Small shrub with young stems erect or ascending at first but eventually becoming prostrate and rooting at the nodes. Stems hairy on all 4 surfaces and the angles. Leaves petiolate, to 12 mm long, slightly rolled under, ovate to obovate to almost round, glossy above, margin usually ciliate at the base, upper leaf surface glabrous, lower with small hairs at least on the midrib. Flowers in a narrow (about 15 mm), interrupted 'spike'; female; bracts similar to the leaves; corolla lilac, paler in variegated plants.

The plants are typically lemon-scented. However, it is incorrect to assume that all lemon-scented thymes derive from this species, or that plants lacking a lemon scent do not.This taxon is believed to be a hybrid between T. vulgaris and T. pulegioides. If so, any hybrid between these two species would bear the same name, in which case the common Lemon Thyme might best be given the cultivar name T. 'Citriodorus' within T. ×citriodorus. A number of cultivars have been attributed to T. ×citriodorus without good reason to believe that T. vulgaris features in their ancestry. The situation will remain confused until more genetic studies are available.

Shrubby habit; broad leaves; elongated spike of flowers; lemon scent.

Source: Lumley, P. (2002). Thymus. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.