View source for Thyme

{{Short description|Herb}}
{{about|leaves and oils of the thyme plant|the genus of thyme plants|Thymus (plant)|the active ingredient in thyme oil|Thymol|other uses}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Thyme
| image = Thyme-Bundle.jpg
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| caption = A bundle of thyme
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| serving_size = 100 g
| calories = 101
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| protein = 6
| fat = 1.7
| carbohydrate = 24
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'''Thyme''' ({{IPAc-en|t|aɪ|m}}) is a [[culinary herb]] consisting of the dried aerial parts of some members of the genus ''[[Thymus (plant)|Thymus]]'' of [[flowering plant]]s in the mint family [[Lamiaceae]].<ref name="HaS">{{cite book |last=Norman |first=Jill |year=2015 |title=Herb and Spices The Cook's Reference: Over 200 Herbs and Spices, with Recipes for Marinades, Spice Rubs, Oils and more|url=https://www.google.com.my/books/edition/Herb_and_Spices_The_Cook_s_Reference/2c6pDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=species+of+thyme+for+herbs+-wikipedia+-ai&pg=PA96&printsec=frontcover |pages=96-99 |location=London, England, UK |publisher=Dorling Kindersley Limited |isbn=978-0-241-42925-9 }}</ref> Thymes are native to [[Eurasia]] and north Africa. Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The species most commonly cultivated and used for culinary purposes is ''[[Thymus vulgaris]]'', native to Southeast Europe.

== History ==
[[File:Flowering thyme.JPG|thumb|Flowering thyme]]
[[Thymus serpyllum|Wild thyme]] grows in the [[Levant]], where it might have been first cultivated. [[Ancient Egypt]]ians used common thyme (''Thymus vulgaris'') for [[embalming]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Medical News Today - What are the benefits of thyme? |url=https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266016#history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710220606/https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266016#benefits |archive-date=2024-07-10 |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=MedicalNewsToday}}</ref>  The [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] used it in their baths and burnt it as [[incense]] in their temples, believing it was a source of [[courage]].

The spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be due to the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], as they used it to purify their rooms and to "give an aromatic flavour to cheese and liqueurs".<ref name="Maud">{{cite web|url=https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/thygar16.html|title=Thyme. A Modern Herbal|edition=Hypertext version of the 1931|work=botanical.com|last=Grieve|first=Mrs. Maud|access-date=February 9, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110223130247/http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/thygar16.html|archive-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> In the European [[Middle Ages]], the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares.<ref name="Huxley">Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan.</ref>  In this period, women also often gave [[knight]]s and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves, as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on [[coffin]]s during [[funerals]], as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englishplants.co.uk/thyme.html|title=Thyme (thymus)|work=englishplants.co.uk|publisher=The English Cottage Garden Nursery|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927050614/http://www.englishplants.co.uk/thyme.html|archive-date=2006-09-27}}</ref>

The name of the genus of fish ''[[Thymallus]]'', first given to the [[Thymallus thymallus|grayling]] (''T. thymallus'', described in the [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758 edition of ''Systema Naturae'']] by Swedish zoologist [[Carl Linnaeus]]), originates from the faint smell of thyme that emanates from the flesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aquaticcommons.org/8072/1/119_Ingram.pdf |title=The Ecology and Management of the European Grayling ''Thymallus thymallus'' (Linnaeus) |author1=Ingram, A. |author2=Ibbotson, A. |author3=Gallagher, M. |publisher=Institute of Freshwater Ecology |location=East Stoke, Wareham, U.K. |access-date=2014-02-27 |page=3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140228233124/http://aquaticcommons.org/8072/1/119_Ingram.pdf |archive-date=2014-02-28 }}</ref>

== Cultivation ==
Thyme is best cultivated in a hot, sunny location with well-drained soil.  It is generally planted in the spring, and thereafter grows as a [[perennial]].  It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or dividing rooted sections of the plant.  It tolerates drought well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.global-garden.com.au/gardenherbs5.htm#Garden%20Thyme|title=Herb File. Global Garden|work=global-garden.com.au|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012230111/http://www.global-garden.com.au/gardenherbs5.htm#Garden%20Thyme|archive-date=2007-10-12}}</ref> It can be pruned after flowering to keep from getting woody.<ref>{{cite book |last=Peter |first=K.V. |title=Handbook of herbs and spices Volume 2|date=2012}}</ref>

== Culinary use ==
[[File:Seombaengnihyang-cha.jpg|thumb|''Seombaengnihyang-cha'' ([[Thymus japonicus|Ulleungdo thyme]] tea)]]
Thyme is a common component of the ''[[bouquet garni]]'', and of ''[[herbes de Provence]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Paul |date=2 September 2021 |title=What Is a Bouquet Garni? Easy Homemade Bouquet Garni Recipe, Plus Tips for Cooking With Bouquet Garni - 2022 - MasterClass |url=https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-bouquet-garni-easy-homemade-bouquet-garni-recipe-plus-tips-for-cooking-with-bouquet-garni |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=Masterclass |archive-date=2 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602121138/https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-bouquet-garni-easy-homemade-bouquet-garni-recipe-plus-tips-for-cooking-with-bouquet-garni |url-status=live }}</ref>

