Thyme is a classic herb revered for its culinary and cosmetic uses . Within the genus Thymus there are over 300 variety of thyme . Two of the most popular ground cover thymes are creep thyme ( Thymus serpyllum ) and elfin thyme ( Thymus praecox ‘ Elfin ’ ) . While they are frequently scattered with each other there are some central remainder between these two types of thyme .
An Overview of Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme is a low - growing species that mold a obtuse moss - like flatness reaching 1 - 2 inches tall . It is dauntless to zone 4 - 9 and thrives in full sunlight and well - drained stain .
Some of the most popular miscellany of creeping thyme include
Thymus serpyllum ‘ Coccineus ’ – Deep pink to crimson blooms that attract butterflies .
Thymus serpyllum ‘ Albus ’ – White flowers on green foliage .
Thymus serpyllum ‘ pinkish Chintz ’ – Bright pink flowers in early fountain .
Creeping thyme disperse smartly , making it an excellent groundcover between pavers and stepping endocarp . It can also cascade down nicely over walls or down slopes . The leaves of cringe thyme are gullible or grayish - William Green in coloration and highly aromatic when crushed .
An Overview of Elfin Thyme
Elfin thyme is one of the small varieties of thyme , reaching only 1/4 to 1/2 inch tall . It forms a dim , moss - like carpet of tiny leaves that rest close to the priming . Though technically a freestanding species ( Thymus praecox ) , elfin thyme is sometimes classified as a variety of creeping thyme ( Thymus serpyllum ‘ Elfin ’ ) .
Elfin thyme is hardy to zones 4 - 8 . It expand in full sun and well - drained grunge . This miniature thyme features petite pink to purple flowers that flower in summertime . The foliation is immature or grayish - greenish and very aromatic .
Due to its miniature sizing , elfin thyme is ideal for embed between pavers with narrow-minded joints . It also works nicely in rock gardens , bonsai culture , and alongside stepping stones .
Key Differences Between Creeping and Elfin Thyme
Though pussyfoot thyme and elfin thyme have similar growing habits and uses , there are some primal conflict :
Size – The most noticeable difference is size of it . Elfin thyme remains under 1/2 column inch tall , while creeping thyme reaches 1 - 2 in in superlative .
leafage – Creeping thyme has comparatively big leave compared to the tiny leaves of elfin thyme .
blossom – Creeping thyme features large flowers that flower in a broad range of colors like pink , purple , white or red . Elfin thyme has smaller pink or violet flowers .
Growth – Elfin thyme is the slowest produce variety of thyme . fawn thyme spreads quicker .
Uses – Due to its miniature sizing , elfin thyme is better suitable to very narrow quad between pavers or rocks . grovel thyme has more versatility as a rapidly spread groundcover .
Growing Tips for Creeping and Elfin Thyme
Both elfin and creeping thyme require interchangeable care when growing :
Plant in full sun and well - draining soil . head off wet , poorly drain sites .
outer space plant 12 - 18 inches apart if using as a groundcover . Closer spacing for pavers .
head off overwatering . Allow soil to dry between watering .
Shear light after flowering to further new growth .
Avoid excess fertilization which cause long-shanked growth .
Propagate by stem cuttings or division in spring or fall .
Watch for fungal diseases if ride falsely and maintain too moist .
Mulch around plants to suppress weeds and retain moisture . Leave infinite around summit .
Cut sprigs for culinary use anytime . harvesting leave-taking before flowering for best flavor .
Ornamental and Culinary Uses
Both elfin and crawling thymes are valued for their decorative and culinary qualities :
Excellent choice for pathways , walkways , rock garden , between stones and pavers .
cascade beautifully over walls , slope , containers .
Releases fragrance when stepped on .
Provides class - round evergreen plant foliage and summer flowers .
Culinary variety add smack to meats , sauces , dressing , veggie .
habituate fresh or dry leaves in cookery . rationalize sprigs anytime for recipe .
Flowers appeal pollinators like bees and butterflies .
Popular Uses of Elfin Thyme
As already name , creeping thyme has become a pop choice for fairy gardens like the one shown here fromthe urge room . The two mintage of thyme most often refer to as Elfin Thyme are Thymus serpyllum and Thymus praecox . There are several varieties of both as well as a issue of other species being sold to Fairy Gardeners due to their small size and pretty little flowers .
Climbing thyme has been used for a longsighted time as an evergreen ground cover . It is often used in careen gardens and between stepping stone . Although it is “ stepable , ” it can still be used in parts of the garden that get some foot dealings .
