Grown for the lemon scented foliage, Lemon Thyme is Thymus x citriodorus and a variegated variety Thymus x citriodorus ‘Argenteus’ is also available.
This is a small bushy plant reaching around 10 cm (4 inches) in height and spreading to around 50cm (20 inches).
Used as a culinary herb and also as a fragrant ground cover plant it can be used in the general garden border, grown in a rock garden or in a container.’
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The flowers that appear in late spring to summer appear small spikes above the foliage, purple in colour and they also attract bees to the garden.
Care and Planting.
Like all thyme varieties, Thymus x citriodorus requires a well drained soil and sunny position. Once established it is relatively drought tolerant and is also frost tolerant.
Although this is a low growing plant with naturally dense foliage it will benefit from light pruning immediately after flowering.
Mulch around the plant to maintain a cool moist root run and and fertilise with a little seaweed fertiliser each spring. In containers use a general purpose slow release fertiliser each year.
This can be a plant that needs to be replaced after 10 years or so, however if pruned each year and given a little fertiliser it can last much longer.