Given Name: Thymus vulgaris
Nicknames: common thyme, garden thyme, German thyme,
Family: Lamiaceae (mint)
Don't you worry, you vulnerable bags of flesh! I've got your back. Yes, this unassuming dwarf, woody shrub with dainty, oval, opposite grey-green leaves is much more than meets the eye!
I may be short and stalky (only 6-16 inches tall with lots of thin stems) but I pack quite a punch.
Boom! Right to your nose!
Yes, of course I'm talking about my smell... plants can't actually hit things you know.
Anyway, take a sniff... that's the smell of strength, resilience and untamed energy. I exude it. I embody it. I mean I should- that smell is my essential oil. And those chemicals contribute to my medicinal superpowers.
You thought superpowers were just imaginary? Oh, you big brained fools!
Your human scientists have recently discovered that I have super-strength when fighting microorganisms, super-toxicity which prevents the growth of certain cancer cells and that I can even provide the same level of relief as ibuprofen for painful menstruation (Yeah ibuprofen- I've got your power without your side effects!).
And you can't forget my super-flavour which people have enjoyed for centuries! Not bad for a plant that had its humble beginnings in a small corner of the Mediterranean, eh? But as well as being a protector of people, I also protect the land. I take hold in dry, rocky terrain, preventing erosion by anchoring the soil with my shallow but densely packed, fibrous roots. I literally hold my ground against the most powerful forces of nature- those that would kill or damage other (I wouldn't say weaker but I understand if you would) plants.
Wind, drought, salt, pollution- ha! I laugh in their faces and keep growing.
No wonder I was the emblem of bravery and embroidered onto the scarves ladies gave to knights in Medieval Europe.
So, am I unstoppable? I wish I could say yes but my honour prevents me from lying. As unlikely as it seems, this great plant does have an Achilles heal. What could possibly be the chink in my armour? It's so simple, so commonplace, that it's hard to admit.
I... I... I need full sunshine.
There, I said it.
Now you know my shameful secret! But why don't I feel exposed and vulnerable? I actually feel lighter now, like the bees, butterflies and other pollinators that flit among the whorls of my small, tubular, white to pinkish-lavender flowers. I think I feel empowered. Could it be that by acknowledging my weakness I've actually gained confidence? Yes!
I feel invincible! Try stepping on me- really- it won't hurt me. Cut me back in early spring or summer to tame my wild side- I won't care. Even try harvesting 5 or 6 inches off my top in early summer just before I bloom when my leaves' essential oil content is highest- I dare you! I can handle it.
After all, I'm the one and only,
Heroic Thyme
References:
Borugă, O., Jianu, C., Mişcă, C., Goleţ, I., Gruia, A. T., & Horhat, F. G. (2014). Thymus vulgaris essential oil: chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. Journal of medicine and life, 7(Spec Iss 3), 56–60. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4391421/
Dierich, S. (2008). Thymus vulgaris. Southern Cross University. https://www.scu.edu.au/analytical-research-laboratory---arl/medicinal-plant-garden/medicinal-plant-monographs/thymus-vulgaris/
Galovičová, L., Borotová, P., Valková, V., Vukovic, N. L., Vukic, M., Štefániková, J., Ďúranová, H., Kowalczewski, P. Ł., Čmiková, N., & Kačániová, M. (2021). Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil and Its Biological Activity. Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 10(9), 1959. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091959
Niksic, H., Becic, F., Koric, E., Gusic, I., Omeragic, E., Muratovic, S., Miladinovic, B., Duric, K. (2021, June 23). Cytotoxicity screening of Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil in brine shrimp nauplii and cancer cell lines. Sci Rep 11, 13178. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92679-x
Salmalian, H., Saghebi, R., Moghadamnia, A. A., Bijani, A., Faramarzi, M., Nasiri Amiri, F., Bakouei, F., Behmanesh, F., & Bekhradi, R. (2014). Comparative effect of thymus vulgaris and ibuprofen on primary dysmenorrhea: A triple-blind clinical study. Caspian journal of internal medicine, 5(2), 82–88.
Thymus vulgaris (n.d.). North Carolina State Extension. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/thymus-vulgaris/
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