Plant Care Elfin Thyme

Elfin Thyme

Also known as

Breckland Thyme, Breckland Thyme, Breckland wild thyme, Wild thyme, Creeping thyme, Elfin thyme and Pink Chintz Thyme

Taxonomy

Thymus serpyllum
Thymus
Lamiaceae
Lamiales

How to care for Elfin Thyme

💦 Water

How often to water your Elfin Thyme

Water needs for Elfin Thyme
0.5 cups
every 9

Elfin Thyme needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Elfin Thyme

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Breckland Thyme in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Elfin Thyme: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Elfin Thyme love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Elfin Thyme does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Elfin Thyme in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Elfin Thyme

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Elfin Thyme: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Elfin Thyme after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #BrecklandThyme
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level
💦 Water Needs

Elfin Thyme prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Breckland Thyme Water Frequency →

Breckland Thyme Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Elfin Thyme requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Breckland Thyme Light Requirements →

Breckland Thyme Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Elfin Thyme is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Breckland Thyme Edible? →


💨 Humidity

Elfin Thyme doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Breckland Thyme Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Elfin Thyme does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Pots for Breckland Thyme →

When and How to Successfully Repot Breckland Thyme →

What Are Healthy Breckland Thyme Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Elfin Thyme grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


🌎 Native Region

Elfin Thyme is native to temperate Europe, North Africa, and Asia.


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Elfin Thyme grows along the ground and sends out shoots which will spread across the soil.

Breckland Thyme Lifecycle →

Breckland Thyme Size Guide →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

Elfin Thyme can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

  • Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
  • If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
  • Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
  • Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Elfin Thyme, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Elfin Thyme

Elfin Thyme

Elfin Thyme


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

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