Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Flowers: May to October. Height: 30 – 45cm (12 – 18in).
The herb was put among the household linens to repel insects. Ladies embroidered a thyme sprig in flower, along with a bee, on ‘favours’ for their favourite knights as it was believed to bring vigour and courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals, as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life. Used in baths and as an astringent. Burned to fumigate against infection and to scent sacrifices.
Medicinal: The essential oils within Thyme contain large amounts of ‘thymol’, a strong antibacterial agent, as well as a strong antiseptic and antioxidant. This made it effective in the treatment of all respiratory diseases such as chronic or acute bronchitis, upper respiratory tract inflammation, and whooping cough as well as burns and sprains. It was used to fumigate rooms against infection. The oil was used within mouthwashes in order treat mouth inflammations as well as infections of the throat. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal (1653) states that “It purges the body of phlegm, and is an excellent remedy for shortness of breath”.
Culinary: Eaten raw in salads and used as a condiment to flavour cooked food. The dried or fresh leaves of the thyme plant along with the flowers were used in stews, soups, sautéed or baked vegetables, custards, and casseroles. Also used in marinades and stuffings for meat.
Magic & Myth: In the Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares. Burned as incense it purified the home and protected its inhabitants.
