Common thyme facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common thyme |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Thymus (plant)
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| Species: |
vulgaris
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Thyme (also known as Thymus vulgaris, common thyme, German thyme, or garden thyme) is a wonderful flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family called Lamiaceae. This plant originally grew in southern Europe, from the western Mediterranean all the way to southern Italy.
Common thyme is a small, bushy plant. It grows about 15 to 30 centimeters (6-12 inches) tall and can spread out about 40 centimeters (16 inches) wide. It's an evergreen subshrub, which means it has woody stems and keeps its leaves all year round. Its tiny leaves are grey-green and smell very strong and pleasant. In early summer, it blooms with pretty clusters of purple or pink flowers.
People love to use thyme in their gardens. It can grow as a groundcover, spreading out over the soil. Even if it doesn't live for a very long time, it's easy to grow new plants from small pieces called cuttings. Thyme is also super popular for cooking and has been used as an herbal medicine for ages. Its taste is a bit spicier than oregano and sweeter than sage.
The scientific name for common thyme is Thymus vulgaris. The word vulgaris comes from Latin and simply means "common" or "widespread." This shows that it's a very well-known plant.
Growing Different Types of Thyme
Over time, people have grown many different kinds of thyme. These are called cultivars or hybrids. They are often grown for their looks, like pretty leaves or flowers. Sometimes, it can be a bit tricky to tell them apart because their names can be confusing.
Thyme varieties from places like France, Germany, and England can look different. Their leaves might have different shapes or colors. They also have unique smells because of their special oils. One popular type is called 'Argenteus', which is known as silver thyme.
Another special type is 'Silver Queen'. This thyme has beautiful leaves with white edges. It even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This award means it's a really great plant for gardens!
See also
In Spanish: Tomillo para niños
