I’m all about editable landscape so when I learned about creeping thyme and saw the amazing little flowers it produces. I had to share how to take care of it and its benefits. So you can add this to your homestead.
Thymus serpyllum also known as Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family. I will refer to it as creeping thyme for the rest of the post. Creeping thyme is easy to care for. Does well in sun and shade and needs well-drained soil.
The plant will be grown to be about 2-3 inches tall. The plant comes in a few different colors white, pink, rose, and rose-red. The most common color you’ll see is purple. These plants can usually be found at your local garden nursery or seeds can be purchased online. We buy most of our seeds from baker creek seeds online.
How to care for creeping thyme
Creeping thyme is a perennial plant that does well in zones 1-9, but if you are in a state that gets too hot or too cold you may need to replant it every spring. This plant prefers well-drained soil, if left in an area that stays too wet it can suffer from root rot and die. The ideal soil PH is 6.5-7.5 so add some amendment to the soil if yours isn’t ideal. The sunlight needs of creeping thyme is a good amount of sun, but it can also do well in a shaded area as well.
Where is the best place to plant?
Creeping thyme tends to spread so it would be great to plant between pavers in a walkway to fill in cracks. This plant makes for a great ground cover plant but, use caution because it does spread and can take over. They can really handle being trampled so if you have kids that may run around in the area they’re fine. This plant is also a deer and rabbit deterrent. So this may be ideal for you to plant around an area to want deer and rabbits out of. This can also deter mosquitoes too, so maybe planting some in a container by your porch could be really helpful in the warmer months.
What are the benefits?
It has been shown to be beneficial in people that have high blood pressure and hypertension. Another benefit is that it’s good at killing microorganisms. The plant can be picked and dried and used as tea. Always use caution, the compounds present in thyme tea can interact with certain medications such as anticoagulants, so it is always best to consult your doctor before consuming it.
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