener of the lungs, as notable as any that grows; It purgeth the body of phlegm and is an excellent remedy for shortness of breath. It kills worms in the belly ... it is so harmless you need not fear the use of it.
Extraction
Essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from the fresh or partly dried leaves and flowering tops. 'Rd thyme oil is a crude distillate, 'White thyme oil is produced by further distillation or rectification (an absolute is produced in France by solvent extraction for perfumery use.)
Details of Oil
Red thyme oil is a red, brown or orange liquid with a warm spicy-herbaceous, powerful odor. White thyme oil is a clear, pale yellow liquid with a sweet, green-fresh, milder scent. It blends well with bergamot, lemon, rosemary, melisa, lavender, marjoram, Peru Balsam and Pine.
Other Varieties
There are numerous varieties of Thyme - the common thyme believed to be derived from the mother of thyme (T. serpyllum), which is used to produce an essential oil called serpolet, similar in effect to the common thyme oil.
Another species used for the production of the so called red thyme oil is the Spanish thyme T. sygis, a highly penetrating oil good for cellulitis, sports injuries etc.
Other species used for essential oil production include lemon thyme (T. citriodorus), a fresh scented oil good for asthma, and other respiratory conditions and also safe for children.
Other Uses
There are many chemotypes of thyme oil: notably the 'thymol' and 'carvacol' types (warming and active); the 'thuyanol' type and the milder 'linalol' or 'citrol' types. Thyme has a wide range of uses, in Western medicine the main application has been in the treatment of digestive complaints, respiratory problems and the prevention and treatment of infection.
Muscles joints and circulation: Rheumatism, muscular aches and pains, cellulitis, arthritis, sprains, anemia.
Skin: Insect bites, lice, scabies, dermatitis, eczema, cuts, bruises, acne, abscess, cellulitis, gum infection, athletes foot, wounds.
Respiratory: Asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, coughs, laryngitis, sinusitis, sore throat, tonsillitis, flu, whooping cough, throat infections.
Digestive system:Diarrhoea, dyspepsia, flatulence.
Genito-urinary system: Cystitis, urethritis.
Immune system: Infectious diseases, staphylococcus, physical an psychological weakness.
Nervous system: Headaches, insomnia, nervous debility, neurasthenia and stress related complaints. Helps to revive the body and the mind.
General: Debility, insomnia.
Reproductive system: Vaginitis (douche of boiled water with 2% of essence of thyme.)
Usage: The oil can be used as a massage oil (diluted with a carrier), as an inhalation, in a diffuser or vaporizer.
Safety data
Thymus Vulgaris is a skin irritant in high concentration, it should not be used with epileptic conditions, hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure or during pregnancy (because it is a euterine stimulant).
Red thyme oil, serpolet (from wild thyme), 'thymol' and 'carvacrol' type oils all contain quite large amounts of toxic phenols (carvacol and thymol). They can irritate mucous membranes, cause dermal irritation and may cause sensitization in some individuals. Use in moderation, in low dilution. They are best avoided during pregnancy.
White thyme is not a 'complete' oil and is often adulterated. Lemon Thyme and 'linalol' types are in general less toxic, non-irritant with less possibility of sensitization, safe for use on the skin and with children.
Components
Thymol and cavacrol (up to 60%) cymene, camphene, borneol, linalol; depending upon the source it can also contain geraniol, citral and thuyanol.
Thyme
Other names: Thymus vulgaris, common thyme, garden thyme, (Thymus serpyllum, wild thyme, creeping thyme, mother of thyme)
Parts Used: The herb.
Culinary uses: The traditional flavor of clam and fish chowders come from thyme.
It is also an ingredient in stuffings for poultry or for breast of lamb.
Thyme is also used for bouquet garni.
This means sprigs of fresh herbs that are tied in a bunch or in cheese cloth and immersed in a soup or stew while it is cooking.
They may be left for the entire cooking period or just until the desired flavor is obtained.
They are then removed from the dish. Thyme, bay leaf , and parsley are basic for bouquet garni, but other herbs may be added also.
Other uses: This herb is indicated for use in spasmodic, irritating coughs, whooping cough, and coughs due to colds.
The stimulant and carminative properties are used whenever there is a tendency for the catarrh to linger along the mucous linings. of the alimentary, bronchial, and urinary systems.
Bouquets of mint, rosemary, and thyme wrapped lightly in cheesecloth and hung in a closet will repel moths.
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