Creeping thyme
Thymus serpyllum L.
Also called creeping thyme, wild thyme.
Fragrant, flat-growing thyme that fills joints between stepping stones and takes light foot traffic.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 0.1–0.1 m (0 ft) tall and 0.3–0.5 m (1 ft) wide; medium growth, about 3 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the plug install size.
Bloom
Lilac-pink flowers, Jun–Jul (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creeping thyme : Jun–Jul |
Design notes
- Needs sharp drainage; dies out in wet clay and humid shade.
- Bees work the flowers — avoid in heavily used play lawns.
Regions
Native range: Europe and western Asia.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Creeping thyme
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.