Creeping Thyme vs Elfin Thyme: Key Differences and Uses in the Garden

Popular Uses of Elfin Thyme

As already mentioned, creeping thyme has become a popular choice for fairy gardens like the one shown here from the inspired room. The two species of thyme most often referred to as Elfin Thyme are Thymus serpyllum and Thymus praecox. There are several varieties of both as well as a number of other species being sold to Fairy Gardeners due to their small size and pretty little flowers.

Climbing thyme has been used for a long time as an evergreen ground cover. It is often used in rock gardens and between stepping stones. Although it is “stepable,” it can still be used in parts of the garden that get some foot traffic.

From everything I’ve read, the creeping thymes are edible but they vary greatly in their culinary usefulness. The smell and, by extension, the taste of these plants change with the seasons and the climate where they are grown. For drying leaves, the best times to pick them are in early or late summer, before the flowers bloom.

All of the species of thyme currently being sold as creeping or elfin thyme require similar soil conditions. They prefer dry to medium, well-drained soil. All thyme tends to rot in moist or wet soil particularly during the winter months. If you give the plant too much water, the leaves will all turn black, and it will die a slow, painful death. Just ask me. I know. ).

Thyme is. however, fairly good drought tolerant. One source said to put a thin layer of gravel around the plant to keep the leaves from getting wet.

Deer are thought to be okay with them, but as we all know, that depends on what your local animals think is tasty, not what the experts say. I did see that an English website named some species as “noted for attracting wildlife.” But it wasn’t clear if that meant bees and butterflies or something that would eat your thyme plants.

I’ve seen varying reports on where these plants do best. Most types of creeping thyme seem to be safe for people in Zones 5–8, but some need warmer temperatures or can handle a little more cold. They grew wild in cooler parts of Europe at first, and some species have spread so much in the Northwest of the United States that they are now considered invasive.

Most species and varieties of creeping thyme are thought to be “cultivars,” even though this was only talked about in one of my sources. Some can be grown from seeds, but they are not thought to stay true to type. They suggested propagation by cutting and division to retain the characteristics of the parent plant. Spring and early fall are the suggested times for dividing the creeping thymes. However, divisions may not stand up to a late spring or early fall frost. Starting plants from seed is possible but the germination rates are somewhat low.

Thyme plants usually grow slowly, which makes the smaller species and varieties an even better choice for small gardens.

The plants sold as creeping thyme and elfin thyme grow very similarly and have pretty flowers. It might be helpful to know which is which before buying one or more of these cute herb plants.

Even experts have a hard time figuring out which plants belong in which species. This might be because plants can hybridize. A number of websites, some run by botanical gardens and universities, use the names “wild thyme” and “mother-of-thyme” to refer to a number of different species. I also noticed some of the details of the plants’ growing habits can vary between sources. It’s even more interesting that some types of creeping thyme smell and even taste like other herbs. The good news is that most creeping thyme grows best in the same conditions. However, the flowers can be different colors and the plant can be bigger or smaller. If the color of your Elfin thyme is really important to you, you might want to wait until the plants are flowering to buy them.

This plant is also called Breckland thyme, mother-of-thyme, wild thyme, mauve creeping thyme, pink chintz, or creeping thyme. Serpyllym has the brighter flowers, which are usually lilac to purple or pink. It is the type of creeping thyme that is usually 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 winter. Plants rarely exceed 3 inches tall and the leaves are generally . 2 to . 3 inches (about the thickness of 5 dimes).

Thymus serphyllum grows wild in the rocky soils of southern Europe and North Africa. While all thymes are known for being good nectar sources, serphyllum is an important nectar source for honeybees. Wild thyme honey is a delicacy in Greece.

You can purchase 5,000 Seeds, of Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) from Amazon.com. (Keep in mind these are slow-growing plants that tend to have a low germination rate. A number of people reported a 50% germination rate which seems great for something not generally recommended to grow from seed.)

Thymus praecox is listed as usable for cooking. However, with a scent more similar to oregano, it might not provide the flavor you would expect.

