Due to its frost-friendly nature, it is sometimes referred to as winter thyme. German thyme is the cold-hardy equivalent of common thyme. It has been reported to be hardy as far north as Zone 4a.

This variety is suitable for cooking but also makes an attractive ornamental. Golden lemon thyme resembles lemon thyme in most ways, but it has golden foliage as the name suggests. It is a popular choice for chefs and grows up to twelve inches with a more compact growing habit than common thyme. It is also said to be milder and sweeter in flavor. vulgaris narrow-leaf French)įrench thyme is closely related to common thyme but less hardy and may be better grown as an annual north of zone 6. This variety of thyme was traditionally used to flavor barons of beef, a large top round roast. herba-barona)Ĭaraway thyme is a low-growing (6″) thyme with narrow green leaves and light pink flowers. This type is also sometimes called garden or English thyme. Thyme tea may also help to ease headaches and soothe the nerves.Ĭommon thyme grows 8-12 inches high and has white or pale lilac flowers. In her Complete Book of Herbs and Spices Sarah Garland says that when steeped into tea, it can help aid digestion infused into oil, it makes an antiseptic rub. The leaves will have a sharper flavor and paler, narrower form when grown at the warmer end of its range. Here in zone 4/5 it overwinters reliably and spreads fast. Common thyme grows well in most climates, ranging from zones 3 to 8. Common Thyme ( Thymus vulgaris L.)Īs you might guess, common thyme is the most widely used culinary thyme. Both bees and butterflies are attracted to the abundant blooms. These thyme varieties are grown for culinary use, though some are also used as ornamentals since they have large clusters of white, pink, or purple flowers.Ĭulinary thyme is an excellent addition to vegetable gardens to attract pollinators. While there are hundreds of varieties to choose from, we’ve narrowed it down to the most common and the ones that you are more likely to find in a garden center or seed catalogs. It’s easy to grow nature also makes it a favorite in the ornamental garden. Thyme is one of the most popular herbs in culinary circles.

Read on to find a thyme that will work well for you. Do you want to replace some of your grass lawn with a more drought-tolerant and fragrant ground cover?.Are you looking for a little silver or gold color in your herb garden?.Do you want to season meat dishes or desserts?.When deciding what type to grow, consider how you want to use it in recipes or the garden. Many different thyme varieties have been developed with specific flavors, aesthetics, and growth habits. But did you know there are several hundred cultivators (or varieties) of thyme? Thyme is one of the easiest growing culinary herbs in our gardens.

Caraway thyme ground cover