Please Note: Due to that Thyme plants are prone to suffer heat injury in summer while in transit in a shipping box, we do not ship them from June 1 to August 31. You can put your email on the Waiting List and you will be notified as soon as we put them back in stock.

Elfin Creeping Thyme

Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Groundcover

Height or Length at Maturity: 1-2″

Width at Maturity: 1-2′ or more

Spacing: 12-18″ for mass planting; 6-12″ apart to fill gaps between stepping stones or pavers

Growth Habit / Form: Low, Mat-Forming, Dense, Spreading/Trailing

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: Violet-Lavender

Flower Type: Single

Flower Size: Small

Flowering Period: Summer, Early Fall

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Greyish Blue-Green

Fragrant Foliage: Yes

Berries: No

Sun Needs: Full Sun, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Afternoon Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Drainage: Well Drained

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.0

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention, Butterflies

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Foot Traffic

Description

‘Elfin’ is one of the best and our favorite of the creeping thymes. It forms dense, 1 to 2 inch high mats of tiny glossy leaves and equally tiny violet-lavender flowers. What the flowers lack in size they make up for in number when covering the fragrant grayish blue-green foliage in summer. This little creeping thyme is a tough one; quite tolerant of foot traffic, is drought and heat tolerant and deer and rabbit resistant. All these fine attributes make Elfin Thyme a fine selection where a ground-hugging perennial groundcover or filler plant is needed.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in a very low and spreading carpet to only 1 to 2 inches tall and 24 inches or more wide over time, Elfin Creeping Thyme is perfect for use to fill the gaps between stepping stones and pavers or as a groundcover or underplanting for shrubs, roses, perennials and small trees, such as Japanese maples. Very nice around and growing over boulders. Flowering bulbs will pop right through it in spring. Also serves nicely as a soil cover in container gardens grown above ground. A fine addition to rock gardens, purple theme gardens, cottage gardens, Asian theme gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Tip: When planting between closely spaced stepping stones or pavers the root ball of some creeping thymes can be divided so as to fit in to the smaller gaps. Just make sure plants have rooted across the soil surface in the pot. If there is only a single stem with branches do not try to divide the plant!

Suggested Spacing: 12 to 18 inches for mass planting; 6 to 12 inches apart to fill gaps between stepping stones or pavers

How To Measure Total Square Feet Of A Planting Area

How Many Plants Needed To Cover A Planting Area?

Growing Preferences

When planted right and in the right spot, Elfin Thyme is easy to grow. It grows best in light, lightly moist to dry well-drained soil and full sun. A little shade is okay. Will tolerate rainy periods but constantly soggy or wet soil is a killer. So make sure to plant in a well-drained site.

Note: Find helpful advice from our experts under the Planting & Care tabs above on desktop monitors and below on mobile phones.

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us!

All of the different thyme plants arrived in excellent condition and appear healthy after being planted. The only ones I lost were ordered just prior to the onset of winter and I tried to keep them alive in the house over the winter – that doesn’t work.—————————————————-Thanks for the wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! So sorry about the ones that didn’t make it inside. 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I tried to grow my own creeping thyme from seed and failed miserably. When I received these creeping thyme plants from Wilson Bros. I was thrilled because they were full, hearty, and are already enjoying growing in the yard. Great quality.———————————————————Thanks for the wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I received my order. All 10 plants are healthy and placed in my rock/ lavender garden.
They arrived packed perfectly intact in the box. Thank you for your beautiful plants and quick delivery.—————————————You are welcome! Thanks for the kind words and awesome review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Received five healthy little domes of cuteness. They are doing well. Look forward to their spread.————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