PlantFiles: Elfin Thyme, Creeping Thyme
Thymus praecox 'Elfin'

Seems to do exactly as advertised in the Portland Oregon area! I'm guessing most folks picked up some of the copious Stepables sold around here, and to good effect.

I have not had much luck here in Maryland.Tried it in several different places and it always seems to just turn brown and die....I am DONE with this one.
I have several other varieties that do well.

I love this tiny plant for covering the dirt in sunny places. In Seattle it is zero maintenance and always looks adorable.

I planted Creeping Thyme, Elfin Thyme and Wooley Thyme in my front yard in full sun, under my Gaura and Fountain Grass and it grows great. I live in the desert and it hits in the 100's quite a bit in the summer and seems to survive. I think it gets some sun protection from the Gaura, but is trailing very nicely. I give it a sprinkle of water maybe once a week when it is extremelly hot and thats' it. This plant is drought tolarant the ladybugs like it. I highly recommend it is you want a nice ground cover.

As much as I LOVE the way this plant looks -- it doesn't grow well in the hot sun of inland Los Angeles.

A neighbor had some & bought it myself to put btwn pavers. I watered it at least once a day to get it established, but it fried in the sun. I kept trying (buying & replanting) for over a year.

It did better in shady areas & cooler seasons -- but ultimately I could never keep it alive in the 100+ heat of LA summers.

The flats are really expensive too so it was a costly lesson.

I've heard it's drought tolerant once established...& I think that's probably true in cooler areas.

I later found out my neighbor's died too.

beautiful groundcover though. I envy those who can grow it.

This has to be the most adorable plant I've ever seen. I bought three small pots on a whim at my local nursery, and still haven't planted them. They've been thriving for a month in those nursery pots because I have no idea what to do with them! I have no stepping stones as of yet, and I have no place in which to highlight them in the manner I'd like. Still, I'm very pleased with their easy care so far. I'll probably just pick a spot and plant within the next few days, and hope they'll spread so that I can transplant in the coming years.

This plant has been in the pot I bought it in for a long time. It must be very tough as it has survived being knocked over and laying on its side for a week at a time. It is a little abused looking but has bloomed for the first time since I bought it. Hopefully it will look even nicer when I get around to planting it. I love the tiny leaves and low dense growth. In pots it even trails off the sides nicely

Nice plant for spreading.

Will not grow in texas full sun without daily water.

I grow several varieties of creeping thymes and this one is a pleasure. I have done nothing special. It is growing, spreading and flowering in heavy clay in zone 6a in a mixed perennial bed with sun almost all day. Has been in the ground about 18 months and it is a delight.

grows very very flat. I would love to have more as a steppable, but I dont think I would have the heart to step on something so pretty! I am trying to start from a branch which had some roots on it. Grows well in bright non direct light. I mist it every day to keep it moist, but other than that I dont really bother it too much.

This is such an an adorable little Thyme; it is one of my favorites! It grows almost flat. I got it as a Stepable that can be walked on 3 times or more daily. My information says it is hardy in zones 4-10. It's hard to believe that something so delicate looking can be so tough!

We use elfin thyme as groundcover between stepping stones. We just planted a flat and it is growing rapidly and flowering--within a month of planting. We live in the hills just north of Los Angeles. It is quite warm here and the area planted is a combination of dappled shade, and full sun. I water most mornings.

The most unusual growth style of all thymes I have encountered, it has stemlets with larger leaves at the base, tapering to tiny pointed leaflets, giving an over-all effect of an elf-hat. Not entirely procumbent, but wavy with the unusual style of growth. My clumps have not flowered in the 3 years of ownership.