Broad-leaved thyme

Broad-leaved thyme: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, loose sub-shrub 15–25 cm tall and 40 cm wide, with a woody base and ascending stems.

Leaves

Small, oval to elliptic, 5–10 mm, broader than in many other wild thymes; with a herby scent.

Flower

Pinkish-purple flowers in round heads with whorls, from June to September.

Stem

Square (four-angled), hairy along the angles: a good identification feature.

Roots

Woody and branching: they anchor the plant firmly and help it through dry summers.

Flowering: June–September · Harvest and fruit: May–September · Sowing: March–April · Plants: April–May and September · Pruning: April and September

Why grow it?

• A native plant that suits a wild, wildlife-friendly garden.
• Flowers for a long time, from June to September, and is an important nectar plant for bees and butterflies.
• Drought tolerant and undemanding: ideal for a dry, sunny spot.
• The mild, herby leaves can be used in the kitchen, and also for herbal tea.
• Lovely in a rock garden, on a gravel bed, along a path or in a herb border.

Broad-leaved thyme: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the more sun, the stronger the aroma and the richer the flowering.
• Free-draining, lean soil: sand, loam or clay with grit, acid to chalky.
• Dry to normal: soil that is too wet, especially in winter, is fatal.
• Plant 25–30 cm apart; it then forms a loose, flowery mat.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.25 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Oregano: A relative from the herb corner, with flowers that attract bees and butterflies.
• Lavender: The same sun and dry soil, with a Mediterranean scent.
• Yarrow: Soft flower heads that suit a wild, dry border.
• Sage: Grey-green leaves and purple flowers beside the pink thyme.

Broad-leaved thyme: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Sow indoors in March–April: scatter the seeds on seed compost and barely cover them (they germinate in light), at 15–20 °C.
2. Prick out the seedlings once they are large enough and harden them off in May.
3. Plant in April–May or in September, 25–30 cm apart.
4. Loosen heavy soil and mix in sand or fine grit for extra drainage.
5. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, firm the soil and water.

Care

Water

In the first year, water in long dry spells. After that it looks after itself.

Feeding

Not needed: too much feed gives floppy leaves with less aroma.

Harvesting

Pick leaves and flower tops from June, best just before flowering. Dry them in bunches in an airy, shady place.

In the kitchen

Use the leaves as a mild thyme in stews, marinades and herb butter, or as herbal tea.

Mulching

A thin layer of fine gravel keeps the foliage dry and prevents rot in wet winters.

Tip: Cut back after flowering and never cut into old, bare wood: that keeps it compact and flowering richly every year. A layer of gravel around the base prevents rot in wet winters.

Broad-leaved thyme: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April and September.

When: A light pruning in April and a cut back after flowering, in September.

How:

• In April, cut off dead or damaged twigs.
• After flowering, in September, cut off the faded tips and about a third of the new shoots.
• Never cut into old, bare wood: it does not shoot again.

Caution: Do not prune too late in autumn, as new shoots are easily frosted.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

In March–April, scatter the seeds indoors on seed compost, barely cover them and keep at 15–20 °C. Germination takes about 2–3 weeks.

Cuttings

In June–July: take 5–8 cm cuttings from non-flowering tips and root them in sandy compost, kept slightly moist.

Division

In spring or September, lift an old clump and divide it; replant straight away and water.

Broad-leaved thyme: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −25 °C: no frost protection is needed in Belgium.
• Wet winters are more dangerous than cold ones: ensure drainage, with gravel if necessary.
• In a pot: keep the pot sheltered from rain so the roots do not rot.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: Brown, dying branches after wet winters. Ensure drainage and cut away affected parts.
• Woody and bare: Old plants become bare in the centre. Trim every year after flowering and renew the clump now and then by division or cuttings.
• Thin growth: Too little sun or too much feed. Move it to a sunnier spot and do not feed.
• Aphids: On young shoots. Rinse off with water or let ladybirds clear them.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors at 15–20 °C.
• April: Sow and plant. Cut off dead twigs.
• May: Plant out hardened-off seedlings.
• June: Flowering begins. Harvest leaves and flower tops.
• July: Flowering. Harvest and take cuttings if you like.
• August: Flowering: bees and butterflies visit.
• September: Cut back after flowering. Plant or divide.

Edible and useful

Flowers (June–July)

Pick the little flowers in June and July, when the plant is in full bloom, on a dry morning. Snip off the flowering tops and strip the flowers loose with your fingers, or use the small tops as they are. You can use them in syrup, tea or as an edible decoration on salad and goat’s cheese. Be sure to leave plenty of flowers for the bees and bumblebees.

Leaves (May–September)

Snip the sprigs with scissors or a knife on a dry morning, once the dew has gone. The flavour is strongest just before and during flowering, but you can harvest from May to September. Never cut more than a third of the plant at once and do not cut into old, bare wood, because the plant struggles to regrow from it. Strip the leaves from the stalks with your fingers, from top to bottom. In soups and stews you can also cook whole sprigs and take them out at the end.

Storing

Fresh thyme keeps for a week in the fridge, wrapped in a damp cloth or in an open bag. You can freeze sprigs loose in a bag, or chopped leaves in ice cubes with olive oil; that keeps for up to 6 months. Dried thyme keeps for up to a year in a tightly closed jar, dry and dark. Syrup keeps for six months in sterilised bottles.

Caution: Thyme is safe as a culinary herb in ordinary amounts. Never swallow the concentrated essential oil or thymol, and do not use strong extracts as food. People who are allergic to the mint family (such as mint, sage, oregano and lavender) may react to thyme too. If you have doubts, for example during pregnancy, while breastfeeding or when taking medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist before drinking thyme tea every day. Wild thyme (breckland thyme or creeping thyme) grows on protected dunes and heath and is rare: do not pick it in nature areas, but harvest from garden plants. Plants bought at a garden centre may have been treated: let them grow for a few weeks and wash the sprigs well. Do not pick beside busy roads or where dogs go, use only plants that clearly smell of thyme, and never eat anything you have not identified with certainty.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Thyme and lemon syrup (Syrup · ± 600 ml · 20 min + 1 hour steeping)
• Fresh thyme tea (Tea · 2 cups · 10 min)
• Dried thyme (Dried · ± 25 g dried leaves · 15 min + 1–2 weeks drying)
• Roast potatoes with thyme and garlic (Dish · serves 4 · 55 min)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name pulegioides means ‘like pennyroyal’ (Mentha pulegium), after the resemblance of the leaves to that plant.
• It is a typical plant of dry, poor grassland and verges, where it is an important nectar source for insects.
• Bees that forage on thyme make a well-known, aromatic thyme honey.