Biological designation:

Thymus serpyllum

Wild Thyme was a great favorite of Francis Bacon, who in giving his plan for the perfect garden, said “Burnet, Wild Thyme and Watermints, which perfume the air most delightfully being trodden upon and crushed, so that you may have pleasure when you walk or tread.” The Romans gave Thyme as a sovereign remedy to melancholy persons.

The strongly scented flowers are either liliac, pink-purple, magenta or a rare white. It is a great source or serpolet and is used as an aphrodisiac in herbal medicine.

Habitat:

Wild Thyme will grow on any soil, but prefers light, sandy or gravel ground exposed to the sun.

Active ingredients:

Wild thyme leaves and oil contain essential oil with thymol and carvacrol as the main components. Other monoterpenes include limonene, p-cymene, gamma terpinene and geraniol.