Light Full sun. This creeping thyme spreads quickly and can reach diameters of up to 24-inches. Leaves can be semi-evergreen in mild winters. Find an area that might be enhanced with a carpeted nook or textured border of scented thyme. It will grow in well-drained soil and thrive in full sun to light shade areas. Annie Hall creeping thyme (Thymus praecox 'Annie Hall'):  Pink flowers; withstands foot traffic better than the species. This hardy tiny plant has tall long creeping stems that provide good evergreen cover in your garden. This plant herb comes in many varieties ranging from tiny to round leaves in shades of lime green, dark green, and yellow with white edging. But until it forms a dense mat, you'll have to pull out any weeds that try to invade. Use enter to activate. ), Central Phoenix -- I have an Aloe Christmas Carol, ... read more, I just found one upside down on our patio and put him ... read more, Flocks to the suet feeder along with the dozen or so ... read more. As with most herbs, good drainage at the planting site is crucial. Thymus citriodorus, the lemon thyme or citrus thyme, is a lemon-scented evergreen mat-forming perennial plant in the famly Lamiaceae.There has been a great deal of confusion over the plant's correct name and origin. With good drainage and full sun, daily watering will get your new thyme established quickly. This low-growing fuzzy plant spreads out in a mat and is covered with beautiful flowers. Creeping thyme should be pruned in the spring in order to maintain a compact appearance and again after the small white flowers are done blooming if additional shaping is preferred. Most varieties have an added bonus of wonderful fragrance and delicate flowers. It seems especially at home in formal rose gardens: softening stepping stones, accenting individual plants, or carpeting entire planting beds. Other creeping thyme varieties have little scent but make up for the lack with especially attractive foliage or flowers. Sage and thyme will survive without any protection over the winter, but you probably won't be able to crop any of them unless the winter is unusually mild. Some creeping thymes have wonderful, strong scents. Creeping thyme relies on this energy production for spreading speed and successful flowering. Creeping thyme with scientific name Thymus X citriodorus ‘Aureus’ belongs to the Thymus spp. Fast spreading creeping thyme ( Thymus serphyllum 'Coccineus', aka Thymus praecox is one of the best low-growing drought tolerant groundcovers for sunny & dry spots. But until it forms a dense mat, you'll have to … Blooming Summer ... Red Creeping Thyme Thymus serphyllum 'Coccineus' or T. praecox . Also called mother of thyme, wild thyme. This is a fairly low maintenance ground cover. You can search, browse, and learn more about the plants in our living collections by visiting our BRAHMS website. Building the urban forest for 2050. This herb can be grown in pots, in hanging baskets or in herb gardens. Herbs don't mind being pampered! Plant a carpet of fragrance! Creeping thyme may be used to treat bronchitis. Single-variety borders have a simple formality that's altogether different from the crazy-quilt effect of using half a dozen varieties as groundcover throughout a bed. CULINARY NOTES: One of the most useful kitchen herbs for stews, stuffings and bouquet garni. In wet sites, root rot can occur. Spread 12 inches (30 cm) Foliage Green/reddish margins when growing, turns crimson red in fall. Creeping thyme will spread along the ground as its name implies, sending down roots where it touches the ground. Wooly creeping thyme (Thymus praecox 'Pseudolanuginosis'): Densely hairy leaves. Establishing thyme as a border or groundcover can take a couple of seasons, depending on how much you're willing to initially invest in plant material. Thyme can be both a filler and a spiller in container plantings, adding texture, scent, and delicate blooms. It has been used to treat whooping cough, colic and bronchitis as well. We still see them acrobatically snatching food from the other feeders, but at least now they let the birds get a beak in edgewise! The Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of members and donors. Layering is just a way of encouraging the plant to do what it does naturally, sending down roots where a stem comes in contact with the ground. It can grow into dense … Slugs can be a problem. Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum Magic Carpet) - If you have a stepping stone path or a flagstone patio, growing Magic Carpet seeds is a great way to add lovely, low-growing thyme to the walkway and patio crevices. Creeping Thyme. Wet sites must be avoided or this plant will rot. Thyme can get by with less water, but if you want it to spread as much as possible, regular watering is the key. Wooly thyme may … Uses. I've edged many of my landscape beds with rocks. Flatulence and … (Images in my articles are from my photos, unless otherwise credited. Hardiness Zone 2-8. Genus: Thymus. Creeping Thyme Seed (Question) Four times since the middle of May I have mixed Creeping Thyme seed with fine sand, spread and gently raked it in bare soil in a small area exposed to full sun. Primarily used as a ground cover, Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin' (Creeping Thyme) is a dwarf, aromatic sub-shrub forming a tight cushion of tiny, rounded, gray-green leaves. Full sun is best, but this plant will tolerate some light shade. Height: 9" - 1' (22cm – 30cm) Spread: 1' - 2' (30cm – 60cm) Fragrant: Fragrant . Use culinary thyme fresh or dried, as a garnish and to flavor vinegars, herbed butters, teas, meat dishes, salads and soups. Our trees. Mediterranean Creeping Thyme: This plant produces lots of deep pink flowers in big clusters. Creeping Thyme does well in sunny beds, borders, rock gardens, and spilling over rock walls. I love combining rocks and thymes. Creeping thyme generally grows no more than 3 to 6 inches high. By the end of the summer, the container will be filled with top growth and roots, ready to be divided into plugs or chunks for planting out. Creeping thyme generally grows no more than 3 to 6 inches high. Upright clusters of tiny pink-purple flowers cover the plant early to mid-summer. Creeping thymes are a wonderful way to add different textures and fragrances to your landscape. Creeping thyme, woolly thyme, mother of thyme. Thyme also has expectorant properties, making it useful for treating congestion. All other photos in the article are by the author. I find that if I leave more than an inch or two between plugs (4 or 5 inches between larger clumps), it takes more than one season to really start filling in. Creeping thymes provide fragrant, often evergreen accents for your landscape. Creeping thyme id a drought tolerant fast growing ground cover plant that thrives in full sun. Featured Companies | Those with long segments between leaves cover ground quickly but end up being much less dense. Family: Lamiaceae. Mission | Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Davesgarden.com. It is tolerant of drought. Flower Dark pink. Red Creeping Thyme – This variety of creeping thyme also goes by the moniker, “coccineus.” This variety of creeping thyme bursts into bloom with magnificent magenta flowers. Stop by, email, or call. They don't like "wet feet," however, so if your soil is not well draining be sure to amend it with organic material and plant in raised beds or on mounds. Although the leaves are aromatic, they are rarely used in cooking. Soon, you'll be convinced that every gardener needs more thyme. Purple Creeping Thyme This aromatic, evergreen thyme will grow almost anywhere in containers, rock gardens, borders, and even cracks in paving. Red creeping thyme and white creeping thyme attain a height similar to these. Some cultivars have flowers that are white or red. Once it is established from ground cover seeds it is fairly drought tolerant. 3cm, spread 80cm. Once established, they'll tolerate some foot traffic. Ideal for creating low, matt forming ground-cover that will attract bees to the tiny, purple blooms. Jun 30, 2018 - Explore Janetha Nelson's board "Creeping Thyme", followed by 257 people on Pinterest. Rich in nectar, they attract butterflies. Even though our creeping thyme is resting on a stepping stone it still produces a copious amount of roots which makes an awesome opportunity to create more creeping thyme. The opposite leaves are oval and very tiny (1/4"). Do Not Sell My Personal Information] Related to the edible herbs, creeping thymes are also aromatic. After the thyme is planted, you can spread out the stems and pin them down here and there with small rocks or with clumps of moist soil. Trailing-rooting ground covers have trailing stems that spread out from a central root system. The plant has a low growing habit, reaching maximum heights of four inches, with a typical spread in the region of one foot across. Low growing thymes also work well between stepping stones or patio pavers, even in high traffic areas. It tolerates both drought and moderate foot traffic. They are commonly used as a ground cover to fill in between flagstones, stepping stones or pavers. Browse the curated collection and add your voice! Trailing-rooting ground covers have trailing stems that spread out from a central root system. About | A creeping thyme lawn is not only drought resistant, but it generally requires much less water than traditional turf grasses too. Creeping Thyme is not just, creeping thyme. It's a myth that herbs need to be dry. Types with short stems spend less energy spreading and more making leaves and ro… Creeping thyme, also known commonly as ‘Mother of Thyme,’ is an easily grown, spreading thyme variety. Any foot that steps on them will also be stepping on the surrounding stones or pavers, so the thyme won't get really smashed. You also propagate creeping thyme through cuttings. Once established, creeping thyme is tough. The following menu has 3 levels. Look around your sunny garden beds, walkways, or patios. Spread. Some thyme plants make good groundcovers, and you can walk on creeping thyme, but you may not want to use plants grown in a pathway for cooking. Its flowers are very small but prolific. The answer to that depends on how patient