From everything I ’ve read , the creeping thymes are edible but they vary greatly in their culinary utility . The smell and , by denotation , the taste of these plant change with the season and the mood where they are get . For drying leaves , the well times to pick them are in former or late summer , before the flowers flush .
All of the species of thyme presently being sell as fawn or elfin thyme expect like soil status . They prefer ironical to average , well - drained soil . All thyme tend to rot in moist or loaded filth peculiarly during the wintertime months . If you give the plant too much pee , the leave of absence will all turn black , and it will give way a obtuse , terrible destruction . Just call for me . I know . ) .
Thyme is . however , evenhandedly honorable drouth tolerant . One source said to put a tenuous stratum of crushed rock around the works to keep the leaves from getting soused .
Deer are thought to be okay with them , but as we all have intercourse , that reckon on what your local animals call back is tasty , not what the expert say . I did see that an English website named some species as “ noted for attracting wildlife . ” But it was n’t clean if that meant bees and butterflies or something that would eat your thyme plants .
I ’ve seen vary story on where these plants do best . Most types of creeping thyme seem to be safe for the great unwashed in Zones 5–8 , but some need warmer temperature or can handle a little more cold . They grew baseless in coolheaded piece of Europe at first , and some species have spread so much in the Northwest of the United States that they are now considered incursive .
Most species and variety of creeping thyme are thought to be “ cultivar , ” even though this was only talked about in one of my sources . Some can be spring up from ejaculate , but they are not thought to stay on-key to type . They suggested propagation by cutting and naval division to retain the characteristic of the parent works . Spring and former pin are the suggested times for divide the creeping thyme . However , division may not stand up to a tardy leaping or other fall frost . Starting plants from cum is possible but the germination rates are somewhat low .
Thyme plants usually develop tardily , which makes the modest species and varieties an even good choice for small garden .
The plants sold as creeping thyme and elfin thyme grow very likewise and have pretty flowers . It might be helpful to have it away which is which before corrupt one or more of these cunning herbaceous plant plants .
Even experts have a hard time figuring out which works belong in which specie . This might be because plant can hybridize . A figure of web site , some run by botanic garden and universities , expend the names “ crazy thyme ” and “ female parent - of - thyme ” to bear on to a telephone number of dissimilar mintage . I also noticed some of the details of the flora ’ growing habit can depart between sources . It ’s even more interesting that some types of pussyfoot thyme smell and even savour like other herbs . The good news is that most creeping thyme acquire best in the same conditions . However , the flowers can be unlike colors and the plant can be bigger or lowly . If the colour of your Elfin thyme is really important to you , you might want to await until the plants are flowering to buy them .
This works is also called Breckland thyme , mother - of - thyme , uncivilised thyme , mauve crawl thyme , pink chintz , or creeping thyme . Serpyllym has the brighter flowers , which are usually lilac to purpleness or pink . It is the type of cower thyme that is commonly sold as Elfin .
Serphyllum blooms between July and August . Several sources say it does well in USDA Hardiness Zone 4 , which has temperatures that are only 1 - 2 degrees below freezing in the wintertime . Plants rarely exceed 3 inches marvellous and the leave are mostly . 2 to . 3 inches ( about the heaviness of 5 dimes ) .
Thymus serphyllum grows wild in the bouldered soils of southern Europe and North Africa . While all thyme are known for being just nectar origin , serphyllum is an important nectar source for honeybees . crazy thyme honey is a delicacy in Greece .
you could purchase5,000 Seeds , of creep Thyme ( Thymus serpyllum)from Amazon.com . ( Keep in creative thinker these are slow - turn plants that tend to have a low sprouting rate . A act of the great unwashed reported a 50 % sprouting rate which seems big for something not generally recommend to spring up from seminal fluid . )
Thymus praecox is listed as useable for cookery . However , with a smell more like to oregano , it might not provide the sapidity you would look .
Praecox has a identification number of subspecies and cultivars . It is more or less less cold - tolerant than serphyllum but flower from June to September . The flowers are by and large purplish white .
“ Pink Chintz ” used to be called a subspecies of Thymus praecox , but it has since been change to Thymus serphyllum “ Pink Chintz . ” This coinage might be sold in store under all three figure . The only part of the name that has n’t changed is “ Pink Chintz , ” so that ’s the one to attend for .
Pink Chintz has salmon - pink flowers and efflorescence in other outflow . The fuzzy leaves grow only 1 - 2 inches marvelous , make it the thyme that people use the least . It can diffuse up to 18 inches all-embracing . Not only is it one of the earliest blooming thymes , Pink Chintz may be the most drouth patient of .
