Arar thrives with endangered northern wild thyme cultivation

The Aman Environmental Society witnessed a successful cultivation of the endangered northern wild thyme plant in the city of Arar, located in the Northern Borders region, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Society member Mohammed Obaid Al-Jumaishi said: “I started cultivating wild thyme in my home by planting two seedlings, and the experiment succeeded. Then I expanded to a larger site in an area close to Arar, suitable for plant growth. Now there are more than 3,000 seedlings of northern wild thyme on the farm.”

Characterized by its pleasant, sweet smell, pungent taste, and high nutritional value, the plant is used in various ways. The flowering branches and leaves are considered one of its most valuable aspects and also contribute to flourishing vegetation cover in the region.

Al-Jumaishi added that his primary goal in planting wild thyme is to preserve the plant from extinction and restore it to the natural landscape in its full form. He stressed that the economic return from selling thyme is very valuable.

The head of the Aman Environmental Society, Nasser Irsheed Al-Mujallad, explained that the region is abundant with many plants and trees that contribute to increasing the green area and are of great importance in many areas, most notably the wild thyme plant in the Northern Borders region.

He emphasized that it differs from other types of thyme plants and usually grows in rocky areas on the sides of valleys and reefs.

Al-Mujallad said that the Northern Borders region is one of the wild thyme’s original habitats. It is a perennial plant with many branches, covered with galls, and its height ranges between 30 to 80 centimeters. In protected areas, it reaches over a meter.

The plant’s leaves are similar to an oval shape and covered with white fuzz, and the flowers grow from the tops of the plant in a profuse group. They are small, labial, purple flowers that appear in the spring and summer months. The flowering branches and leaves are the most important part of this plant, Al-Mujallad noted, pointing out that the society encourages farmers and those interested in propagating the region’s endangered plants.