Thyme The ancient Greeks dedicated to the goddess of love Aphrodite and the Romans -God earth and Saturn crops. In their honor bundles fragrant herbs were burned at the altar of the church and thrown into the sacrificial fires, from which up to the sky fragrant smoke of thyme - incense. The expression "incense" means the highest praise, and in our days.
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Other names:
- thyme
Used parts:
- leaves
Thyme genus includes over 300 species of plants. Most of them - erect woody shrubs or perennials with creeping stems, whose tissues are rich in fragrant essential oils.
Thyme (T. vulgaris) is used in cooking more often than others of their relatives. His tiny gray-green leaves can be oval or elongated shape, but always give off a strong aroma. Tiny white (sometimes pale purple) flowers are collected at the ends of the stems in high brush.
Among the most popular varieties:
Silver Posie
The variety with soft green-white leaves;
German Winter
Creeping cold tolerant variety;
Provence
High-quality culinary variety from France;
Fragrantissimus
Hybrid variety with very small leaves, having the smell of lemon and thyme;
Erectus
Variety with strong vertical shoots.
Caraway thyme or thyme herb-Baron (T. herba-barona)
Creeping shrub with dark green, lanceolate, smelling of thyme leaves and loose mauve buds.
Capitate thyme (T. capitatus)
A popular culinary herb with a strong odor and dark-pink flowers, gathered at the tips of the stems in dense capitate inflorescences.
Thyme bichevidny, or Spanish (T. mastichina)
A neat upright shrub with grayish foliage, whose characteristic smell of thyme gives a little eucalyptus. Excellent seasoning for dishes cooked on the barbecue.
Lemon thyme (T. citriodorus)
Rounded shrub up to 30 cm with small leaves, thyme issued a lemon scent and loose racemes of purple flowers. Its leaves are usually seasoned with fish and poultry.
«Silver Queen»
The variety has variegated green and white foliage.
«Lime»
Green varieties leaves smell of lime fruits.
For broadleaf species of thyme characterized by broad oval leaves with the typical smell of thyme and whorled brushes mauve flowers. This group includes a variety of «Oregano» ( «Pizza»), «Pennsylvania Tea», whose mild flavor is ideal for preparation of nutrient infusions and «Bertram Anderson» with pink flowers and bright golden years foliage.
Winter thyme (T. hyemalis)
Small shrub with dense grayish foliage harvested for the production of ready-made dry herbal spices and produce essential oil.
Some species are valued as thyme for flavor and for its ability to quickly tighten the earth abundantly flowering green carpet.
Turfy thyme (T. caespititius)
Evergreen shrub with tiny frost hairy leaves, publishes bitter orange scent. The flowers are purple or white.
Creeping thyme (T. serpyllum)
Sort forms in the earth a carpet of creeping branching stems (sometimes reddish) and odorous oval or lanceolate leaves.
Woolly thyme (T. pseudola-nuginosis)
Soft gray-green leaves covered with dense hairs.
Winter thyme (T. hyemalis)
Small shrub with dense grayish foliage harvested for the production of ready-made dry herbal spices and produce essential oil.
Some species are valued as thyme for flavor and for its ability to quickly tighten the earth abundantly flowering green carpet.
location
All kinds of thyme need bright sunlight and well-drained soil.
reproduction
Spring sowing seeds. Varieties propagated by cuttings or division of the bushes.
Care
Removing the faded flower clusters stimulates growth.
Pests and diseases
When grown in full sun almost not affected. thyme leaves secrete substances that inhibit the growth of other plants, which reduces competition from weeds.
Harvesting and storage
Since the thyme leaves contain a little liquid, they lend themselves well to drying, in a shady, well-ventilated area and keep their flavor and aroma.
Herbal Medicine
- thyme
Used parts:
- leaves
- flowering tops of the stems
Thanks to its high content of essential oil of thyme possesses strong antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, it relaxes the muscle (e.g., bronchi) and has an expectorant action, that thyme makes an effective treatment for the common cold, influenza and other respiratory diseases ways. Its tincture and decoction rinse the throat with tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
Thyme drugs also help with digestive disorders (flatulence, colic, flatulence) and gastro-intestinal infections.
During pregnancy or breast-feeding should not abuse herbs thyme and use thyme oil.
household
Thyme essential oil is added to the good cleaning agents and disinfectants.
cookery
Many species of thyme (thyme, lemon, cumin and others) emit a scent, be their corresponding species name. Although the cooking usually only two kinds of thyme - thyme and lemon, it is advisable to take a chance to check the quality and taste of its other varieties.
Thyme - one of the main spices of European cuisine. Very often it is used in cooking dishes simmered and as a seasoning for the meat, poultry or game. Because thanks to the strong taste and smell of thyme can drown out a soft spices, the most suitable companion for him - onions, red wine and garlic. In addition to these courses, it is added to meat pies, pickles (especially olives), in dishes of eggplant and tomatoes and thick vegetable soups. Dried thyme leaves - a mandatory component of the rice dishes and soup gumbo Djambala, popular in the southeastern United States.
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Read more: Flowering perennials in your garden: tips to gardeners