Thymus 'Creeping Red'

RHS Plant Profile
thyme Coccineus Group

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Synonyms

Thymus praecox 'Coccineus', Thymus serpyllum coccineus, Thymus serpyllum coccineus 'Minor' misapplied [1], Thymus serpyllum f. coccineus, Thymus 'Coccineus', Thymus 'Creeping Red'

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Alpine Rockery Shrubs
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A creeping evergreen subshrub, forming a wide mat to 5cm tall, with very small, aromatic dark green leaves. Two-lipped, dark pink to magenta tubular-shaped flowers appear in the summer. Great for ground cover, with edible flowers

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
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed
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

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

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
Synonym

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Can be grown in a pot in an alpine house; use a mix of equal parts loam, leaf mould and grit

Propagation

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

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Gravel garden
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Banks and slopes
  • Ground cover

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free