Description. Mother of thyme, or Creeping Thyme, is a flowering lawn substitute. It grows in low, dense mats and is hardy and deer resistant. This flowering herb is edible, like other species of Thyme, and has a mild, mint-like flavor.
Can you eat mother of Tyme?
Thymus serpyllum
Known as both mother-of-thyme and creeping thyme — by either name it is an excellent, ornamental edible to plant between stepping stones, or edge herb and vegetable gardens.
How do you use Mother of Thyme?
Mother of Thyme is an ideal choice for planting between walkway stones, edging the flower or vegetable garden, or cascading over rocks or wood in a terraced garden. Its dense, spreading habit makes it the ideal groundcover, while its rich fragrance and bright blooms add immeasurably to the appeal of any landscape.
Are all types of thyme edible?
All thymes (and there are over 350 species in the genus Thymus) are edible and this includes varieties usually thought of as ornamental or medicinal. However, some are more popular in cooking than others.
Is Mother of Thyme the same as thyme?
Creeping thyme (T. praecox) – Creeping thyme, sometimes called mother-of-thyme, is mat-forming, grows only 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) tall with mauve, white, and crimson flowering cultivars available. Wild thyme (T.
Is all creeping thyme edible?
Creeping Thyme (Thymus praecox)
Although the thyme that’s grown commercially as an herb is a different species, creeping thyme is also aromatic and edible.
Can I use creeping thyme for cooking?
Both types are edible, but creeping thymes are usually small and tedious to harvest and are therefore more valuable as ground covers. Garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris), also known as common, English, or French thyme, is most often used as a seasoning. The flavor of this hardy perennial is pungent and strong.
Is Mother of herb edible?
One of the easiest to grow and most versatile culinary and medicinal plants is “Mother of Herbs” (Plectranthus amboinicus). A native plant to South and East Africa. This dry hardy perennial with an oregano-like flavour makes an excellent ingredient for any dish where you would normally add dried mixed herbs.
Does creeping thyme repel mosquitoes?
Thyme, including red creeping thyme (shown), possesses excellent mosquito-repelling properties. The secret is to crush the leaves to release the volatile oils. You can simply place crushed stems around outdoor seating areas or rub the leaves on skin or clothing.
Will creeping thyme choke out weeds?
Creeping Thyme
Not only will this groundcover help choke out weeds, but it will also provide colorful interest and a delectable fragrance to your garden.
Is any thyme poisonous?
Commonly used for cooking, thyme is considered safe when used in normal food amounts. It also appears to be well-tolerated in dietary supplement forms. However, the overconsumption of thyme may cause upset stomach, cramps, headaches, and dizziness.
Is creeping thyme medicinal?
The flowering parts of the plant are used to make medicine. People take wild thyme for breathing problems including cough, bronchitis, and swollen airways. They also take it for kidney and bladder disorders, to improve blood circulation, to lower bad cholesterol, and to treat intestinal gas and colic.
Does creeping thyme taste different?
Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum)
Creeping thyme grows close to the ground, so it looks like bunches of weed with pink-purple flowers. Creeping thyme has a slight mint flavor that will remind you of a cup of mint tea.
What is creeping thyme used for?
Often called the “mother of thyme,” creeping thyme thrives in full sun. Its fragrant flowers attract pollinators—particularly bees and butterflies—and the mint-like flavor of its dark green leaves makes it deer-resistant. Gardeners often favor creeping thyme for landscaping, sometimes as a lawn substitute.
Can you walk on creeping thyme?
Thyme Alternative to Grass
A creeping thyme lawn is not only drought resistant, but it generally requires much less water than traditional turf grasses too. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, can be walked upon, and will rapidly spread to fill in a space.
Is creeping thyme safe for dogs?
“The creeping thyme does well as a dog-friendly ground cover. Irish Moss, Labrador Violet, Miniature Stonecrop (although invasive, so be careful where you plant it) as well as snow in summer are rather dog-abuse-tolerant and are non-toxic.”
Are there different types of creeping thyme?
Creeping Thyme varieties
Elfin Creeping Thyme – a tight compact grower makes a cushion of colorful flowers. Woolly Thyme – grows to knit a gray-green carpet along paths and in between stone pavers. Creeping ‘Coccineus’ – green foliage and a blanket of bright rose-pink flowers in early summer.
Which thyme is edible?
There are only about half a dozen considered suitable for cooking. Out of this group, I find four to be most useful: French thyme, lemon thyme, oregano-scented thyme, and caraway thyme. French thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is the one that most people know. The plant grows into an upright bush 12 in. to 18 in.
What type of thyme is best for cooking?
Those best for flavor, as well as ease of use, are the low-growing, shrubby ones known as English, French, lemon, or winter thyme.
Is creeping thyme the same as herb?
The creeping thyme is a woody, perennial species growing horizontally rather than vertically and forms a mat-like ground cover. It is 2 to 3 inches tall with up to 24 inches across. Although the ordinary thyme grown commercially as a herb is different, creeping thyme is also an aromatic and edible ground cover herb.
Is creeping thyme an herb?
These low growing, perennial herb plants fill in over time to make a scented herbal carpet. Use as a verdant ground cover, between stepping stones or rock crevices, and to edge garden beds.