Name: Thymus pseudolanuginosus aka wooly thyme
Type of Plant: A low growing perennial herb hardy in zones 5 to 8. This is not the thyme used for cooking, but a great plant for groundcover in full sun, well-drained locations.
Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love this plant for so many reasons. First of all, it’s pretty weed smothering. Any plant that can prevent weed seeds from germinating gets a thumbs up in my garden! Secondly, it’s a plant that grows well in dry soils and on slopes. I also love the fact that wooly thyme looks good twelve months a year.
A Word to the Wise This plant will rot out if you put it where it gets frequently hit by an irrigation system or if it’s growing in a low, poorly drained location.
I love how wooly thyme grows so thickly that weed seeds can’t germinate. It is a great weed smothering plant.
In the spring and summer wooly thyme looks greener than it does in the winter. The flowers are pink.
All winter the plant looks pretty good, however. Soft, greenish-grey with a lavender cast.
I’m gonna get this this spring! Right now I have the common kind, a piece I dug from my Mom’s yard, next to Cerastium, dug from the same place. They are spreading and the contrast between them looks nice. The grey will look good next to them!