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    • Photo of Thymus vulgaris flower by Kurt Stueber

    Photo by Kurt Stueber

    This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

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    Buy Thymus vulgaris

    Also Known As

    • Thymus vulgaris 'French Thyme'
    • Common Thyme
    • Culinary Thyme
    • English Thyme
    • The Herb of Courage

    Plant type

    perennial, herb

    size

    • H: 6"-12"
    • W: 6"-12"

    planting zones

    • 4a-10b

    3" | $11

    Ships USPS, based on weight/location

    Fewer than 28 at Secret Garden Growers

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    Thymus vulgaris plant details

    Thymus vulgaris is a broadleaf evergreen or semi-evergreen perennial herb with blue and green foliage. In spring and summer lavender and pink flowers emerge. Attracts bees, beneficial insects and butterflies making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly sun and regular - low water. Prefers to be dry in summer. Does well in average, gritty, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant.

    CHARACTERISTICS OF Thymus vulgaris

    Plant type: perennial herb
    Plant family: lamiaceae
    Foliage: evergreen or semi-evergreen blue and green
    Mature size: 6 IN - 12 IN - wide, 6 IN - 12 IN - tall
    Flowers: lavender and pink blooms in spring and summer
    Uses: culinary, fragrant foliage, rock garden, year round interest

    GROWING CONDITIONS for Thymus vulgaris

    USDA Zones: 4a - 10b
    Sun exposure: sun - mostly sun
    Watering frequency: regular - low
    Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat
    Soil needs: average, gritty, rich and well-drained

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    Nursery contributed plant descriptions

    This is the traditional culinary variety and can be used fresh or dried in salads or in poultry or tomato dishes. Tiny, lavender pink blossoms are attractive to bees. This upright thyme is essentially a woody, low-growing shrub. It is evergreen and brings its wonderful scent to the ornamental or herb garden. It is also great in containers.

    By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

    Thyme is one of those delicious herbs that is very easy to grow and very easy to harvest. Fresh cut and thrown onto cooking potatoes or fish adds that indescribable flavor and scent that says 'home cooking.' The scent is also very apparent just from brushing the plant with your fingers in the garden.

    Thyme is completely deer proof as they don't like the scent. The evergreen foliage retains its usefulness as an herb throughout the year, an important addition to a year-round garden.

    Propagation
    Seed is often difficult to germinate, so the best form of propagation is by short softwood stem cuttings. Cuttings of the new growth will often root in as little as three weeks, and woody stems will usually root within two months.

    By: Red Panda Nursery

    Mounding perennial herb with orange scent and flavor. Growing 4-6" tall is used in butters, sauces, teas, cooking, and garnish.

    By: Accents for Home and Garden

    They say that fairies live in patches of thyme! A small evergreen, many branched, aromatic small scale ground cover…tiny silvery leaves (fairy sized), white to purple flowers in summer; sun, good drainage, occasional water. This herb flavors almost ANYT

    By: Secret Garden Growers

    The culinary uses of Garden Thyme (a.k.a. “The Herb of Courage”) are commonly known, but I bet you didn’t know that during the Crusades it was used in a tea to ward off nightmares. Modern herbalists prescribe tea for coughs & respiratory ailments. It is also purported to have antiseptic attributes. Golly, what don’t these garden herbs do? Low growing & evergreen, it’s very hard to kill Thyme so long as you plant it in sun & give it good drainage. The blooms are nothing to write home about (lightest lavender, borne in April or May) but they are DE-LICIOUS to bees. Thyme grows 6-8” tall & around 1’ wide.

    By: Annie's Annuals & Perennials

    Gardening facts about Thymus vulgaris plant

    How to Grow Thymus vulgaris

    • Sun Exposure

      • sun - mostly sun

    • Water Needs

      • regular - low

    • Water Needs

      • dry in summer

    • Soil Needs

      • average
      • well-drained
      • rich
      • gritty

    • Special Situation

      • heat tolerant

    Features

    • Foliage Color

      • green
      • blue

    • Flower Color

      • pink
      • lavender

    • Wildlife

      • beneficial insects
      • bees
      • butterflies
      • deer resistant
      • rabbit resistant

    • Flower Season

      • summer
      • spring

    • Foliage Season

      • evergreen
      • semi-evergreen

    See other plant types of Thymus for your garden

    Thymus longicaulis

    aka Creeping Thyme

    Plant Type

    Perennial, Groundcover, Herb

    Zones

    6a-9b

    Size

    Height: 3"-6"

    Width: 18"-36"

    • sun
    • drought tolerant
    • dry in summer
    Photo of Thymus longicaulis flower by Dancing Oaks Nursery
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    Thymus pseudolanuginosus

    aka Thymus praecox, Thymus praecox 'Pseudolanuginosus', Thymus serphyllum lanuginosus, Thymus serphyllum lanuginosus, Thymus serpyllum Pseudolanuginosus Group, Thymus serpyllum var. lanuginosus, Woolly Leaved Thyme, Woolly Thyme

    Plant Type

    Perennial, Groundcover, Herb

    Zones

    5a-9b

    Size

    Height: 2"-6"

    Width: 1'-3'

    • sun - mostly sun
    • occasional - drought tolerant
    • dry in summer
    Photo of Thymus pseudolanuginosus foliage by Dancing Oaks Nursery
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    Thymus 'Fragrantissimus'

    aka Thymus fragrantissimus, Orange Scented Thyme, Orange Thyme

    Plant Type

    Perennial, Groundcover, Herb

    Zones

    5a-10b

    Size

    Height: 4"-8"

    Width: 10"-16"

    • sun
    • regular - low
    • dry in summer
    Photo of Thymus 'Fragrantissimus' flower by Kurt Stueber
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    Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin'

    aka Thymus praecox 'Elfin', Elfin Creeping Thyme

    Plant Type

    Perennial, Groundcover, Herb

    Zones

    4a-11

    Size

    Height: 2"-4"

    Width: 12"-24"

    • sun - mostly sun
    • regular - drought tolerant
    • dry in summer
    Photo of Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin' foliage by Avant Gardens
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    Thymus camphoratus

    aka Champhor Thyme

    Plant Type

    Perennial, Groundcover, Herb

    Zones

    7a-10b

    Size

    Height: 10"

    Width: 10"

    • sun
    • occasional - drought tolerant
    • dry in summer
    Photo of Thymus camphoratus flower by Lumbar
    View Plant

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    +55 more Thymus
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