About Thyme

by Laurie

History

Thyme is a herb of Mediterranean origin and was brought to North America with the first colonialists as a food preservative and medicine.

Because of its antiseptic qualities thyme was one of the herbs and spices used in ancient Egypt to keep mummies fresh for the afterlife.

Thyme is burnt to cleanse spiritual rooms and spaces, as well as to bring good health and courage to the home. Thyme placed in a sleeping pillow repels nightmares.

In medieval times, thyme was believed to bring courage to the bearer, so women often made gifts for their knights and warriors that included thyme leaves, or embroidered thyme leaves onto scarves to be worn in battle.

Thyme was also used in funeral rites, being used as an incense as well as to place on the coffin, where it was believed that the departed lived in the flowers. It was believed to assure the passage into the next life.

Growing Thyme & Varieties

Thyme is a bushy perennial that loves warm, sunny areas, and is found throughout North America. It commonly grows to 15 inches tall, and makes an excellent ground cover on dry slopes.

There are many different varieties, ranging from sub-shrub size to a creeping ground cover. Trim it back after flowering to prevent it from becoming woody, and prune more frequently in summer, during its most vigorous growing period.

The flowers range from purple to lilac to white. It prefers well drained slightly alkaline soils. Thyme can be sown from seed, or propagated from stem cuttings.

It may be killed if temperatures drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, so if this is a possibility in your area, you will want to either protect it over winter, or bring some indoors to grow on a sunny windowsill. Thyme leaves can be dried easily, and it freezes well.