There are quite a few different varieties of thyme, and some are indistiguishable until they blossom or are tasted. That said, many do have characteristic features, so if you post a photo someone may be able to say what variety it most resembles. Make certain to take a close-up so the various features can be clearly seen.

It's my understanding that the true strains usually are reproduced by cuttings to retain the desired characteristics.

It is possible that thyme does not flower until the second year; I'm just guessing though. I'm not much of a seed starter.

Simple search for the word THYME. Here are links to all the results. aftre the single word search.. Looks like no one is bothering to search and just like to start new message threads of repeated questions..

Here is a link that might be useful: Search for THYME info

A lot of the 'fancy' thymes - the ones with overtones of other flavours like caraway, oregano, orange etc - won't grow true from seeds, so your understanding is correct. These varieties need to be propagated vegetatively - by cuttings, usually. So you'll probably end up with something like the original thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Which is not altogether a bad thing, you know!

There is really only one way to find out what species you have, and that's to have it analysed by an expert botanist. You'll find such a person at your nearest Botanical Gardens, or university where they have an agricultural/horticultual faculty.

Please post a photo. For ID purposes, a picture is worth 1000 words!

I started some thyme from seed a few years back. It hasn't bloomed - either the variety or it just doesn't feel like it. Who knows? All living things can be pretty unique at times!

By the way, welcome to the forum!

FataMorgana

Thanks for the kind responses.

ksrogers - I was very excited to find this forum. I did a "search" on thyme, but felt it was more fun to post a question to you experts here on the herb forum - a group which I find fascinating and hopefully as friendly as the wintersowing forum - which has taught me to grow everything from seed - including herbs, perennials, annuals, and even daylilies...without much effort (and all outside)...

yes, so true  pictures are so helpful  here are a couple  maybe I should have taken them a bit closer Â(You may see reseeds popping through.. havenÂt pulled them yet):

Carrie

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The forum threads also bring up new posts, so if you had posted in other thyme threads they would be brought back up to the first page of threads again.

I am just wondering what kind of thyme I have - and if anyone can identify it being that most of you here grow herbs...

I've used Gardenweb forums for at least six years now - posting a question never seems to be a problem on other sites - Am I missing something? - Thanks

Carrie

Carrie, welcome to the Herb Forum ... and no, you're not missing a thing, lol. I hadn't posted on this forum for awhile and had a similar reaction the other day after posting a response to someone else's thread. My best advice is just ignore.

Wish I could help you with your thyme ID. I grow a few varieties ... some occasionally flower; some don't.

Oh, that's okay, natal - I love the thyme anyway - no matter what -

I think this is a wonderful forum and as soon as I grow more herbs - I am going to love it here... You are very sweet, thank you -

Carrie

I grow a lot of thymes and in the creeping varieties there are more than one can keep track of. If it has a distinguishing color or aroma, that will help you track down what group it fits into.

This is year two for the plant? Most of my thymes flower in mid to late May here; but some flower in June, some in July. Don't give up on flowers this year just yet.

The most common thyme seeds offered are Thymus vulgarus (common garden thyme also known as English thyme) but this looks like a lower-growing plant than that. A lot of seed companies only identify the thyme seeds as "creeping" or "English," etc, not the full named variety. Part of the reason for the ambiguity is that thyme isn't always true to seed and from one package you will get several sister-varieties of the plant. Relax, call it creeping thyme, and if it has a distinguishing characteristic (i.e. smells like lemons, has purple flowers, tastes like caraway seeds, etc) then you can have another name to distinguish it.

Mine is flowering now s mentioned in the other recent thyme thread.

ksrogers - I know you are trying to be helpful, but why do you keep mentioning other threads?

This is my thread about what I sowed - how could I relate to other threads?

granite - thanks for that informative and very helpful post... and the aroma will tell me a lot - great idea..
I may post another picture again if it flowers.. but if not, again, I still love this thyme and so easy to grow from seed.

Carrie

Carrie, can you get a super close-up of the thyme? It's hard telling, but you might have lime thyme. The lime bit refers to the color, not the scent - it smells like "regular" thyme. Lime thyme make take a few years to finally flower.

You might go to www.thymegarden.com and email Rolfe and staff. They grow a crazy number of thymes and might identify exactly what you have. As you started it from seed, it might be something new (depending on what the parents were)!

Thymes are wonderful!

Thank you, herbalbetty - I am seeing that I agree - thymes are wonderful, whether it flowers or not..... and I will try and take that close up soon.

I will also pay closer attention now to what I grow, knowing now that there are SO many types of thyme... You learn something everyday!

Carrie