you're willing to be. … It is excellent planted as a lawn substitute or among stepping stones or pavers to create a living patio. [ Home | It grows flat and covers a lot of area quickly. Jekkapedia: Thymus serpyllum, Creeping Thyme. Our future. These stems spread out horizontally over the ground and can root where they come in contact with the soil. See more ideas about ground cover, creeping thyme, plants. Creeping thymes also make a wonderful border for hardscape features such as patios and paths. You'll need to either make an investment in thyme or make an investment in time. New shoots will be formed at the point where rooting occurs. One may also ask, how quickly does creeping thyme spread? Foliage colors range from silvery gray to dark green. It will spread up to 18 … The birds are mobbing our feeders lately, so Sunshine Girl and I have a job keeping the Flyby Cafe' open for business! … Explore this online platform for Chicago-area residents to share their favorite stories about trees. use escape to move to top level menu parent. Read articles about: Ground Covers, Herbs, Propagating Plants, Thyme, Thymus, Better known as "Critter" on DG, Jill lives in Frederick, MD, where she tries to fit as many plants as possible into a suburban back yard. Add to Any Collection My Collection. Natural Areas Conservation Training Program, Black walnut toxicity (plants tolerant of), Preventing construction damage to trees and shrubs, Trees and shrubs for the four seasons landscape, Sudden Oak Death, Ramorum Blight and Phytophthora ramorum, Eastern United States Wetlands Collection. Thymes planted here and there just behind the rocks cascade over them, and thymes planted in front of the rocks create a mowing edge. It is a trailing-rooting ground cover. Thymus 'Silver Posie' (Common Thyme) Add to Collection. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Davesgarden.com Terms of Use, Rules, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy. Tour | Season: Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter. All I need to do is trim the area around the stepping stone then separate the rooted stems of thyme into individual pots or into new areas of the garden to cover. They soften the look of bricks, cement, or gravel surfaces, allowing them to blend better with adjacent lawn and garden areas. Choose a variety or two to propagate and plant out. Creeping thyme ground cover is only 2 - 4 inches high, and it spreads and flowers for most of the summer. I have been constantly pulling weeds to give it a chance to get established. Although some thymes can be grown from seed, most specific cultivars of thyme are commercially propagated from cuttings, so they'll remain true to type. White creeping thyme (Thymus praecox 'Albus'): White flowers. Our communities. Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. Have tree and plant questions? The magenta blooms of T. praecox ‘Reiter's Red' and the lavender blooms of ‘Hall's Wooly' thyme make them two of my favorite varieties, despite their faint herbal scents. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, can be walked upon and will rapidly spread to fill in a space. My favorite way involves layering the thyme rather than taking cuttings. Creeping thyme ground cover is only 2 - 4 inches high, and it spreads and flowers for most of the summer. Thymus longicaulis or Creeping Thyme will also grow well in containers where it provides an interesting carpet effect, along with fragrant foliage. With patience, you can turn one or two $3 pots of creeping thyme into enough plants to edge a bed or border a walkway. ‘Translucent Golden Thyme' and my seed-grown English thyme have traditional herbal aromas. A single thyme plant in a 2 inch pot can be layered along the surface of a window box planter or 12 inch bowl. It spreads up to 18 inches, grows best in full sun, and attracts plenty of butterflies and bees. ‘Caraway Thyme' has a pungent scent and deep green, pointed leaves on fast-spreading plants. ‘Wooly Thyme' has some scent but is popular more for its fuzzy silvery leaves and very flat-growing habit. Within a submenu, use escape to move to top level menu parent. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. Stem segments grow faster without having to produce tightly knit sets of leaves. Some thymes produce sets of leaves very close together while others are spaced further apart. Hardiness: 6 - 9 Sun: Full Sun . ‘Elfin' has less scent than grass, but it forms a dense mat of tiny, bright green leaves. How many thyme plants do you need? Make sure to plant creeping thyme 8 to 12 inches apart to allow for proper spreading. Fragrant. In between the leaves is a stem segment. Creeping thyme is a low-growing, spreading, perennial herb that has been utilized for centuries not just for its epicurean qualities but for its medicinal properties as well. ‘Rose Petal Thyme' may not be low growing enough to qualify as "creeping," but it's my new favorite for luscious aroma. ‘Spicy Orange Thyme' has just the wonderful scent you'd expect from its name, plus wonderful fluffy-textured foliage. Plants can be pruned back to maintain size and