Propagation of three thymus species by stem cuttings

Many herbs native to the Mediterranean region are grown for ornamental purposes and represent an important segment of the bedding plant industry. Although the majority of Thymus species are used as officinal plants, some of them are also used as ornamental bedding plants to provide aesthetic enhancement of public and private garden beds, porches, patios, balconies. The aim of this research was to study the vegetative propagation of T. capitatus, T. serpyllum and T. vulgaris. To verify the rooting response to exogenous application of auxin, softwood cuttings were either treated with a 500 ppm 1H-indol-3-butyric acid (IBA) solution, or not treated (control). Propagation was performed in an unheated plastic (polyethylene) covered greenhouse. Cuttings were inserted in a bottom heated bench containing a perlite/peat mixture on 20 November 2004. The study demonstrated that exogenous application of IBA generally improves rooting in Thymus species. T. capitatus, grown in pot showed a long and abundant flowering period comparable to that of other Thymus species already exploited as pot plants