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, 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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Working with Wilson Brothers was made simple by their professionalism, beautiful plants, and speedy delivery. I will definitely buy from Wilson Brothers again!——————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I am hoping the thyme will fill in between our paver walkway. The plants arrived healthy and in good shape. So far so good on the plant- this is a slow growing plant so patience is a must.————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

The Elfin Thyme I received from Wilson Bros is by far the best quality Thyme plant I have ever seen! I’ve ordered many plants from Wilson Bros & have never had one fail! in the past I have ordered plants from other mail order nurseries & they don’t come close to the quality of Wilson Bros! The plants I ordered from one nursery were so inferior I lost 3 of the 5 plants ordered! Not only that the plants were very small & ridiculous expensive! I won’t order from anyone other than Wilson Bros!!! Thank you for your great quality & service!!——————————————————-Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG