Thyme

Thymus vulgaris

Lamiaceae

A low cushion of thymol — the classic kitchen antimicrobial for coughs.

Culinary herb.

Parts used: Aerial parts
Traditional notes: Wet cough · Sore throat · Kitchen seasoning · Steam for congestion
Grow · USDA 6b: Perennial, USDA 5–9 Division or cuttings. Seed is slow. In work: May · Jun · Jul · Aug
Harvest: Cut as flowers open.

Starve it in grit. Rich soil makes floppy thyme that winters badly.
Shear after bloom to keep a cushion.
Creeping types are paths; T. vulgaris is the kitchen mound.

Safety

Undiluted oil internally

Companions

Plant with Borage, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cayenne, Dill, Eggplant.

Lore

The Greek thymos meant both the herb and courage. Medieval Europe put it under pillows for sleep and into the mouths of knights. Thymol, later, became the antiseptic in the medicine cabinet that still smells like a roast chicken.

The Herbarium — a teaching catalog, not a clinic. Traditional use is history, not a prescription. USDA 6b dates are a week either way, not a promise. Do not eat, drink, or harvest a plant you cannot name.