Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Wild thyme
Thymus serpyllum L.
Also known as: Breckland thyme, Creeping thyme
Family: Lamiaceae
5 to 10 cm tall, forming a carpet
Rock gardens, dry grassland, gardens, poor free-draining soils
Flowering: June – September
Full sun
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Unlike the upright common thyme, wild thyme creeps along the ground, forming an aromatic carpet that withstands trampling. Common thyme has an upright, bushy habit with stems woody at the base and narrow, rolled leaves, whereas wild thyme is creeping, forming a low carpet, with broader, ovate leaves.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, tiny, ovate, very aromatic
🌸 Flowers
Small pink-mauve flowers in dense cushions
🍎 Fruits
Small dry achenes
🪵 Bark
Creeping stems forming a very low carpet
🗺️ Distribution
Europe; common in dry grassland and chalky rock gardens in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Carpet of small mauve flowers, very nectar-rich, extremely attractive to bees and butterflies in summer.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Rock gardens, paving, flowery lawns tolerant of light trampling; aromatic foliage fragrant when crushed.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity, aromatic plant.
⚠️ Look-alike species
Wild thyme
Thymus serpyllum
Common thyme
Thymus vulgaris
Common thyme has an upright, bushy habit with stems woody at the base and narrow, rolled leaves, whereas wild thyme is creeping, forming a low carpet, with broader, ovate leaves.
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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