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Common Name:

General Information

Thymus hirtus is a Evergreen Shrub
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S.W. Europe - Spain to N. Africa.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Requires a light well-drained preferably calcareous soil in a sunny position[, ]. Succeeds in dry soils. Thymes dislike wet conditions, especially in the winter. A layer of gravel on the soil around them will help protect the foliage from wet soils[].
The flowers are rich in nectar and are very attractive to honey bees[].
This is a very difficult genus taxonomically, the species hybridize freely with each other and often intergrade into each other[].

Edible Uses

The dried and ground leaves are used as a condiment[, ]. If the leaves are to be dried, the plants should be harvested in early and late summer just before the flowers open and the leaves should be dried quickly[].

Medicinal

The leaves, and especially the essential oil contained in them, are strongly antiseptic, deodorant, disinfectant and stomachic[, , ]. The plant can be used fresh at any time of the year, or it can be harvested as it comes into flower and either be distilled for the oil or dried for later use[].

Other Uses

The essential oil obtained from the leaves is used in perfumery, as a mouth wash, medicinally etc[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Seed can also be sown in autumn in a greenhouse. Surface sow or barely cover the seed. Germination can be erratic. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring or autumn[]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.
Cuttings of young shoots, 5 - 8cm with a heel, May/early summer in a frame[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame[].
Layering.