Spanish Thyme: A Lesser-Known Native Shrub from Puerto Rico
If you’re looking for a native plant that’s a bit off the beaten path, Spanish thyme (Lippia micromera var. helleri) might just pique your interest. This perennial shrub calls Puerto Rico home and belongs to the diverse Lippia family, though it’s certainly not your everyday garden center find.
What Exactly is Spanish Thyme?
Despite its common name, Spanish thyme isn’t actually a true thyme at all! This native Puerto Rican shrub is a member of the Lippia genus and goes by the botanical name Lippia micromera var. helleri. You might also see it listed under its synonym, Lippia helleri Britton, in older botanical references.
As a perennial shrub, Spanish thyme typically develops multiple stems from near the ground and usually stays under 13-16 feet in height. Like many of its Lippia cousins, it’s a woody plant that can adapt to various environmental conditions, sometimes even growing taller or developing a single stem depending on where it’s planted.
Where Does Spanish Thyme Come From?
This shrub is endemic to Puerto Rico, meaning it evolved there and occurs naturally nowhere else in the world. Its entire native range is limited to this beautiful Caribbean island, making it a true local specialty.
Should You Grow Spanish Thyme?
Here’s where things get a bit tricky – and honestly, quite intriguing! Spanish thyme is somewhat of a botanical mystery when it comes to cultivation information. While we know it’s a native Puerto Rican shrub, detailed growing requirements, care instructions, and garden performance data are surprisingly scarce.
This could mean a few things:
- It might be quite rare or have a very limited distribution even within Puerto Rico
- It could be challenging to cultivate outside its native habitat
- There simply hasn’t been much interest or research into its garden potential
The Challenge of Growing Spanish Thyme
If you’re in Puerto Rico or a similar tropical climate and interested in native plant gardening, Spanish thyme could be an exciting addition to your landscape. However, finding reliable information about its specific needs – like preferred soil conditions, water requirements, sun exposure, or propagation methods – proves surprisingly difficult.
For mainland U.S. gardeners, this plant would likely be unsuitable anyway, as it’s adapted to Puerto Rico’s tropical climate and wouldn’t survive freezing temperatures.
What We Don’t Know (But Wish We Did!)
Unfortunately, many details about Spanish thyme remain unclear:
- Specific growing conditions and care requirements
- Pollinator relationships and wildlife benefits
- Propagation methods
- Landscape design applications
- Availability in nurseries or seed sources
The Bottom Line
Spanish thyme represents one of those fascinating native plants that seems to fly under the radar. If you’re a gardener in Puerto Rico passionate about native species, this shrub could be worth investigating further – though you might need to do some detective work to track down plants or seeds.
For gardeners elsewhere, there are plenty of other native Lippia species and thyme-like plants that might scratch that same itch while being much easier to source and grow successfully.
Sometimes the most interesting plants are the ones that keep a little mystery about them, and Spanish thyme certainly fits that bill!
