Herb of the Week - Thyme, English, German and French

Okay I am cheating today.  I have another blog (www.communitybackyard.blogspot.com) where I am posting the planting, maintaining, harvesting and creating that can be done with a 20 x20 Community Garden patch.

I have my patch and the blog is a discussion of my joys and sorrows of this endeavor which I hope will inspire others to get a community plot or till up a small patch in  the backyard.

Today (Wednesday) I posted a how to on making a raised bed.  I created a raised bed for the thyme in the Community Patch.  so now I am going to give a few details about three of the plants in that bed.

English Thyme, German Thyme and French Thyme - What's the difference?

 According to some English and German are the same. However, they are not really.  They are at best sub- species which developed originally due to climate differences in these three locations.  All are considered Thymus vulgaris which is Thyme.

Now I am having camera issues so these were the best I can do, but the German and the English are next to each other and by golly they do look similar to me.

German on the left, English on the right

 

However if you look more closely, you will see that the English thyme has a red stem and the German does not.  I think the scent and flavor are the same, however. You will have to take my word for that.

German Thyme  has tiny leaves when compared to Common thyme.  But the leaves are packed with more aromatic oils than many larger-leaved varieties. Also called winter thyme because it’s one of the most cold hardy thymes, it is an upright grower.  So right now these look similar, but soon the German will be branching skyward while the English will be spreading sideways.

Here is a close up of German Thyme:

slightly rounded leaf but not as round a common thyme

Here is Common Thyme

Common thyme has a rounded leaf. and bushy habit and an upright style of growth.  

However the English thyme has a decidedly pointed leaf.  That is obvious even in these photos.  English Thyme is a smaller low growing plant with tiny leaves and an intense flavor. Essential in chowders, and delicious sprinkled on potatoes for roasting. One of the best thymes for culinary use which is why I grow it.

Here is English thyme close up:

not like common thyme!

Now let's look at French Thyme

French Thyme is another culinary thyme, but it originated in the Provence region of  France and is the thyme used in Herbs De Provence and in other French dishes.  The flavor is kin to Common thyme but a bit more musky.  The leaves on this plant are pointed rather than rounded and the stem has a reddish color.  This is not as hardy as English Thyme and is a slower grower, so it is perfect in containers.  French Thyme is one of the thyme plants that did not make it through last winter in my herb garden.

French is on the far right, Lemon thyme is on the left

Here is a close up:

French thyme

The big difference between each of these Thyme plants is not so much the flavor or the look, but rather the hardiness.  There are subtle differences in flavor which is why I like to use the English in my vinegar and the German fresh in cooking.  The French is perfect dried and does not lose as much flavor in the drying process as other more round leaf thymes tend to.

Which ever thyme you choose, try this blend.
 

1 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender flowers

Pinch of savory 

Place the pepper and herbs in a food processor and grind to a powder.  Use as a meat rub, sauce seasoning, or blend 1 Tbls with lemon juice and oil to make a vinaigrette.

Which one should you grow?  Only you will know.  However, if people do have a preference, I'd love to hear about it.