Plant Details

Thymus serpyllum

Wild Thyme

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Common names

36 names · 28 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Breckland thyme[1]
  • creeping thyme[1]
  • Wild Thyme[1]
Other languages (27)
Dutch
  • Kleine tijm[1]
  • Wilde tijm
French
  • Serpolet[1]
  • Serpolet commun[1]
  • thym sauvage[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • thym serpolet[1]
Belarusian
  • Чабор звычайны[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 亚洲百里香[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐百里香[1]
Croatian
  • Majčina dušica[1]
  • Poljski timijan[1]
Czech
  • mateřídouška úzkolistá[1]
Danish
  • Smalbladet timian[1]
Estonian
  • nõmm-liivatee[1]
Finnish
  • kangasajuruoho[1]
German
  • Sand-Thymian[1]
Greek
  • Αγριοθύμαρο[1]
Hungarian
  • keskenylevelű kakukkfű[1]
Italian
  • Serpillo[1]
  • Timo serpillo[1]
Japanese
  • ヨウシュイブキジャコウソウ[1]
Latvian
  • Mazais mārsils[1]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastasis čiobrelis[1]
Norwegian
  • småtimian[1]
Polish
  • Macierzanka piaskowa[1]
Romanian
  • Cimbrișor[1]
Russian
  • Тимьян ползучий[1]
Slovak
  • materina dúška úzkolistá[1]
Spanish
Swedish
  • backtimjan[1]
Turkish
  • yabani kekik[1]
Ukrainian
  • Чебрець повзучий[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Thymus serpyllum — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • wild thyme — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • creeping thyme — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Breckland thyme — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • kangasajuruoho — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • serpolet — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • thym sauvage — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • thym serpolet — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Sand-Thymian — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • mateřídouška úzkolistá — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • nõmm-liivatee — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Smalbladet timian — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Тимьян ползучий — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • småtimian — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Serpoll — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Serpillo — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Paprastasis čiobrelis — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Serpol — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • backtimjan — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Αγριοθύμαρο — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • materina dúška úzkolistá — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • 亚洲百里香 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Majčina dušica — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Poljski timijan — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Timo serpillo — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • yabani kekik — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Macierzanka piaskowa — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Kleine tijm — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Cimbrișor — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Чебрець повзучий — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Чабор звычайны — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • 歐百里香 — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Mazais mārsils — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • Serpolet commun — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • keskenylevelű kakukkfű — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.
  • ヨウシュイブキジャコウソウ — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 322051; Thymus serpyllum.

General information

Scientific name: Thymus serpyllum
Accepted name (Kew): Thymus serpyllum L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Lamiaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Thymus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Wild Thyme
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.05–0.08 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Spread: 0.08–0.25 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [2]
Foliage: Semi-evergreen
Sources [2]
Growth habit: Creeping, Dense, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [2]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [2]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [2]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Occasionally Dry, Very Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [2]
Soil:
Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky
Sources [2]
pH:
Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [2]
Light:
Full sun
Sources [2]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Tea
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Cosmetic use, Essential oil, Fungicide, Repellent, Bee forage, Ground cover, Fragrant

Description

Thyme leaves can be added raw to salads or cooked dishes as a flavoring. Thyme retains its flavor well when slow-cooked. To dry the leaves, the plants should be harvested in early or late summer, just before the flowers open, and the leaves should be dried quickly. You can also make an aromatic tea from the leaves.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/07
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1109380; name ID 204357; Thymus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1109827; name ID 205442; Thymus serpyllum L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Thymus serpyllum — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 3 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .