Thyme

Thymus vulgaris

Layer 5 · Ground cover
Ground cover

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Native to the Mediterranean basin, thyme is a woody perennial subshrub, perfectly adapted to dry conditions and nutrient-poor calcareous soils. In a food forest, it is frequently planted along borders and in the lower layers for its role in repelling pests with its potent essential oils, while simultaneously attracting many pollinators during flowering.

See which trees thyme grows well with

Pick the central tree on your land and see the full guild.

No account needed.

Needs

Water: Low
Light: Full sun
Size: Low-growing subshrub up to 30 cm
Mature diameter: 0.4 m
Soils: Loam, Sandy, Limestone
Climates: Atlantic coast, Inland / Continental, Hot, dry Mediterranean, Mountain / cold

Calendar

January
February
March — Planting
April — Harvest — Planting
May — Harvest
June — Harvest
July — Harvest
August — Harvest
September
October — Planting
November — Planting
December

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: Powerful antiseptic and expectorant indicated for throat infections.

Where to buy

Grows well with

Central trees this plant has already been paired with.

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.