Praecox has a number of subspecies and cultivars. It is slightly less cold-tolerant than serphyllum but blooms from June to September. The flowers are generally purplish white.

“Pink Chintz” used to be called a subspecies of Thymus praecox, but it has since been changed to Thymus serphyllum “Pink Chintz.” This species might be sold in stores under all three names. The only part of the name that hasn’t changed is “Pink Chintz,” so that’s the one to look for.

Pink Chintz has salmon-pink flowers and blooms in early spring. The fuzzy leaves grow only 1-2 inches tall, making it the thyme that people use the least. It can spread up to 18 inches wide. Not only is it one of the earliest blooming thymes, Pink Chintz may be the most drought tolerant.

One grower said to cut the plant down to half an inch and lightly trim it back after it flowers to get rid of dead flowers and keep the plant looking neat.

Wooly thyme is now called thymus pseudolanuginosus or thymus praecox subsp. It used to be called Thymus lanuginosus but is now considered a praecox subspecies. britannicus. It is just one of several species of creeping thymes that possesses hairy or wooly leaves.

It comes from southern Europe and only gets about 3 inches tall. However, different sources say it can spread out to more than 3 feet. It has pale pink flowers that bloom from June to July but is hardy only to Zone 6. The plant I had did not grow very far off of the ground – think short-piled carpet. The flowers formed along the branch and did not send up ‘flower spikes. ’.

It says it can grow in Zones 5 through 8, but if you plant it in Zone 5, it might do better in a protected area.

Wooly thyme appears to be the least fragrant and suitable for culinary uses among the creeping thymes.

Caraway thyme is a species of thyme that has a strong caraway scent. It’s real name is Thymus herba-barona and is native to Corsica, Sardinia, and Majorca. This species of creeping thyme can actually be used as a substitute for caraway. You may also notice that this plant’s leaves are a bit longer than those of other types of creeping thyme. What size fairy 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 grows 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 barons of beef in England. It is also used with soups and vegetables and is said to compliment garlic well.

Thymus caespititius or Cretan Thyme is another low-growing, creeping thyme. It grows up to 4 inches tall and 1 foot wide. It doesn’t do well in cold weather like many of the other types because it comes from Portugal, northwest Spain, and the Azores. There was a bit of conflict on how hardy this plant is. A UK source said it was safe in Zone 7, while Wikipedia said it was only hardy in Zones 9–11.

From July to August, Cretan thyme blooms with flowers that are white, rose, lilac, or other colors. The leaves smell a bit like tangerines and are considered quite edible.

Lemon thyme, or Thymus x citriodorus, is one of the creeping thyme species that we’ve talked about. The leaves are generally eaten raw and are prized for their delicious lemon flavor. It is hardy only to Zone 7, does not like the shade and can tolerate fairly strong winds. Lemon thyme grows to an average height of 4 inches and spreads to about 12. The flowers range from a bright yellow to the more commonly 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 DNA tests to figure that out, but the huge 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 gardener, what do I know?.

There are a number of citriodorus cultivars that have varying foliage colors and possess various citrus fruit scents including lemon, lime, and orange. One option is Lemon Thyme Plant from Hirt’s Gardens. It has green and white variegated leaves. We also have a short article on Silver-Edged Lemon Thyme.

The best time of year to divide creeping thyme is in the cooler spring months. (Fall division is not recommended. This plant has a central root system that sends out new branches. Where the new branches touch the ground, they often root. Cut rooted pieces off of the parent plant with a knife or sharp-edged trowel, being careful not to hurt the base plant too much. Plant the cuttings with plenty of good quality soil and water. Be sure to also water the parent plant after you are done trimming. A well-known plant expert also said to add some compost to the holes where you took pieces off the parent plant.

One way to encourage branches to set roots is to ensure they make contact with the ground. Sometimes gently pinning branches down will promote root growth.

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 require large amounts of natural light. I found only one person who reported to be able to successfully grow thyme indoors. They had it in a sunny window and used a plant light. There was no mention of a creeping variety, so it wasn’t clear if they were growing a more normal upright plant or a creeping variety.

Have you heard of Elfin Thyme – Newlands Nursery

FAQ

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