Perennials · 1 variety
Thymus praecox (Creeping Thyme)
Coccineus — a flat, fragrant mat that takes light foot traffic and blooms magenta.
- Light
- Full sun
- Height
- 3–6″
- Spread
- 3–12″
- Hardiness
- Zones 2–9 hardy here
- Blooms
- Jun–Jul
- Deer
- Usually left alone
- Rabbits
- Usually left alone
- Containers
- Good in pots
- Pets
- Not on the ASPCA list ask us
Mounds and fills — the filler that knits a planting together.
The Thymus praecox (Creeping Thyme) we grow
Every variety we grow. Photos are going up through the season. Tap the on any variety to save it to your list. Availability changes daily — call (763) 742-8774 for what’s on the bench today.
Growing creeping thyme in Minnesota
Creeping thyme wants full sun and lean, well-drained soil, the opposite of what most perennials want. It’s at home between stepping stones, along a gravel path, at the front of a rock garden or spilling over a wall. Once it’s rooted it handles dry spells on its own. What kills it is wet soil, especially heavy clay that stays soggy through the spring thaw.
Set plants about a foot apart and they knit into a solid mat in a season or two. It takes light foot traffic, so a patch between pavers can handle an occasional step, but it won’t stand up to a path you walk every day. Shear it lightly after the early-summer bloom to keep the mat tight. Bees work the flowers the whole time they’re open.
Not the kitchen thyme. Creeping thyme is grown as a groundcover. For cooking, grow upright garden thyme (see Thyme in our herbs). Creeping thyme leaves are edible too, just milder.
Plant it with
Thymus praecox (Creeping Thyme) likes full sun. These share its light and add different heights or bloom times, so the bed keeps going:
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Grown chemical-free in our own seven greenhouses in East Bethel — not trucked in. Come see it in person, or use the plant picker to find what suits your spot.