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Types of Thyme Plants

Gardening Guide: It’s About Thyme: All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, and Cooking with Thyme

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Types of Thyme Plants

By Norann Oleson

Lemon Thyme, a culinary variety

Lemon Thyme, a culinary variety

Thyme comes in two main types: culinary and ornamental. Within each type, you’ll find varieties that are prostrate (low-lying and spreading) or upright (growing tall). Luckily, many thyme varieties look beautiful in the garden and can be used in cooking.

Culinary thyme varieties can be consumed and add aroma and flavor to a wide range of dishes and beverages. Although there are fewer culinary thyme plants than ornamental ones, there’s still plenty of varieties to choose from. Culinary thyme grows best in the garden, window boxes, and containers. Popular culinary thyme varieties include English, French, and Lemon.

Ornamental thyme includes most thyme plants. Though some ornamental thyme varieties can also be used in the kitchen, they shine as ground cover, creeping over expanses of land, adding interest in rock and container gardens, or providing pillows of fragrant foliage along stone paths. Most groundcover thymes can withstand a light amount of foot traffic. Popular ornamental thyme varieties include Woolly, Caraway, and Lavender.

Of course, there’s no reason why you can’t grow both types of thyme in your garden and enjoy its aromatic properties out in your yard as well as in your kitchen.

Have you tried growing ornamental or culinary thyme? Which do you prefer? Please share your opinion in the comment section below.

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culinary thyme, culinary thyme varieties, thyme, thyme varieties

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Curator’s Corner
  • Introduction
  • Feature Articles

  • Types of Thyme Plants
  • A Word About Varieties of Thyme Plants
  • Choosing to Grow Thyme from Seeds or Seedlings
  • Growing Thyme in Open Land, in Raised Beds, or in Containers
  • Starting with the Right Soil for Your Thyme Plants
  • Planting and Pruning Thyme
  • The Right Sunlight for Your Thyme Plants
  • Should You Fertilize Your Thyme Plants?
  • How—and When—to Water Your Thyme Plants
  • How to Spot, Treat, and Prevent Thyme Diseases
  • What to Do About Pests that Can Harm Your Thyme Plants
  • The Right Way to Weed Your Thyme Patch
  • Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Thyme
  • How to Grow Culinary Thyme in a Container
  • How to Keep Thyme Alive and Growing Year After Year
  • Plant Profiles

  • Lavender Thyme (Culinary & Ornamental)
  • Woolly Thyme (Ornamental)
  • Caraway Thyme (Culinary & Ornamental)
  • Lemon Thyme (Culinary & Ornamental)
  • French Thyme (Culinary)
  • English Thyme (Culinary)
  • Recipes

  • Thyme Tea
  • Cheddar-Thyme Biscuits
  • Thyme and Mushroom Soup
  • Lemon Thyme Tea Bread
  • Garlic Thyme Chicken Thighs
  • Roasted Potatoes with Lemon Thyme
  • Feta and Olive Bake with Thyme
  • Additional Articles

  • Nutrition Facts about Thyme
  • Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Thyme
  • Resources about Thyme
  • Thyme Glossary
  • Related Articles

  • 8 French Cooking Herbs to Grow to Make Herbs de Provence

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