Spanish thyme
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4Will it grow where I live?
Spanish thyme is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 11): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Or check it for your location right here:
Profile
- Family
- Labiatae
- Habit
- perennial
- Height
- 1 m
- Spread
- 0.8 m
- Growth
- fast
- Lifespan
- 5 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Hardiness
- zone 11–12
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- dry – very moist
- pH
- 5.5 – 7.5
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering |
Uses
Edible: The fleshy leaves are often used as a culinary herb (Cuban oregano, Jamaican thyme) in Caribbean, Indian and African cuisine. They are used raw in salads or cooked in soups and stews.
Medicinal: Traditionally it is used for colds, coughs, indigestion and skin diseases.
Origin & habitat
Eastern and southern Africa
Coastal scrub, woodlands, rocky slopes
Frequently asked questions
Spanish thyme: how big does it get?
Spanish thyme (Coleus amboinicus) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 1 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 0.8 m. Growth is fast.
Spanish thyme: what site does it need?
Spanish thyme tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.
Spanish thyme: is it hardy?
Spanish thyme is listed as hardy in zone 11–12 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Spanish thyme: will it grow in Central Europe?
Spanish thyme is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 11): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Spanish thyme: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from August to September.
Spanish thyme: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Spanish thyme. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Spanish thyme: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 3/10, Medicinal 4/10, Other uses 4/10.
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