Thyme originates from a small area overlooking the Mediterranean: Algeria, France, Italy, Morocco, Turkey and Spain, where large quantities of Tomillo are collected for distillation in Almeria and Murcia.
It grows spontaneously in arid and sunny places, from the sea to the Alpine area, and is cultivated everywhere.
Decorate the garden and balcony with Thyme plants
The many species and varieties of Thyme, similar but different in colors and scents, with delicate hints of lemon, pineapple and more, are used, with excellent aesthetic results, in many settings, both in the garden and on the terrace.
Particularly suitable for rockery gardens, Thyme, with its dense and compact bushy habit and limited growth in height, is suitable for borders or as a ground cover, at the foot of taller plants or even as hanging from walls or large pots.
Its small pink or purple flowers, sometimes white, and its small leaves, which can be a beautiful intense green, grey-green, variegated or edged with white or golden yellow, create great decorative effects.
Thyme is one of the most characteristic and precious aromas of Mediterranean cuisine
Thyme is used in condiments, sauces, soups, stews, various meat dishes, game, rabbit, pork and lamb; in fillings; with fish dishes; with soft cheeses, especially goat's cheeses; in fruit salads and
jams; to flavor vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
and so on and so forth.
Thyme sprigs are used to flavor olives in brine and those in oil; to cover the anchovies and sardines prepared for preservation in salt.
Thyme varieties with particular hints of lemon, pineapple and cumin multiply the possibilities of culinary use.
The beneficial properties of Thyme
Antiseptic, antiparasitic, antipyretic, antispasmodic, balsamic, digestive and expectorant properties are attributed to the leaves and flowers of Thyme, harvested from June to July and used for herbal teas, infusions, distillates and other preparations, more or less depending on the species and variety.
With Thyme you can prepare a very pleasant infusion, with digestive properties, to drink like tea.
In bath water it has the power to relax and remove tiredness; in the foot bath it also has a deodorant action.
Thyme is used to prepare beauty masks and fumigations to clean and hydrate the skin of the face.
Decoction tones the scalp and stimulates hair growth.
Characteristics of the plant
- Prefers sunny exposures
- It doesn't tolerate the cold very well
- Prefers low substrate humidity