Creeping thyme, thymus serpyllum invasive? - Ask Extension
Hello, I am hoping you can help me decide whether to plant creeping thyme or avoid it. I am working towards a mostly native garden, but it has been h...
Knowledgebase
Creeping thyme, thymus serpyllum invasive? #881987
Asked August 18, 2024, 1:05 PM EDT
Hello, I am hoping you can help me decide whether to plant creeping thyme or avoid it. I am working towards a mostly native garden, but it has been hard to find a good alternative to creeping thyme (drought tolerant, sandy rocky soil) and my research has produced mixed answers.
I know it is not native, but harmful?
Thank you for your help with this.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Creeping Thyme is not invasive here, and with regards to ecosystem impacts, we don't consider it harmful. That said though, it generally doesn't thrive in mid-Atlantic conditions for long enough to pose much of a risk, even if it did spread from seed. Given that, we recommend alternative species, and while native species would be preferable, anything else non-invasive that's well-suited to our region and the site conditions should be fine. Use a mix of species where possible, as this will improve the resiliency of the planting as a whole, since different species have different tolerances to stress and vulnerabilities to pest or disease outbreaks. You can find some ideas, though not exhaustive lists, on our Groundcovers page if you are growing thyme as a groundcover.
Miri
Miri