Thyme is sold both fresh and dried. While summer-seasonal, fresh greenhouse thyme is often available year-round. The fresh form is more flavourful but also less convenient; storage life is rarely more than a week. However, the fresh form can last many months if carefully frozen,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18499 |title=Food Storage - How Long Can You Keep Thyme |access-date=2015-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809154830/http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/18499 |archive-date=2015-08-09 }}</ref> and thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=7 Herbs That Taste Good When Dried |url=https://www.thespruce.com/top-herbs-that-you-should-dry-4144964 |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=The Spruce |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519111909/https://www.thespruce.com/top-herbs-that-you-should-dry-4144964 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Fresh thyme is commonly sold in bunches of sprigs. A sprig is a single stem snipped from the plant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thyme |url=https://www.almanac.com/plant/thyme |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Almanac.com |language=en |archive-date=2020-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929071828/https://www.almanac.com/plant/thyme |url-status=live }}</ref> It is composed of a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters ("leaves") spaced {{convert|1/2|to|1|in|mm|round=5|order=flip|abbr=off}} apart. A recipe may measure thyme by the bunch (or fraction thereof), or by the sprig, or by the tablespoon or teaspoon. Dried thyme is widely used in Armenia in [[tisane]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TeaWay Armenian Tea History |url=https://teaway.net/s/armenian-tea-history-66 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710221909/https://teaway.net/s/armenian-tea-history-66 |archive-date=2024-07-10 |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=TeaWay |language=en}}</ref>

Depending on how it is used in a dish, the whole sprig may be used, or the leaves removed and the stems discarded. Usually, when a recipe mentions a bunch or sprig, it means the whole form; when it mentions spoons, it means the leaves. It is perfectly acceptable to substitute dried for whole thyme. Leaves may be removed from stems either by scraping with the back of a knife, or by pulling through the fingers or tines of a fork.

== Chemical and antimicrobial properties ==
[[File:Thymol2.svg|thumb|upright=0.5|[[Thymol]] is the principal aromatic component of thyme.]]
The chemical composition of ''Thymus'' (thyme) includes a variety of essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenes, and other compounds. The essential oils found in thyme include [[thymol]], which is a major component responsible for the plant's antiseptic properties, and carvacrol, another primary component with similar functions. Other essential oils present are p-cymene, γ-terpinene, linalool, and 1,8-cineole. [[Gas chromatographic analysis]] reveals that the most abundant [[Volatile organic compound|volatile]] component of thyme leaves is [[thymol]], at 8.55mg/g. Other components are [[carvacrol]], [[linalool]], [[terpineol|α-terpineol]], and 1,8-[[cineole]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Seung-Joo |last2=Umano |first2=Katumi |last3=Shibamoto |first3=Takayuki |last4=Lee |first4=Kwang-Geun |year=2005 |title=Identification of Volatile Components in Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and Thyme Leaves (Thymus vulgaris L.) and Their Antioxidant Properties |journal=Food Chemistry |volume=91 |pages=131–137 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.05.056}}</ref>

Some of these compounds have beneficial properties. In particular, thymol has been historically used as an [[antibiotic]] and [[antiseptic]], especially in traditional medicine.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The potential benefits of polyphenols for corneal diseases |date=2023 |doi=10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115862 |last1=Feng |first1=Jing |last2=Zhang |first2=Yangyang |journal=Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy |volume=169 |doi-access=free |pmid=37979379 }}</ref> Oil of thyme, the [[essential oil]] of common thyme, contains 20–54% thymol.<ref name="vulgaris">''Thymus Vulgaris. PDR for Herbal Medicine''. Montvale, NJ:  Medical Economics Company.  p. 1184.</ref> Thymol is an active ingredient in various commercially produced [[mouthwash]]es, such as [[Listerine]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=LISTERINE® Ingredients: What's in Your Mouthwash? |url=https://www.listerine.com/our-sustainability/ingredients |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=LISTERINE® |language=en-US}}</ref>

Flavonoids in thyme include luteolin-7-O-glucoside,<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Khokhlova |first1=Kateryna |last2=Vyshnevska |first2=Liliia |last3=Zdoryk |first3=Oleksandr |last4=Filatova |first4=Olga |date=2021-08-31 |title=Application of approach for development of hptlc identification and quantification methods for determination of phenolic compounds and terpenoids of several Thymus L. species |url=https://journals.uran.ua/sr_pharm/article/view/238806 |journal=ScienceRise: Pharmaceutical Science |volume=4 |language=en |issue=32 |pages=29–36 |doi=10.15587/2519-4852.2021.238806 |issn=2519-4852 |doi-access=free |archive-date=2024-08-16 |access-date=2024-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816132416/https://journals.uran.ua/sr_pharm/article/view/238806 |url-status=live }}</ref> a glycoside known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as apigenin, quercetin, and kaempferol. Phenolic acids such as rosmarinic acid,<ref name=":0" /> which is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, along with caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, are also present in thyme.

