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Thyme
Thymus
Thyme blooms from May through July.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Thyme
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–9. Expect it to reach about 6 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Thyme
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Thyme into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from May to July.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in April.
Good to know about Thyme
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Counterintuitively, feeding thyme makes it worse. Rich soil pushes tall, spindly, weak growth and dilutes the flavor; lean, gritty, unfed soil concentrates the aromatic oils. per NC State and Iowa State
Cold hardiness splits by species
Sources split the cold floor: creeping thyme (T. serpyllum) is hardy to zone 4, common thyme (T. vulgaris) usually only zone 5. Pick the species to match your winter. per NC State
Edible and pet-safe
The whole plant is edible for people and non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, so a pet nibbling the foliage is no cause for worry. per ASPCA and NC State
Bee and butterfly magnet
The tiny nectar-rich flowers strongly draw bees and butterflies; creeping thyme is even a larval host for common and large blue butterflies. Leave some to bloom. per NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Its pungent, oily foliage deters browsing, so deer and rabbits usually leave it alone. Very hungry wildlife may still sample it, so resistance is not immunity. per NC State and UGA
Walkable fragrant groundcover
Creeping types (mother-of-thyme) knit into a low mat between stepping stones, take occasional foot traffic, and release their scent when you step on them. per NC State
What pairs well with Thyme
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Goldenrod
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into late summer; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both are strong pollinator plants.
Fountain Grass
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Switchgrass
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low water; opens in early spring and overlaps into this one's season; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both are strong pollinator plants.
Little Bluestem
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Cosmos
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both are strong pollinator plants.
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