Grass thyme

Grass thyme, or thyme creeping, refers to perennial plants gubotsvetnyh family. Externally, a small bushy plant (height from 5 to 15 centimeters) is represented. Has a creeping stem, which in some places can take root. Stem is dense, woody, with numerous small branches, covered with oval leaves. At the edges of the leaves are seated with cilia. Grass thyme blooms in small bluish-purple flowers, collected in inflorescences. The plant has a strong aromatic odor. Blooms in early summer. In the herb of thyme, the seeds consist of four small nuts.

In the wild, thyme prefers stony terrain, mountain slopes, screes and outcrops. Especially a lot of it grows in the Urals. The grass for therapeutic purposes use the aboveground part. It is collected during the full flowering phase of the plant. Drying of raw materials is carried out in a blown room or under a canopy. It is best to cut off the grass with a sharp knife or scissors, in order to avoid trauma to the root system. After drying, the leaves and flowers are separated from the stems. According to the standards in dry raw materials there should not be more than 13% of pieces, broken stems are allowed up to 5%.

In its chemical composition, thyme herb contains essential oils (up to one percent), in which thymol, carvacrol and cymol, tannins, resins, etc. are present.
In herbal medicine, decoctions and thyme extracts are used as an analgesic for radiculitis, arthritis, osteochondrosis. They are taken either inside or outside in the form of baths, compresses and lotions. Aromatic bath with essential oil of thyme is taken for colds, bad sleep, neuroses. Extract of thyme is a part of "Pertussin" - tablets used in whooping cough or exacerbation of bronchitis (as an expectorant). Dry grass is indispensable for colds, diseases of the respiratory system. Has a diuretic property. Essential oil, added to the cream, has a warming and distracting effect. He rubbed with a massage in the painful areas of the body. One of the ways to use dry raw materials is aromatherapy. Grass thyme is placed in pouches, which are laid out around the room. It is also used in cooking, as a condiment to meat dishes, make tea.

Thyme, growing at home and in household plots

Since this plant spreads on the ground and forms a continuous flowering cover, it is successfully grown on flower beds, alpine hills as an ornamental plant. Grass thyme loves loose, slightly sandy soil, it grows well in sunny areas.

You can grow thyme on your own by dividing and planting an adult plant or seed method. Seeds are sown in late autumn or under snow in the spring. You can grow the plant and seedlings. To do this, the seeds are scattered into prepared soil, lightly sprinkled with their earth or even left on the open ground, since they are photosensitive. The plant grows better at high temperatures, twenty or more degrees. The pot is covered with a film to preserve moisture. Germs appear about ten days later, they are very small and vulnerable. Therefore, watering is carried out gently, spraying water through a spray. The plant likes moderately moist soil, the water should not stagnate in it. The shoots develop very slowly. When there are permanent adult leaves, seedlings can be planted in the ground on the site (second half of May). In the first year the seedlings can not blossom. Massively they bloom in the second year of growth. The flowering is long, until late autumn. Seeds appear by the middle of autumn. To grow an adult bush, its twig can be gently tilted and pinned to the ground so that they become entrenched. Then soon the plant will grow like a continuous carpet.

In addition to useful properties for humans, thyme is a good honey, which favorably affects the bees.