Battle of herbaceous proportions: Rosemary VS Thyme

[ShadyStump]

The scent of dried thyme always makes me think it's moldy, but fresh is a very different experience.

 

[AJL]

Just FYI on the Rosemary, I just came across a mashed potato recipe where you steep the rosemary in the milk before adding to the mashed potatoes instead of chopping the rosemary and adding it to the potatoes. The rosemary flavor is great that way but only steep for 10 ish minutes or it will be too potent.

Try Rosemary on roast potatoes-delicious!

 

[karen82]

I don't see how you could make bonsai of Thyme. It has cute little leaves but is basically just a creeping groundcover. It might look nice planted over the soil surface in a bonsai pot, like moss, but not as a bonsai itself. I have some that's been growing outdoors for several years (it's hardy to zone 4) and it never grows taller than about 2-3 inches. Rosemary on the other hand, does develop a woody trunk and I've seen it trained as bonsai. I have a couple in pots that I've been trying to grow trunks on.

 

[ShadyStump]

I don't see how you could make bonsai of Thyme. It has cute little leaves but is basically just a creeping groundcover. It might look nice planted over the soil surface in a bonsai pot, like moss, but not as a bonsai itself. I have some that's been growing outdoors for several years (it's hardy to zone 4) and it never grows taller than about 2-3 inches. Rosemary on the other hand, does develop a woody trunk and I've seen it trained as bonsai. I have a couple in pots that I've been trying to grow trunks on.

There are ornamental creeping varieties of thyme, and that's what you're describing, but the more standard culinary varieties grow as a low shrub. They can reach upwards of a meter in height sometimes, but generally stop at zone 6. The creeping thyme, on the other hand, can go much colder as you mentioned, though generally don't taste as good.

 

[AJL]

I don't see how you could make bonsai of Thyme. It has cute little leaves but is basically just a creeping groundcover. It might look nice planted over the soil surface in a bonsai pot, like moss, but not as a bonsai itself. I have some that's been growing outdoors for several years (it's hardy to zone 4) and it never grows taller than about 2-3 inches. Rosemary on the other hand, does develop a woody trunk and I've seen it trained as bonsai. I have a couple in pots that I've been trying to grow trunks on.

 

[AJL]

Heres a Thyme I grew from a small herb - its about 8 years old . The bees love it and I use the clippings for seasoning meat and pasta dishes