Common Thyme is a low growing, upright herbaceous plant, sometimes becoming somewhat woody. It is native to southern Europe. It is much cultivated as a culinary herb. 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 and are frequently used fresh or dried as a seasoning in a variety of culinary applications including soups, stews, sauces, meat and fish dishes. Whorls of tiny, tubular, lilac to bluish-purple flowers appear on the stem ends in late spring to early summer. Flowers are 2-lipped, with the upper lip notched and the lower one 3-lobed. Sepal tube is long and green. Flowers are attractive to bees.