How to Identify Different Types of Thyme
- Notice the height of the plant. The low-creeping types of thyme grow 4 to 6 inches high.
- Observe the leaves for their shape and color.
- Check the stems and branches.
- Pick a few leaves and rub them between your fingers.
- Look for flowers.
What looks like thyme?
Oregano. Because they grow from the same general family tree – Lamiacae – and are used in similar herb blends, it’s easy to confuse oregano and thyme, particularly French or English thyme. Both have woody stems, oval leaves, and a scent you carry on your fingertips after a quick rub.
How do you identify thyme and oregano?
In particular, thyme leaves are tiny with green or green-grayish color, whereas oregano leaves have a bright green color with an oval shape that can be a bit fuzzy to smooth. Oregano leaves also have a fine hairy layer. However, thyme leaves’ color might be varied based on their varieties.
How can you tell thyme from rosemary?
Thyme has small, rounded green leaves that feel soft between the fingers while rosemary has stiff needlelike leaves. Rosemary grows on straight stalks that change from green to woody as the stalk matures. Tender young thyme stalks are thin especially early in the growing season.
What does thyme look like fresh?
What does thyme look like? It depends. There are three kinds of thyme: English thyme, German thyme and French thyme. The French and English variety featured green, pointy leaves with red tinted stems, but the German variety has rounded leaves and green stems.
Does thyme have a smell?
The leaves can be green, grey-green and slightly yellowish green and smell not only of thyme but also of lemon. The aromatic fragrance is released when the plant is touched, so place it alongside a path. Thyme thrives in rock gardens and is also a surprising hanging basket plant combined with other herbs.
Is all thyme edible?
All thymes (and there are over 350 species in the genus Thymus) are edible and this includes varieties usually thought of as ornamental or medicinal. However, some are more popular in cooking than others.
How do you tell herbs apart?
Smell the aroma from the herb plant. Many herbs have distinctive smells that are dead giveaways of their identity. Basil has a strong earthy scent; fennel smells similar to licorice; mint has its own unique smell. Herbs such as cilantro and dill are more subtle, but can also be identified this way.
What does fresh thyme smell like?
Fresh thyme has a pronounced, concentrated herbal flavor with sharp grass, wood, and floral notes (like lavender and rosemary). Lemon thyme’s citrus fragrance is the most prominent note in that variety.
Is the stem of thyme edible?
The stems of thyme are edible but are typically too woody to enjoy. The leaves are really what you are after, but leaving the leaves attached to the stem saves prep time. You can just remove and discard the stem and any attached leaves after cooking.
Does thyme smell like rosemary?
The main difference between thyme and rosemary is that rosemary has a strong and pungent flavour than thyme. Thyme and rosemary are two popular herbs with culinary and medicinal uses. Both these herbs belong to the mint family and have a somewhat similar flavour profile.
Is thyme bitter?
It can be used fresh or dried. In its dried form, thyme preserves a spicy taste that unfolds when lightly cooked in meals. Thyme can be added to dishes during cooking to enhance its healthy bitter benefits.
What does thyme leaves taste like?
Thyme, Defined (& How to Cook With It)
Common thyme (the one you’ve probably encountered most regularly) has an earthy, minty, slightly lemony flavor. And there are more than one hundred other varieties, often with names that match their flavor profiles: orange thyme, caraway thyme, and za’atar thyme, for example.
What does a thyme sprig look like?
A sprig of thyme is a 4 – 5 inch long main stem from the thyme plant. It likely incorporates 1 – 2 secondary sprigs that come off the main stem. There are a whole variety of ways to use thyme. Thyme can be used for cooking, in medicinal ways and for ornamental purposes.
Can you eat thyme raw?
Can you eat raw thyme leaves? Thyme (thymus vulgaris) is an herb that can be consumed fresh or dried. Like other herbs and spices, it’s packed with disease-fighting nutrients and antioxidants. The easiest way to make this common herb a part of your regular diet to make sure you keep some dried thyme in your kitchen.
What type of thyme is best for cooking?
Dozens of varieties are available, but those interested in the best culinary thymes have only a handful of choices. Those best for flavor, as well as ease of use, are the low-growing, shrubby ones known as English, French, lemon, or winter thyme.
What does the herb thyme smell like?
Scent of thyme: The scent is herbaceous, strong, hot, penetrating, and therapeutic. Uses for thyme: Thyme essential oil is primarily used in a compress or sometimes in a salve or cream to fight serious infection.
What is thyme leaves good for?
Thyme contains chemicals that might help bacterial and fungal infections. It also might help relieve coughing and have antioxidant effects. People commonly use thyme for cough, patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), dementia, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Why does thyme smell so strong?
Thymol also provides the distinctive, strong flavor of the culinary herb thyme, also produced from T. vulgaris. Careful with the word ‘phenolic’ that is often encountered as an off-note. The simplest phenol of importance is thymol, which is used for both its odor and antiseptic properties in personal care products.
Is thyme toxic?
Commonly used for cooking, thyme is considered safe when used in normal food amounts. It also appears to be well-tolerated in dietary supplement forms. However, the overconsumption of thyme may cause upset stomach, cramps, headaches, and dizziness.
What types of thyme are edible?
But when it comes to the kitchen, the players are few. There are only about half a dozen considered suitable for cooking. Out of this group, I find four to be most useful: French thyme, lemon thyme, oregano-scented thyme, and caraway thyme. French thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is the one that most people know.
Marilyn Medina is a food expert with over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry. She has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world, including The Ritz-Carlton and The French Laundry.
What makes Marilyn stand out from other chefs is her unique approach to cooking. She believes that food should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget or dietary restrictions. Her recipes are simple, delicious, and healthy – perfect for anyone who wants to cook like a pro!