One cultivator say to cut the industrial plant down to half an inch and thinly trim it back after it flowers to get free of dead flowers and keep the flora looking neat .
Wooly thyme is now called thymus pseudolanuginosus or thymus praecox subsp . It used to be called Thymus lanuginosus but is now believe a praecox race . britannicus . It is just one of several specie of crawl thymes that own haired or wooly leaf .
It come from southerly Europe and only bugger off about 3 column inch tall . However , different author say it can propagate out to more than 3 pes . It has pale pinkish prime that bloom from June to July but is sturdy only to Zone 6 . The plant I had did not develop very far off of the ground – call up short - piled carpeting . The blossom constitute along the branch and did not send up ‘ flower spikes . ’ .
It say it can grow in Zones 5 through 8 , but if you constitute it in Zone 5 , it might do better in a protected expanse .
muddled thyme appear to be the least fragrant and suitable for culinary uses among the creeping thyme .
Caraway thyme is a species of thyme that has a solid caraway olfactory property . It ’s existent name is Thymus herba - barona and is aboriginal to Corsica , Sardinia , and Majorca . This species of creeping thyme can actually be used as a stand-in for caraway . You may also remark that this plant ’s leafage are a bit longer than those of other types of creeping thyme . What size poove garden do you have ? Caraway thyme might not give your garden that “ elfin ” look that many people want .
The flowers are a pale lavender . It mature to about 4 inches tall and spreads about 12 .
The scientific name for this plant comes from the fact that it has traditionally been used to season big businessman of kick in England . It is also used with soups and veg and is said to congratulate garlic well .
Thymus caespititius or Cretan Thyme is another low - growing , creeping thyme . It grow up to 4 inch tall and 1 foot wide . It does n’t do well in cold weather like many of the other types because it come from Portugal , northwest Spain , and the Azores . There was a second of battle on how hardy this plant is . A UK beginning say it was safe in Zone 7 , while Wikipedia said it was only hardy in Zones 9–11 .
From July to August , Cretan thyme bloom with flowers that are white , rosaceous , lilac , or other gloss . The leafage smell a scrap like tangerine and are considered quite edible .
Lemon thyme , or Thymus x citriodorus , is one of the mouse thyme species that we ’ve talked about . The leave-taking are mostly eat raw and are prise for their delicious lemon tree flavor . It is audacious only to Zone 7 , does not like the shade and can stand fairly strong hint . Lemon thyme uprise to an fair height of 4 in and spreads to about 12 . The flowers range from a bright yellow to the more ordinarily occurring shades of pink and purple . The flowers bloom from July to August .
It is believed that lemon thyme is actually its own species rather than a hybrid or cross . Scientists used deoxyribonucleic acid tests to figure that out , but the Brobdingnagian difference in leaf color should make it clear that this is a completely different plant . But , then again , I ’m just a little ole backyard nurseryman , what do I know ? .
There are a number of citriodorus cultivars that have diverge foliation colors and possess various citrus yield scents include maize , lime , and orange . One option is Lemon Thyme Plantfrom Hirt ’s Gardens . It has green and white variegate leaves . We also have a short clause on Silver - butt on Lemon Thyme .
The best time of yr to divide creeping thyme is in the cooler fountain months . ( declension division is not recommended . This plant has a cardinal solution scheme that sends out young branches . Where the new arm touch the earth , they often root . issue rooted pieces off of the parent works with a knife or sharp - edged trowel , being measured not to ache the infrastructure plant too much . Plant the cutting with plenteousness of good quality soil and body of water . Be sure to also water the parent plant after you are done trimming . A well - get it on industrial plant expert also enounce to add some compost to the holes where you took objet d’art off the parent plant .
One way to promote branches to set root is to ensure they make contact with the ground . Sometimes gently pin branches down will promote root increment .
Growing Creeping Thyme Indoors
Amongst all of the sources I reviewed , no one mentioned how well these plants grow indoors . Some types of creeping thyme look like they would do well in Fairy and Elfin Gardens that are meant to be used inside . The problem is that these plants originated in the Mediterranean and need large amounts of natural brightness level . I found only one person who reported to be able to successfully originate thyme indoors . They had it in a sunny windowpane and used a industrial plant light . There was no honorable mention of a creeping variety show , so it was n’t clear if they were growing a more normal unsloped plant or a creeping variety .
Have you heard of Elfin Thyme – Newlands Nursery
FAQ
Is elfin thyme the same as creeping thyme ?
What are the downsides of creeping thyme ?
What is the best thyme for ground cover ?
Is Elfin creeping thyme invasive ?
