Thymus 'Highdown'

RHS Plant Profile
thyme 'Highdown'

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thyme 'Highdown' RHS

Synonyms

Thymus camphoratus 'Highdown'

Plants for pollinators
Alpine Rockery Herbs - Culinary Shrubs

Has upright bushy habit reaching about 25cm. The foliage is highly aromatic; pink-mauve flowers in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5
Drought Resistance
Yes

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Foliage
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Thymus are evergreen woody-based perennials, shrub or sub-shrubs with small aromatic leaves and terminal whorls of small, 2-lipped, tubular, purple, pink or white flowers in late spring or summer
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most well-drained alkaline to neutral soils in full sun. Dislikes winter wet

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in spring, though cultivars may not come true from seed, by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in mid- to late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Low Maintenance
  • Garden edging
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 10

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free