Thyme

Garden thyme, also known as creeping thyme, mountain thyme, and wild thyme, a small shrubby plant with a strong, spicy taste and odor, is extensively cultivated in Europe and the U.S. for culinary use. The numerous quadrangular, procumbent, woody stems grow from 6 to 10 inches high and are finely hairy. Slightly downy on top and very downy underneath, the opposite, sessile leaves are ovate to lanceolate in shape and have slightly rolled edges. The small bluish-purple, two-lipped flowers are whorled in dense, head-like clusters, blooming from May to September.

Mother of thyme is generally a smaller plant than garden thyme, but the two have characteristics in common, including similar leaves and flowers as well as quadrangular, hairy stems. Mother of thyme, found in thickets and woods and along roadsides, is native to Europe and naturalized in North America. Its creeping stems have erect branches from 2 to 3 inches high, but some varieties under cultivation reach 3 feet in height. Its leaves are similar in shape to those of garden thyme, but they have short petioles and are not downy. The flowers, though smaller, are also similar in shape, color, arrangement on the plant, and time of bloom.

Properties and Uses (Garden thyme): Anthelmintic, antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, sedative. As a tincture, extract, or infusion, thyme is commonly used in throat and bronchial problems, including acute bronchitis, laryngitis, and whooping cough, and also for diarrhea, chronic gastritis, and lack of appetite. For coughs and spasmodic complaints, make the medication from the fresh plant. A warm infusion promotes perspiration and relieves flatulence and colic. Oil of thyme (thymol) has a powerful antiseptic action for which it is used in mouthwashes and toothpastes. Thymol is also effective against ascarids and hookworms. As a local irritant, it can be used externally for warts or to encourage the flow of blood to the surface. Thyme baths are said to be helpful for neurasthenia, rheumatic problems, paralysis, bruises, swellings, and sprains. A salve made from thyme can be used for shingles.

CAUTION: Excessive internal use of Garden thyme can lead to symptoms of poisoning and to over-stimulation of the thyroid gland.

Properties and Uses: (Mother of Thyme): Antispasmodic, carminative, expectorant, rubefacient, tonic. Mother of thyme is beneficial for respiratory problems, helping to clear mucous congestion from the lungs and respiratory passages. It makes a good tonic for the stomach and nerves, and is used for gastrointestinal problems such as mild gastritis, enteritis, stomach cramps, and painful menstruation. A bath additive made from the decoction stimulates the flow of blood toward the surface of the body and alleviates nervous exhaustion. An infusion of leaves is said to relieve the headache of a hangover. Used externally, alcoholic extracts are helpful for tumors, stab wounds, bruises, and rheumatism.

Mother of Thyme is also reputed to be useful in breaking the alcoholic habit by causing vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, thirst, and hunger, along with a revulsion for alcohol. This "cure" will probably have to be repeated several times, but usually at longer and longer intervals. Mother of thyme has also been recommended for chlorosis, anemia, and insomnia.

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