States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaArkansasFloridaLouisianaMississippiVirginiaWest Virginia
Menu

Lemon Thyme

Thymus pulegioides

Found in pastures, orchards, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height
8–12 inches
Spread
8–12 inches
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • Spotted Wintergreen
    Chimaphila maculata

    Sun: Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Partial shade. Soil: Dry. Flowers: Pink or white.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Galax
    Galax urceolata

    Sun: Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.

    Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

  • Running Clubmoss
    Lycopodium clavatum

    Sun: Deep shade, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Not applicable.

    Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Evergreen
Bloom
June to September

Recorded in 1 West Virginia county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

3CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Thymus

  • Ancylis floridanaStrawberry Leafroller
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Lineodes integraEggplant Leafroller
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Lamiaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–8b
Soil pH
Neutral to alkaline
Flower color
Pink or purple

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources