French Thyme from Seed
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Margaret Martin
Posted on: April 07, 2006

Will french thyme grow true to seed?

The answer is not an unequivocal yes or no. The well regarded expert, Dr. Arthur Tucker of Delaware State College, has suggested that french thyme does not grow true from seed. But we have grown a variety from seeds for years that is distinctly different from english thyme in having narrower leaves and a slightly more greyish cast which we believe is similar to what grows in southern France. That said, it is true that there is a wide variation in "french thyme" seed and we believe that much of it on the market is actually english thyme or a mix of english and french. Ours is pre-screened by our unique "grow out" tests in our greenhouses and we are satisfied that our french thyme is at least different enough from english thyme to warrant a designation separate from the standard english thyme.

By the way, english thyme is also known as "german" or "winter" thyme while the french variety is known as "summer" thyme.

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