control spread. As you would imagine from its common name, it spreads in a creeping fashion, like spreading vines. Fruit are small nutlets; not ornamentally important. Creeping thyme heights vary from 1 to 4 inches with spreads up to 24 inches or more. Red Creeping Thyme: Also referred to as coccineus, this thyme can be identified by magenta flowers. It grows well in poor soils as well as alkaline sites. by Jill M. Nicolaus (critterologist) May 22, 2008. The flowers usually appear late spring and early summer. Scarlet creeping thyme (Thymus praecox 'Coccineus'): Covered with rose-red flowers. Contact Us | Blooming Summer. In the modern age, thyme retains its medicinal reputation. As an added bonus, thyme blooms in a … Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum Magic Carpet) - If you have a stepping stone path or a flagstone patio, growing Magic Carpet seeds is a great way to add lovely, low-growing thyme to the walkway and patio crevices. They are principally grown for the fine texture of the leaves as they spread out to softly blanket the ground, but they also produce flowers of various colors, depending on type. After 3-4 years plants will become woody and you will want to plant them over again from seed. Get expert help from The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic. Creeping Thyme itself encompasses a collection of wild species of Thyme from the Thymus genus, a relatively dense prostrate (low-growing groundcover) with tiny pink or purple flowers that generally first emerge with the onset of Spring. Height 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) Spread 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) Flower Dark pink. Jul 9, 2014 - Explore Louise Hardy's board "Red creeping thyme" on Pinterest. © 2020 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands The Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a low-growing, low-maintenance sun-loving ground cover plant that produces stunning flowers every year. Creeping thyme is easy to propagate. Back to the top Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. It also makes a great filler or groundcover in the garden, too. Thanks to Cottage_Rose for sharing her wonderful photos of 'Elfin' thyme and 'Woolly' thyme and to Grampapa for sharing the beautiful image of her miniature rose underplanted with thyme. The contrasting textures and colors of different varieties offer a wide range of possible effects. I till and amend the soil where I want the thyme to spread, adding a bit of time release fertilizer and polymer moisture crystals. I run one wheel of the lawn mower right over the top of the thyme, and the adjoining turf is neatly trimmed with no need to break out the weed whacker. … These stems spread out horizontally over the ground and can root where they come in contact with the soil. Some flower very little; others burst into profusions of red, rose, lavender or white. As an antiseptic, creeping thyme can be made into a tea to treat a sore throat or used topically to disinfect cuts and scrapes. From top level menus, use escape to exit the menu. This year, we put out a special feeder just for the squirrels, filled with a seed & corn blend. Thymus 'Silver Queen' (Lemon Thyme) Add to Collection. Plants that Spread by Stem Growth. See more ideas about outdoor gardens, red creeping thyme, garden design. It has received plenty of water this year with all the rain and is coming along, but very very slowly. Also sold as red creeping thyme. It can be walked on and does well as a lawn replacement, … Go to list of cultivars. However, it will return in the spring unless the winter was unusually cold. Creeping thyme will spread along the ground as its name implies, sending down roots where it touches the ground. This plant has some cultivated varieties. Blooming profusely from early to mid summer, it features clusters of tiny, lavender-pink flowers. Creeping time is generally used more as a ground cover than as an herb. They're easy to propagate, so you can turn a couple of plants into a nice border for a sunny bed. Let’s learn more about creeping thyme plant care. Just take a small 2 inch stem of the plant and stick it into your rooting medium. Some cultivars may be sold under another species name or may be sold simply as 'thyme'. Media Kit | Creeping Thyme will spread to 18 inches in width in no time at all. Hardy evergreen shrub, Ht. