Various varieties LABIATAE
An anonymous English poet wrote in 1799,
Thick-growing thyme, and roses wet with dew Are sacred to the sisterhood divine.
Thyme has always been associated with female ailments, and is symbolic of the devotion of motherhood. It also stands for courage and strength. It was a favourite Roman herb, brought initially from Attica to provide beehives with its rich pollen. The common Thymus vulgaris is supposed to provide bees with the best raw-material in the plant world for their honey-making.
All the many varieties of thyme are edible, all are valuable medicinally, and all are perennial and evergreen. Originally natives of sun-drenched, rocky, mountainous districts, they thrive in courtyards, paths and rockeries, asking very little in the way of feeding; but they must have heat and good drainage to produce the tiny starry flowers typical of them all.
These herbs were all placed under the sign of Aries, the warm-blooded, and their antiseptic properties were used freely by earlier civilizations. Thymol, the oil that all members of the mint family contain, is present in very concentrated amounts, and the pure oil is an antiseptic twelve times as powerful as carbolic acid. This can be used whenever a headache strikes. Instead of reaching for drugs and sedatives, try some of Nature’s balm instead. Rub a few drops of the oil into your temples or wherever the headache is worst, and let its warmth and pleasing scent soothe your psyche. So simple, so economical, and so effective! Thyme oil should also be available through natureopathic suppliers or your health store. The milder oil can be used as an antiseptic to rub on cuts or grazes, too.
Sorting out all the varieties of thyme can be a headache to the botanist. They hybridize freely and lose their individuality in the process. However, some, of the more common species which remain fairly true to type are listed below. GARDEN THYME (Thymus vulgaris) An erect-growing tiny shrub, with dark green leaves and woody stems. Strong flavour, produces the best oil.
LEMON THYME (Thymus citriodorus) A lovely lemon-scented type, delicious with all meats, and a strong grower. Pink flowers in spring and summer.
CARAWAY THYME (Thymus herba barona) A native of Corsica. Rich caraway perfume when crushed, and a trailing creeping habit, rooting as it spreads.
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