Triterpenes, such as oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, are part of thyme's composition, contributing to its overall health benefits. Additionally, thyme contains tannins, which contribute to its astringent properties, as well as saponins and other minor compounds.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

== Important species and cultivars ==
{{For|a longer list of species|Thymus (plant)}}
[[File:Variegated Lemon Thyme Thymus citriodorus variegata Leaves 3264px.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Variegated lemon thyme]]
* ''[[Thymus citriodorus]]'' – various lemon thymes, orange thymes, lime thyme<ref name="HaS"/>
* ''[[Thymus herba-barona]]'' (caraway thyme) is used both as a culinary herb and a ground cover, and has a very strong [[caraway]] scent due to the chemical [[carvone]].<ref name="HaS"/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Corticchiato |first1=Marc |last2=Tomi |first2=Félix |last3=François Bernardini |first3=Antoine |last4=Casanova |first4=Joseph |date=1998-12-01 |title=Composition and infraspecific variability of essential oil from Thymus herba barona Lois |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305197898000416 |journal=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology |volume=26 |issue=8 |pages=915–932 |doi=10.1016/S0305-1978(98)00041-6 |bibcode=1998BioSE..26..915C |issn=0305-1978 |archive-date=2021-08-03 |access-date=2024-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803145336/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305197898000416 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Thymus herba-barona - Plant Finder |url=https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m570 |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org |archive-date=2024-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302144144/https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m570 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Thymus praecox]]'' (mother of thyme, wild thyme), is cultivated as an ornamental, but is in [[Iceland]] also gathered as a wild herb for cooking, and drunk as a warm [[infusion]].
* ''[[Thymus pseudolanuginosus]]'' (woolly thyme) is not a culinary herb, but is grown as a ground cover.
* ''[[Thymus serpyllum]]'' (wild thyme, creeping thyme) is an important [[nectar source]] plant for [[honeybee]]s. All thyme species are nectar sources, but wild thyme covers large areas of droughty, rocky soils in southern Europe (both [[Greece]] and Malta are especially famous for wild thyme honey) and North Africa, as well as in similar landscapes in the [[Berkshire Mountains|Berkshire]] and [[Catskill Mountains]] of the northeastern US. The lowest growing of the widely used thyme is good for walkways. It is also an important caterpillar food plant for large and common blue butterflies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://butterfly-conservation.org/files/caterpillar-food-plants.pdf |title=Caterpillar food plants.pub |access-date=2015-09-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20150929040600/http://butterfly-conservation.org/files/caterpillar-food-plants.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-29 }}</ref>
* ''[[Thymus vulgaris]]'' (common thyme, English thyme, summer thyme, winter thyme, French thyme,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/thyme_french.html |title=French Thyme, Thymus vulgaris |publisher=Sand Mountain Herbs |access-date=2014-05-27 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527220154/http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/thyme_french.html |archive-date=2014-05-27 }}</ref> or garden thyme)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.superbherbs.net/englishtyme.htm|title=English thyme|work=Sara's Superb Herbs|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209203611/http://www.superbherbs.net/englishtyme.htm|archive-date=2012-02-09}}</ref> is a commonly used [[herb|culinary herb]]. Common thyme is a [[Mediterranean region|Mediterranean]] perennial which is best suited to well-drained soils and full sun.

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
{{commons category|Thymus (Lamiaceae)|Thyme (''Thymus'')}}
* S. S. Tawfik, M. I. Abbady, Ahmed M. Zahran and A. M. K. Abouelalla. Therapeutic Efficacy Attained with Thyme Essential Oil Supplementation Throughout γ-irradiated Rats. Egypt. J. Rad. Sci. Applic., 19(1): 1–22 (2006).
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=132935 Flora of China: ''Thymus'']
* [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Thymus&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Thymus'']
* Rohde, E. S. (1920). ''A Garden of Herbs''.
* Easter, M. (2009).  ''International Thymus Register and Checklist''.

{{Herbs & spices}}
{{Medicinal herbs & fungi}}
{{Transient receptor potential channel modulators}}

[[Category:Thymus (plant)|*]]
[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Antifungals]]
[[Category:Antiseptics]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Flora of the Mediterranean basin]]
[[Category:Mediterranean cuisine]]
[[Category:Lamiaceae]]
[[Category:Melliferous flowers]]
[[Category:Subshrubs]]
[[Category:Albanian cuisine]]
[[Category:Plant common names]]