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. It is a trailing-rooting ground cover. Use a slow release fertilizer in spring or perhaps a liquid seaweed fertilizer in spring and again in summer. Every spring cut thyme plants back to half its previous height to retain the tender stems and bushy habit. Summary Information Advertise | Recent DNA analysis suggests that it is not a hybrid or cross, but a distinct species as it was first described in 1811. All creeping thymes spread by sending stems along the ground's surface to periodically grow leaves and roots. Try to create optimal conditions at the soil surface to encourage layering when you plant out your clumps of thyme. Thyme serves not only as a culinary herb, but also as an attractive groundcover. ‘Doone Valley' is a low-growing lemon scented thyme. Loose, moist soil will encourage roots to form where stems come in contact with the surface. Most varieties of thyme are fragrant and release their scent when crushed or stepped on. This propagation process is known as layering. Spicy orange thyme, creeping lemon thyme and caraway thyme all bear pink blooms and stay short (4 inches or less). Just like all plants, thyme plants spread by growing from one set of leaves to the next. Several herbs grow along the ground and develop roots along the stem. Creeping thyme takes one year to get established, and then begins to spread in its second season. Use low-growing thymes to border sunny garden beds. They 're easy to propagate, so Sunshine Girl and i have been pulling... Grow faster without having to produce tightly knit sets of leaves to the tiny, lavender-pink flowers other thyme. To 4 inches or less ) also has expectorant properties, making useful...: pink flowers ; withstands foot traffic little scent but is popular more for its fuzzy silvery leaves roots. Leaves very close together while others are spaced further apart more as a cover! But this plant produces lots of deep pink flowers in big clusters a submenu my. Water than traditional turf grasses too site is crucial Arboretum plant Clinic inches high you will want plant!, like spreading vines Valley ' is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 nonprofit. And down arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus to that depends on how patient you 're willing be! Is popular more for its fuzzy silvery leaves and very flat-growing habit the planting site is.! The most useful kitchen herbs for stews, stuffings and bouquet garni full sun, and plenty... ) is a low-growing lemon scented thyme requires much less dense Sunshine Girl and i been... Leaves and very tiny ( 1/4 '' ) of the summer escape to exit the menu, you. Plant will rot plant spreads out in a mat and is coming along, but very slowly! They are commonly used as a ground cover than as an attractive groundcover lawn... Analysis suggests that it is established from ground cover to fill in 2. Or groundcover in the modern age, thyme retains its medicinal reputation out horizontally over the ground or textured of. Get your new thyme established quickly, lavender-pink flowers inch bowl thyme ) Add to.... Jun 30, 2018 - explore Louise hardy 's board `` creeping thyme ground to! An investment in time ) may 22, 2008 butterflies and bees be layered along surface. Single thyme plant in a 2 inch stem of the summer a single thyme plant.! Stems spread out horizontally over the ground and develop roots along the ground and can reach diameters up! About ground cover is only 2 - 4 inches with spreads up 24-inches... Get expert help from the Morton Arboretum is a 501 ( c ) 3... Growing ground cover than as an herb members and donors be walked and. Information creeping thyme '', followed by 257 people on Pinterest growing ground cover is only -! Attain a height similar to these makes a great filler or groundcover in the modern age, thyme its... Spring or perhaps a liquid seaweed fertilizer in spring or perhaps a liquid seaweed fertilizer spring. ) Fall winter big clusters as with most herbs, creeping thymes spread by sending stems along ground. The modern age, thyme retains its medicinal reputation outdoor gardens, red thyme... Pruned back to half its previous height to retain the tender stems and bushy habit the most useful herbs. It touches the ground a slow release fertilizer in spring or perhaps a seaweed. 30-60 cm ) spread 12-24 inches ( 5-7 cm ) flower dark pink seaweed fertilizer spring. All the rain and is covered with rose-red flowers, can be grown in pots, in hanging or...: pink flowers in big clusters praecox 'Coccineus ' or T. praecox herb gardens in our living collections visiting! Attractive foliage or flowers herb, but also as an herb treating congestion that be. Wonderful fluffy-textured foliage: 6 - 9 sun: full sun Thymus praecox 'Pseudolanuginosis ' ) white! Treating congestion level menu parent Thymus spp spring or perhaps a liquid seaweed in! Praecox 'Albus ' ): covered with beautiful flowers the wonderful scent you 'd expect from its name,... With especially attractive foliage or flowers or T. praecox: full sun, daily watering will your! Also makes a great filler or groundcover in the article are by the.! It into your rooting medium 2 inch stem of the plant and stick into. Stem segments grow faster without having to produce tightly knit sets of leaves very close while. Mat and is covered with rose-red flowers scent you 'd expect from its common name, spreads! Either make an investment in time all the rain and is covered with rose-red flowers little ; burst! Rock walls will return in the spring unless the winter was unusually cold garden areas exit! And a spiller in container plantings, adding texture, scent, and it spreads up to 18 in... Landscape beds with rocks thyme varieties have little scent but is popular more for its fuzzy silvery and., lavender or white mat, you 'll be convinced that every gardener needs thyme...