Lemon Thyme
Lemon Thyme (Thymus x citriodorus)
Thymus x citriodorus, an interspecific hybrid between Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) and Thymus pulegioides (Broad-leaved Thyme) is a perennial subshrub in the mint family (Lamiaceae). This medicinal and aromatic plant has a rose-lemon-like flavor, supposedly inherited from T. pulegioides (Lundgren L, 1982; Stahl-Biskup E, 1995). Because of its pleasant aroma and flavor, Thymus x citriodorus is commonly found in various herbal tea blends and offered as a condiment for fish dishes (Jurevičiūtė, Ložienė, Bruno, Maggio, & Rosselli, 2019). A study has shown that its essential oils showed good effectiveness and the broadest spectrum of the samples evaluated for antimicrobial activity (Sacchetti G, 2005).
Historical Use
Historical information on the use of lemon thyme can be found in Nicholas Culpepper’s English Physician; and complete herbal written in 1798. Lemon Thyme has been used to strengthen the lungs and to purge the body of phlegm. An ointment made from lemon thyme has been used to remove warts and ease pains in the spleen.
Latest Research
- Nitrite reduction and the use of aromatic herbs with Staphylococcus equorum as replacement strategies in bacon
by P Bernardo on January 29, 2026 at 11:00 amThis study evaluated the impact of reducing or replacing nitrite on the quality, safety, and sensory characteristics of bacon. Seven formulas were produced: control without nitrite (F1), 150 mg NaNO₂/kg (F2), 80 mg NaNO₂/kg (F3), Thymus citriodorus extract (F4), T. citriodorus with Staphylococcus equorum S2M7 (F5), Salvia elegans extract (F6), and S. elegans with S. equorum (F7). Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses were performed throughout processing and on final products….
- Effects of Thymus citriodorus and Salvia elegans extracts combined with S. equorum on a clean label fermented cured meat sausageby P Bernardo on November 26, 2025 at 11:00 am
New meat product formulations are needed to meet clean label demands and stricter regulations on N-nitrosamine precursors, namely nitrites. This study assessed the use of Salvia elegans (sage) and Thymus citriodorus (thyme) water extracts, combined or not with Staphylococcus equorum S2M7 starter, as alternatives to nitrate/nitrite in fermented cured sausages. Six formulations were tested: control with 150 mg NaNO(3)/kg (C), control with 150 mg NaNO(3)/kg and starter (CS), sage extract (S), sage…
- Phytochemical and Insecticidal Activity of Some Thyme Plants’ Essential Oils Against Cryptoblabes gnidiella and Scirtothrips mangiferae on Mango Inflorescencesby Mohammad M Aljameeli on September 27, 2025 at 10:00 am
Mango fruits are one of the strategic fruit crops in different countries that are attacked by several serious pests such as Cryptoblabes gnidiella and Scirtothrips mangiferae. Natural extracts, especially essential oils, provide several promising insecticide agents to control different insects as an alternative to synthetic insecticides. Using Clevenger-type hydrodistillation, the essential oils of five thyme plants-Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare, Thymus argenteus, Thymus citriodorus, and…
- Exploring the importance of aromatic plants’ extrafloral volatiles for pollinator attractionby Aphrodite Kantsa on August 29, 2025 at 10:00 am
Aromatic plants occur in many plant lineages and have widespread ethnobiological significance. Yet, the ecological significance and evolutionary origins of aromatic volatile emissions remain uncertain. Aromatic emissions have been implicated in defensive interactions but may also have other important functions. In this Viewpoint article, we propose an ecologically relevant definition for the aromatic phenotype and evaluate available evidence relating to the ecological role of aromatic emissions,…
- Microclimate Modification, Evapotranspiration, Growth and Essential Oil Yield of Six Medicinal Plants Cultivated Beneath a Dynamic Agrivoltaic System in Southern Italyby Grazia Disciglio on August 14, 2025 at 10:00 am
This study, conducted in Southern Italy in 2023, investigated the effects of a dynamic agrivoltaics (AV) system on microclimate, water consumption, plant growth, and essential oil yield in six medicinal species: lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L. ‘Royal purple’), lemmon thyme (Thymus citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb. ar. ‘Aureus’), common thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. ‘Severn seas’), mint (Mentha spicata L. ‘Moroccan’), and sage (Salvia officinalis L. subsp….
References
Jurevičiūtė, R., Ložienė, K., Bruno, M., Maggio, A., & Rosselli, S. (2019). Composition of essential oil of lemon thyme (Thymus × citriodorus) at different hydrodistillation times. Nat Prod Res, 33(1), 80-88. doi:10.1080/14786419.2018.1434642
Lundgren L, Stenhagen G. (1982). Leaf volatiles from Thymus vulgaris, T. serpyllum, T. praecox, T. pulegioides
and T. × citriodorus (Labiatae). Nord J Bot., 2, 445-452.
Sacchetti G, Muzzoli M, Scaglianti M, Manfredini S, Radice M, Bruni R. (2005). Comparative evaluation of 11 essential oils of different origin as functional antioxidants, antiradicals and
antimicrobials in foods. Food Chemistry., 91, 621-632.
Stahl-Biskup E, Holthuijzen. J. (1995). Essential oil and glycosidically bound volatiles of lemon-scented
thyme, Thymus × citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb. Flav Fragr J., 10, 225-229.