5,000 Seeds

Grow Mother of Thyme, Creeping Thyme from fresh Thymus serpyllum seeds. Mother of Thyme is a low growing herb that produces masses of beautiful purple flowers. Each branch bares clusters of roughly 10 to 20 flowers atop slender stems. The plants are compact, forming stems that lay down to trail the ground beneath. Each plant grows to a mature height of only 3 to 6 inches tall.

Mother of Thyme is often used as a groundcover plant because of its fast, trailing growth habits. The plants can cover a large area with a few thousand seeds and will flower a few weeks later. Mother of Thyme is popularly sown in rock gardens, along borders, fences & walkways, in containers & pots, or directly in the garden. This versatile groundcover also looks great when grown between pavers and stepping stones as well. The uses of Mother of Thyme are endless.

Grown as a perennial flowering herb, Mother of Thyme will establish a deep root system. This allows it to grow vigorously through the summer months, later wilting with the first frost. Mother of Thyme then returns the following year from its deeply established root system.

Mother of Thyme is known to attract an array of beneficial insects. Some include butterflies, bumblebees & honey bees as well. Large Blue butterfly larvae in particular, will find this plant very tasty and use it as a food source.

Quick Facts

• Type: Groundcover
• Season: Perennial
• Color: Lilac
• Height: 3" - 6" Tall
• Width: 12" - 18" spread
• Environment: Full Sun
• Zone: 3 - 9
• Notes: Used as a groundcover for rapid spreading. Attracts beneficial insects. Handles light traffic. Great for rock gardens.

Sowing The Seed

Mother of Thyme seeds can be sown indoors or directly outdoors. If you don't mind transplanting this plant, sowing indoors, in peat pots is recommended. Sow your Mother of Thyme seeds directly to the surface of the soil, allowing direct light to reach them. Do not cover the seeds with soil. Transplant outdoors when the weather is warm and all danger of frost has passed. If sowing directly outdoors, scatter the seeds to the surface of the soil, on a calm day, allowing direct sunlight to reach them.

Growing Conditions

Creeping Thyme will enjoy an area that receives full sunlight for the majority of the day, but it can also tolerate partial shade as well. Sowing in temperatures of 68F to 75F is best. Mother of Thyme is not too picky when it comes to soil conditions and can adapt to sandy, poor or fertile conditions. Just be sure that the soil is well draining. To increase drainage, we recommend adding a light compost to areas containing hard, compact soil. Water daily with a light mist setting so that you do not disrupt the seeds.

Germination & Growth

Your seeds will begin to germinate within roughly 7 to 10 days after sowing. The plants will grow anywhere from 6 to 12 inches tall and can spread a good 18 inches wide or more. The plants can be spaced about 12 inches apart from one another. Once established, your Creeping Thyme plants will produce beautiful, lilac purple blooms throughout your garden. They can be used in rock gardens, along fences, walkways & driveways or around stepping stones & pavers.