Plant Heritage Spring 2003
Thymus Update on Names
In my article in Plant Heritage in Autumn 2001 (Vol. 8 No. 2) describing the new Thymus Coccineus Group,
I stated that T. serpyllum coccineus 'Major' and T. serpyllum coccineus 'Minor'
would not be included in the new Group.
Thymus serpyllum coccineus 'Major', which is probably a hybrid of T.pulegioides,
will now be known as T. 'Coccineus Major'.
The Latin form of the epithet Coccineus Major is permissible as its earliest known reference
is 1914 in the catalogue of Six Hills Nursery.
As far as T. serpyllum coccineus 'Minor' is concerned, the earliest
known reference is 1961 in Blooms of Bressingham catalogue.
Alan Bloom considers that the name arose through a long standing cataloguing error.
The trade catalogue of 1954-55 lists T. serpyllum coccineus,
T. serpyllum coccineus major, followed by T. serpyllum minor.
These thymes are also listed in the nursery catalogue of 1960-61.
However the 1961-62 catalogue lists T. serpyllum coccineus, T. serpyllum coccineus major
followed by T. serpyllum coccineus minor, which is described as having pink flowers
and this listing remains in all subsequent catalogues.
Alan Bloom told me that he has grown this thyme since the 1930s and T. serpyllum minus is listed in
the Blooms catalogue of 1939.
A new name is necessary, but I propose delaying a decision until the new Cultivated Plant Code is published.
I have contacted other nurseries that list this cultivar.
However, the thyme that they offer under this name has dark crimson flowers and dark green leaves
and only grows to about an inch in height.
This dwarf thyme should therefore be included in the new Coccineus group, but it would be permissible to give it a cultivar
name within the Group if nurserymen wish to distinguish it from the other taller dark crimson thymes within the Group.
The Latin form of the epithet T. serpyllum 'Minor' is permissible,
as its earliest known reference is 1924 in the catalogue of Six Hills Nursery, Stevenage.
However, the name T. serpyllum 'Minimus' is not acceptable, because the earliest known reference is 1975 in the
catalogue of R.V. Rogers of Pickering.
A new name is necessary, but as it is one of the most popular and widely available thymes, it is
desirable that it should be as close as possible to the unacceptable name.
It is proposed here that this cultivar should be renamed T. serpyllum 'Minimalist'.
This will enable it to be listed in the same position in the RHS Plant Finder and nursery catalogues.
This name refers to the mat-forming thyme with pink flowers and tightly packed leaves which tend to overlap.
As both these thymes have hairs on four sides of the stems they can be regarded as cultivars of T serpyllum.
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