Wild Thyme / Broad Leaved Thyme - Thymus pulegioides

Wild Thyme / Broad Leaved Thyme – robust wild herb with an intense aroma and versatile uses. 

Perennial, winter‑hardy wild herb with small, aromatic leaves and a warm, spicy flavour. Grows prostrate to slightly upright as a loosely clump‑forming perennial and is ideal for open ground, rock gardens, herb spirals, and container cultivation. Drought‑tolerant, responsive to pruning, and fully winter‑hardy – ideal for self‑sufficiency and nature‑friendly gardens.

  Origin & History

Wild thyme (Thymus pulegioides), also known as Quendel or field thyme, is a widespread European species belonging to the family Lamiaceae, the subfamily Nepetoideae, and the genus Thymus. Its natural distribution range lies within Europe. Thyme as a medicinal and culinary herb was already described in ancient literature by authors such as Theophrastus (4th–3rd century BC) and Dioscorides (1st century AD).

Wild thyme is a native, non‑Mediterranean thyme species that prefers moderately dry to fresh meadows, semi‑dry grasslands, path edges, and open slopes. In contrast to Thymus vulgaris, it is adapted to cooler, temperate climates and naturally occurs in regions with higher rainfall and fresher soils. In Central Europe, it is one of the characteristic species of extensive poor meadows and shapes semi‑natural grassland landscapes.

Historically, wild thyme has been used in European herbal medicine since the Middle Ages, where it was valued as a native medicinal and tea herb – especially for respiratory ailments, coughs, hoarseness, and general strengthening. Medieval herbals mention its use in infusions, fumigations, and compresses, often associated with warming or cleansing properties. In monastic gardens, it was considered an easy‑to‑cultivate, aromatic herb that was versatile in both cooking and traditional healing.

For centuries, wild thyme remained an important wild and household remedy in Central and Northern Europe. Its aroma is regarded as earthier, warmer, and milder than that of the Mediterranean common thyme. Today, it remains a staple of nature‑friendly herb gardens, wild herb meadows, and ecological growing systems, and is valued as a pollinator plant due to its long flowering period.

  Appearance & Characteristics

The plant grows prostrate to slightly upright, forms short woody shoots, and reaches about 10–25 cm in height and up to 30 cm in width. The leaves are summer‑green, small, and aromatic. The species is winter‑hardy down to around −28 °C.

Leaf details:

• Size: Small, approx. 0.4–0.8 cm

• Shape: Elliptic to lanceolate

• Color: Medium green to dark green

• Texture: Firm, finely hairy

• Flavor: Warm, spicy, slightly bitter with earthy notes

 Usage & Cultivation Highlights

Wild thyme is a versatile culinary herb suitable for both fresh and dried use. It enhances meat, braised and stew dishes, soups, sauces, as well as fish, poultry, and vegetable preparations, and adds flavour to game, mushroom, and potato dishes, casseroles, and rustic pan dishes. It pairs well with root vegetables, cabbage, pulses, tomatoes, and courgettes, and is suitable for herb blends, herb butter, dips, pestos, marinades, and savoury baked goods. When dried, it enriches roasts, ragouts, pasta sauces, herb oils, herb salts, and oven dishes. It also refines risotto, lamb dishes, pickled vegetables, savoury jams, infused honey, and chutneys. In beverages, it adds distinctive notes to herbal teas, lemonades, syrups, and warm winter drinks. Its flowers are edible and valuable for pollinators. Traditionally, Quendel is used in infusions, inhalations, compresses, and incense blends, as well as in home remedies such as chest poultices, steam baths, and warming herbal applications.

Wild thyme grows robustly in open ground, raised beds, rock gardens, herb spirals, poor meadows, and containers. It is easy to care for, fully winter‑hardy, and provides aromatic foliage throughout the season. It thrives particularly well in sunny to semi‑shaded, dry to fresh locations and copes with poor, stony soils as well as nutrient‑poor potting mixes. The plant remains compact, responds very well to pruning, and regenerates quickly. Thanks to its undemanding nature, it is ideal for urban gardening, exposed sites, and nature‑friendly gardens. It requires little water, withstands dry periods and frost phases, and stabilises light soils with its prostrate to slightly upright growth. As a perennial species, it is perfect for long‑term herb beds, wild herb meadows, and permaculture systems, delivering reliable harvests. In mixed culture, it shows good compatibility, and its long flowering period from June to September provides valuable food for pollinators. Its essential oils improve the microclimate in the bed, support the plant health of neighbouring crops, and promote soil fauna through its fine root structure.

Compared to other thyme species, wild thyme is a native European, robust wild herb with an intense aroma – ideal for natural gardens, wild herb cuisine, and low‑maintenance sites.