Subject: Lemon Thyme & T.serphyllum
From: [email-masked] (Barry Carlson)
Date: Fri, 28 May 1993 23:06:02 GMT

In response to Cecilia Henningsson: [email-masked]

> I have _Thymus citriodorus nana_ (nana means miniature) bought at a
> local nursery about a month ago. When I bought it, it had an apt
> yellow tinge to its leaves, but now it's just green, all over. It
> seems to be growing, so I'm not very worried, I was just wondering why
> it wasn't yellow anymore. 

I just checked my plant and about half the growth on it is green.  My
guess is that the new growth comes in green and turns more yellow
later.  As long as your plant is growing and looking healthy I
wouldn't worry about it.

> I've bought _Thymus serpyllum_ seeds. What is it, if not regular
> thyme? Culinary usage? Not that it has germinated, but it may
> still...

Thymus serphyllum is Mother-of-Thyme.  Other common names for it are
Wild Thyme, Creeping Thyme and, just to be absolutely confusing, Lemon
Thyme. This plant has a more prostrate habit than Garden Thyme (Thymus
vulgaris) and is really beautiful as a ground cover or flowing over a
rock wall.  It is pretty compact so it looks good all year but when it
flowers it is absolutely stunning (pinky-purple carpet time).  The
bees absolutely love it.  Normally it is not used for culinary
purposes because T.vulgaris has a stronger and more pronounced
flavour, but you could use it as a substitute if you didn't have any
T.vulgaris.  -Moira Carlson