Thymus 'Alan Bloom'

RHS Plant Profile

thyme 'Alan Bloom'

Synonyms

Thymus serpyllum coccineus 'Minor' Bloom

Alpine Rockery Shrubs

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A creeping, low-growing, evergreen subshrub. In summer, purple-pink flowers are held above small, aromatic green leaves

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Up to 10 cm

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: Up to 10 cm

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–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: Matforming
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

Grow in a sunny position in well-drained soil. If your soil is heavy or likely to sit wet over winter, grow in a pot, in a peat-free, loam-based compost with added grit. Remove fallen leaves that settle on thyme plants in autumn, to prevent rotting. See thyme cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by taking semi-hardwood cuttings in mid to late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Ground cover

Pruning

No pruning required. Dead flower heads can be snipped off in late summer

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free