How big does Common thyme grow?

About 30 cm × 40 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 15–30 cm × 15–40 cm.

What soil does Common thyme grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, calcareous.

Is Common thyme hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

Is Common thyme toxic to dogs?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to dogs.

Is Common thyme toxic to cats?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to cats.

Is Common thyme toxic to children?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to children.

When does Common thyme flower?

Flowering: May–July, purple, pink, white.

How much water does Common thyme need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

How much does Common thyme cost?

It sells for roughly €8.60 to €9.30 in local shops, depending on size.

Common thyme

Thymus vulgaris

Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a ground cover plant that reaches 30 cm × 40 cm after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Non-toxic to dogs, cats and children. Sold in local shops from about €8.60.

Illustration of Common thyme — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

Common thyme is a low, evergreen, strongly scented subshrub that works as a kitchen herb, a bee plant and an edging for sunny, dry beds all at once. It wants full sun and lean, free-draining soil and hardly needs watering. Trim it after flowering, because it turns woody and bare within a few years, and then it is best replaced from cuttings or layers.

Watch out for

Most plants are lost to winter wet rather than frost: the roots rot in heavy, damp soil, so on clay plant it only in a raised spot opened up with gravel. In Central Europe the shoots can die back in prolonged hard frost without snow cover (below roughly -15 to -18 °C), especially in damp sites. It is short-lived: after 3 to 5 years it becomes woody and loose, does not reshoot reliably from old wood and needs replacing.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 30 cm × 40 cm
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–July, purple, pink, white

Group	Ground cover
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	30 cm × 40 cm
Ultimate size	15–30 cm × 15–40 cm
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	May–July, purple, pink, white
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	30 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic
For cats	Non-toxic
For children	Non-toxic
Typical price	from about €8.60

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €8.60 – €9.30

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Ground cover plants Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Plants that are non-toxic to dogs Plants that are non-toxic to cats Plants that are non-toxic to children Evergreen plants Plants for containers Plants for a Mediterranean garden Rock garden plants Fragrant plants

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