Organic Thymus ciliatus is a classic carpet ground cover plant for a dry garden, often used to create grassless “lawns”.   Thymus ciliatus is a mat-forming, evergreen subshrub with tiny, ovate to broadly lance-shaped, densely hairy, grey-green leaves and, from May , whorls of small, two-lipped, pink flowers with dark purple calyces. It grows between 2 and 8cm high, depending if it is walked on.

Native to North Africa it’s more common names are Moroccan wild thyme, or hairy time, it also confusingly sometimes gets wrongly  classified as Thymus algeriensis,

If you are using it as green lawn it takes about 6 plants per square metre. It spreads out rapidly from the centre, with the side shoots rapidly putting down roots. It grows into a dense carpet that blocks most weeds from growing. You still will have to get down on your hands and knees in Spring to lift the really persistent weeds. Works well with Thymus  serpyllum.

Organic Thymus ciliatus like sun, and poor well drained soil. best planted in Autumn to give it all Winter to get it’s roots don.

Reproduction is by  tip, semi hardwood or seeds. I personally don’t bother with any of that, simply find a long side shoot that has started to put down roots, clip it at the centre and gently lift out the plant using a spoon under the the roots. I got 20 or so from one plant last time I did this, it is simple and around 99% success rate.

The plant is very resistant to disease, the most common cause of it’s death is over watering.

Organic Thymus ciliatus is edible, though personally I don’t like the hairy nature of the leaves. Interestingly according to research done by the University of Constantine it has the highest Thymol level of any Thyme; Which is probably why it is attracting lots of attention from the pharma and cosmetic companies.

Oh and don’t fall for that dry garden guff, organic thymus ciliatus needs watering once a week in Summer. No more than that but still about 15 litres per square metre.

See our Thyme Growing Guide