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Thyme is a popular herb. Since many types of thyme are hardy, they can be planted out in the garden. There they exude the typical smell of thyme and form beautiful carpets of flowers. Read here when and in which colors the thyme flowers can be seen.
In a nutshell
- Thyme needs a sunny spot
- Carpets of flowers from white to purple
- not all thymes are suitable for use in the kitchen
- Ornamental thyme as decorative plants
Thyme (Thymus)
The thyme genus includes a good 200 species, which are supplemented by countless varieties. The greatest variety of thyme species can be found in the Mediterranean region. The individual flowers of thymus are only a few millimeters in size, but together the thyme flowers form a luminous carpet of flowers. The color of the sea of flowers, which attracts numerous bees, ranges from white to violet.
Notice: Thymes can also be harvested during flowering. The flowers are edible.
The growth of thymus is usually cushion, carpet or pillow-like. The ideal location for the ground cover is full sun. Optimal soil properties are:
- dry
- well drained
- low in humus and nutrients
- pH between 7 and 8 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
Spice Thyme
The following types of thyme are often used in the preparation of dishes because of their tasty aroma.
Thymus serpyllum 'Coccineus' (left), Thymus x citriodorus 'Golden Dwarf' (right)
| Thyme Art | flower color | heyday | growth height | sorts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadleaf thyme (thymus pulegioides) | pink to red (depending on variety) | July to August | up to 30 centimeters | 'Aureus' and 'Foxely' (light pink thyme flowers) "EB Anderson” (light purple) |
| Real thyme (thymus vulgaris) | white to violet (depending on variety) | May until October | up to 40 centimeters | "Compactus" (light purple, July to September, up to 10 centimeters) "German Winter" (purple, June to July) "Fleur Provencale" (white, June to August) "Tabor" (dark pink, May to June) |
| Ginger Thyme (Thymus hybrid "Ginger") | soft pink | June to July | up to 20 centimeters | |
| yoke thyme (zygis thymus) | White | May to June | up to 30 centimeters | |
| Cascade Thyme (Thymus longicaulis ssp. odoratus) | light violet pink | April to May | up to 15 centimeters | |
| Corsican thyme (Thymus herba barona) | light to dark pink | July to September | up to 20 centimeters | |
| Mastic Thyme (Thymus mastichina) | White | May to June | up to 30 centimeters | |
| Orange Thyme (Thymus vulgaris var. fragrantissimus) | pink | July to September | up to 30 centimeters | "Orange Spice" |
| Orosped thyme (Thymus orospedanus) | white to pale pink | July to August | up to 30 centimeters | |
| Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) | white to purple | June to August | up to 10 centimeters | "Albus" (white) "Atropurpureus", "Creeping Red" and "Purple Beauty" (purple) "Coccineus" (purple red) "Elfin" (pink) Magic Carpet (carmine pink) |
| Crested thyme (thymus comosus) | light violet to lilac | July to September | up to 10 centimeters | 'Doone Valley' (light purple flowers, variegated) |
| steppe thyme (Thymus pannonicus) | violet-pink to light red | July to August | up to 20 centimeters | |
| Lemon Cumin Thyme (Thymus herba-barona var. citrodora) | pink | July to September | up to 20 centimeters | |
| Lemon Thyme (Thymus x citriodorus) | pink to light purple | July to August | up to 15 centimeters | "Bertram Anderson Gold" (pink) Cascata Lemonade (Lemonade Thyme) "Lemon" and "Golden Dwarf" (light purple) "Silver Queen" (light pink) 'Lemon Variegated', 'Rasta' and 'Villa Nove' (Purple Pink) |
Tip: Mastic thyme is extremely sensitive to moisture. It is therefore recommended to overwinter the kitchen herb indoors.
ornamental thyme
The following thyme varieties are grown primarily for their ornamental value.
Thymus praecox 'Albiflorus'
| Thyme Art | flower color | heyday | growth height | sorts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early flowering thyme (Thymus precox) | white to purple (depending on variety) | May to August (depending on variety) | under 10 centimeters | Albiflorus (white thyme flowers, May to June) Minor (purple-pink, June to July) Red Carpet (pink, June to July) |
| Island Thyme (Thymus richardii) | light pink | May to June | up to 25 centimeters | Peter Davis (light pink) |
| Upholstery thyme (Thymus cherlerioides) | light pink to violet | June to August | up to 20 centimeters | Scented Pillow (light pink) |
| Silvery Stone Thyme (Thymus neideffii) | pink | June to August | up to 10 centimeters | |
| Wooly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) | pink to purple | May to June | up to 5 centimeters |
Notice: Due to their low (early flowering thyme and silvery rock thyme) or tart (custard thyme) aroma, these thyme species are used little or not at all in the kitchen.
frequently asked Questions
Are exotic types of thyme such as "Kokos" edible?Yes, varieties such as "Coconut", "Rose scent" or "Bergamot" are edible, even during flowering between June and July. So you can use "Rose Scent" as a substitute for rose water. "Kokos" goes very well with Asian dishes.
Does thyme also bloom in a pot?Thymes also bloom in pots or flower boxes. As in the garden, they also need a sunny spot on the balcony or terrace.
Does the thyme blossom smell?Most of the flowers are fragrant, but the typical thyme smell is usually emitted by the leaves. The intensity of the scent varies from variety to variety. Therefore, when buying, you should smell the chosen variety with some distance to other thymes.