

The plants leaves are aromatic, but it is not typically used in cooking. It is grown primarily as an ornamental groundcover. Plant creeping thyme 8 to 12 inches (20-30.5 cm.) apart to allow for its spreading habitat. Description Creeping thyme is a dwarf, low-growing, creeping, woody evergreen. Start seeds when growing creeping thyme indoors or they may be sown in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. Cuttings from the creeping thyme plant should be taken in the early summer. The soil pH for growing creeping thyme plants should be neutral to slightly alkaline.Ĭreeping thyme ground cover can be propagated via stem cuttings or divisions and, of course, can be purchased from the local nursery as either established plantings or seeds. Soil should be kept moist but not wet, as the growing creeping thyme plant is susceptible to root drowning and edema.
#Mother of thyme information full
Although this ground cover prefers well-drained lightly textured soils, it will grow quite well in less than desirable medium and thrive from full sun to light shade environments.
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How to Plant Creeping ThymeĪs mentioned, growing creeping thyme is a simple process due to its compatibility in a variety of soils and light exposures. In fact, the pollen from the blooming thyme will flavor the resulting honey. Creeping thyme is also capable of withstanding tromping upon by rambunctious kids (making it kid resistant as well!), which makes it an exceptional planting choice anywhere that has frequent foot traffic.įlowering creeping thyme is very attractive to bees and is a nice addition to a garden focused on honeybees. Harvest creeping thyme in the morning when the essential oils of the plant are at their peak.Īnother creeping thyme fact is despite its enticing odor, growing creeping thyme ground cover is deer resistant, making it an ideal landscape candidate in areas frequented by them. They have numerous, thin, somewhat woody stems that form a flat mat (2-3' tall) with tiny, rounded, glossy blue-green leaves (to 1/4'). They are sometimes commonly called red creeping thyme, wild thyme or mother-of-thyme. To harvest creeping thyme ground cover, either remove the leaves from the stems or dry them by snipping from the plant and hanging them upside down in a dark, well-aerated area. Thymes in the Coccineus Group are creeping, woody based perennials which are primarily used as a ground cover. Just like other thyme varieties, creeping thyme is edible with a flavor and aroma akin to mint when crushed or steeped for teas or tinctures. serpyllum is another creeping thyme variety. will appear in low, dense mats, which sprawl randomly and quickly fill in areas as a ground cover. An evergreen with lightly haired foliage, this tiny-growing creeping thyme varietal - rarely over 3 inches or 7.5 cm. Thymus praecox is a low-growing perennial hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-9 with fairly minimal requirements. Let’s learn more about creeping thyme plant care. It is excellent planted as a lawn substitute or among stepping stones or pavers to create a living patio.

arcticus.Creeping thyme, also known commonly as ‘Mother of Thyme,’ is an easily grown, spreading thyme variety. The Coccineus Group is often also listed for sale by nurseries as a cultivar of T. Clusters of tiny, tubular, deep pink flowers appear in summer. Although leaves are aromatic, strength of scent varies according to season and habitat and leaves are usually not considered to be of culinary quality. They have numerous, thin, somewhat woody stems that form a flat mat (2-3" tall) with tiny, rounded, glossy blue-green leaves (to 1/4"). Thymes in the Coccineus Group are creeping, woody based perennials which are primarily used as a ground cover. Genus name comes from the Greek word thymos (name used in ancient Greece for a species of Thymus or Satureja). They are grown primarily for their aromatic foliage but also have attractive flowers. Thymus is a genus of about 350 species of evergreen perennials, shrubs and subshrubs from dry areas of Eurasia.
