Thymus citriodorus
Lemon thyme
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus) is a low, semi‑shrubby herb with finely scented leaves that give off a lemon aroma even from close range on warm days. The small, often slightly yellow‑tinted leaves grow on creeping to upright stems that produce delicate pink to purple flowers in summer, attracting bees and other insects. As a hardy semi‑shrub, it tolerates mild winters well when kept dry.
Care instructions
Lemon thyme prefers full sun and a well‑drained, somewhat lean soil; it does poorly on heavy, water‑logged soils. Plant it 25 to 30 cm apart, ideally on a slightly raised bed or between gravel and stones to ensure good drainage. Water sparingly, only when prolonged dryness occurs, excess moisture is more harmful than drought. After flowering, prune the stems (late July to early August) to keep the plant compact and encourage fresh growth. In winter, a light mulch or leaf cover protects it at exposed sites, especially when grown in containers.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, lean, lime-loving, dry
Feeding
Light feeder
Companion planting
Good neighbors
nightshade family (Solanaceae)
particularly well establishedYou will find that basil next to tomato and pepper improves taste and keeps whiteflies and aphids away.
For example PotatoTomatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberry and 9 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
cabbage family (Brassicaceae)
You will notice that the intense scent of basil, thyme, and others confuses the cabbage whitefly and keeps it away from the cabbage family.
For example White cabbageKohlrabiRadishKalebroccolicauliflower and 34 more species in the catalogue
Source: bio-gardening intercropping practice
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
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