Product Description
Thymus praecox 'Coccineus' (25) Bare Root Plants
Common Name: Red Creeping Thyme
'Coccineus' forms a dense, flat mat of evergreen, dark green leaves that are smothered in bright magenta-red flowers from early thru midsummer. In fall, the foliage turns a beautiful bronze.
Native to Mediterranean regions, creeping thyme thrives in hot, dry conditions. Easily grown in moderately fertile, average to dry, well-drained soil. Water until they are established. Thyme benefits from occasional shearing after blooming to keep plants full and bushy. It does not need to be divided to stay healthy but may need to be thinned out to prevent spreading.
Tolerating moderate traffic, Thymus praecox 'Coccineus' is an excellent choice for between stones on a path or cascading over walls, also as a border plant, in containers, for edging, ground cover, lawn substitute, mass plantings, and rock gardens. Drought and Salt Tolerant. Fragrance and flowers attract butterflies, but it is deer and rabbit resistant. Creeping Thyme is easily divided in spring or early fall, and even small pieces will take root and grow.
Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit -- 1993
Height: 2.0-4.0 Inches
Spread: 12.0 Inches
Hardiness Zones: 3,4,5,6,7,8
Flower Color: Pink shades, Red shades
Foliage Color: Green shades
Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun)
Low to Average Water Needs
Average to Fertile Soil Quality
Bloomtime: Early Summer- Midsummer
Attracts Butterflies
Deer Resistant
Evergreen
Growth Rate: Medium
Border Plant, Container, Drought Tolerant, Edging, Fragrant Flowers, Fragrant Foliage, Ground Cover, Salt Tolerant
Thymus praecox 'Coccineus', also known as Creeping Thyme:
- What it is: A low-growing, mat-forming perennial herb prized for its vibrant flowers and fragrant foliage. It is a cultivar of Thymus praecox, a species commonly called creeping thyme.
- Appearance:
- Tiny, dark green leaves that are evergreen in warmer climates.
- Abundant clusters of small, bright magenta or rose-red flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer.
- Growing Conditions:
- Sunlight: Thrives in full sun (at least 6 hours daily)
- Soil: Well-drained soil is crucial. It tolerates poor soil, sandy or rocky conditions.
- Water: Drought-tolerant once established. Avoid overwatering.
- Uses:
- Groundcover: Excellent for filling in spaces between stepping stones, along pathways, or cascading over walls.
- Rock Gardens: Adds color and fragrance to rock gardens.
- Pollinator Gardens: Flowers attract bees and butterflies.
- Container Gardening: Works well in pots and hanging baskets.
- Benefits:
- Fragrance: Leaves release a pleasant, herbal scent when crushed.
- Low Maintenance: Requires minimal care once established.
- Deer Resistant: Deer tend to avoid it.
- Tolerates Light Foot Traffic: Can handle occasional stepping.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
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Product Reviews
3 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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some grew
Plante all 25 in the same area, and only 17 grew. The others look healthy and seem to be growing well.
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Wow! Super impressed!
The plants far exceeded my hopes. I bought plugs of a ground cover and had low expectations but the plugs were very large and healthy. They could have sent much smaller plugs and met their requirement, but instead they sent plugs several times larger and healthier than what I expected. What a pleasant surprise. Thank you Bloomin Designs!
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Nice big plants
I expected to get twigs and was surprised to get a heavy box where each plant was maybe 6-8 x 4-5 inches with LOTS of roots. Just laid them down, gave them some water, and they started turning green immediately. Would definitely buy from them again.