Thyme
Is well known to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects, that may be useful in treating everything, from intestinal infections to skin conditions, under its different forms such as fresh, dried, or distilled into an essential oil for aromatherapy. It is taken for bronchitis, whooping cough, sore throat, colic, arthritis, upset stomach, gastritis, diarrhea, bedwetting, intestinal gas, parasitic worm infections and skin disorders.
Common thyme is a generally upright, woody-based perennial plant. Numerous, somewhat woody stems grow upward to form a foliage mound 15 – 30 cm tall. Stems are clothed with tiny, linear to elliptic, pointed, gray-green leaves which are distinctively revolute (leaf margins are rolled under). Leaves are highly aromatic (reaching their peak just before plants flower). Whorls of tiny, tubular, lilac flowers appear on the stem.
Conehead thyme is a warming, astringent herb that is expectorant, improves digestion, relaxes spasms and controls coughing. It has strong antiseptic and antifungal properties. Fights acne, lowers blood pressure, helps in alleviating cough, and boosts immunity. Thymus capitatus is a compact, woody perennial, more commonly known as a cone head thyme. The plant has rising stems and narrow, fleshy, oil-gland-dotted green leaves that reach a length of 12 mm. The pink, 10mm long flowers are held in cone-shaped clusters at the ends of their stems in mid to late summer; they are protexted by overlapping, 6mm long, red-tinged bracts, edged in tiny hairs.