Thymus serpyllum 'Snowdrift'

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creeping thyme 'Snowdrift'

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An evergreen, mat-forming sub-shrub. Finely-hairy, trailing stems bear linear to elliptic to oval mid-green leaves. Whorls of two-lipped white flowers are borne in summer

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
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most well-drained alkaline to neutral soils in full sun. Suitable for rock garden or paving crevices, where they release their fragrance when trodden on. Attractive to bees

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings or softwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Low Maintenance

Pruning

Trim after flowering to retain compactness

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free