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Creeping Thyme
Thymus serpyllum
Wild Thyme, Breckland thyme, Mother of thyme
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Easy to grow, perennial and edible, this creeping thyme variety is ideal to plant as ground cover and along pathways. The flowers are a nice decorative feature in the garden and the leaves are edible, used in salads or as an ingredient in cooking.
Planning
Difficulty
Easy
Flowering time
Summer
Fruiting time
Autumn
Harvesting
Wild thyme is evergreen and the leaves can be harvested by hand throughout the year as needed.
Propagation
Seed
Sow directly on the surface or slightly cover with soil.
Cuttings
Cuttings of young shoots, 5 - 8cm with a heel. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel.
Special features
Attracts useful insects
Bees, Butterflies
Indoor plant
Place in an area with at least 6 hours direct sun per day.
Drought resistant
Once established needs small amounts of water to grow.
Pot plant
Use sandy, well drained soil. Water well and allow the top cm to dry out between watering.
Geography
Origin
Mediterianian Europe, North Africa
Natural climate
Mediterranean
Environment
Light
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Soil moisture
Dry
Soil type
Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil PH preference
Neutral
Frost hardiness
Half-Hardy
Uses
Medicinal
Anticeptic properties.
Edible
The leaves can be used in cooking and teas.
Personality
Family
Lamiaceae
Flower colour
, Purples
Scent
Strong
Problems
Very few insect/disease problems. Beware of root rot in wet, poorly drained soils. Could attract spider mites in hot/dry summer conditions.
Red Spider Mite
Tetranychus urticae
Companion plants
Thyme companion planting is credited with repelling cabbage worms, corn earworms, tomato hornworms and flea beetles. Cabbage, eggplant, salad burnet, potatoes and strawberries will benefit when companion planted with thyme.
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