Botanical profile

Creeping savory

Latin name
Satureja spicigera
Common name
Creeping savory
Type
Perennial
Family
Lamiaceae

Creeping savory is a perennial aromatic herb with a low, spreading, and slightly trailing habit, valued for its fine, green, and highly fragrant foliage. Its flavor is reminiscent of classic savory, with warm, peppery, and herbaceous notes, ideal for seasoning beans, legumes, grilled vegetables, sauces, soups, marinades, meats, and stews. Thanks to its low growth, it integrates very well into rock gardens, edible borders, low walls, patio pots, and sunny herb gardens.

Easy to grow, creeping savory prefers a full sun, warm, and well-ventilated location, in light, poor to moderately fertile, and very well-drained soil. It tolerates dry conditions well once established, making it an excellent plant for Mediterranean-style landscaping, rock gardens, and low-water containers. Light pruning after flowering helps maintain a dense, compact, and well-branched plant, while stimulating the production of new aromatic shoots.

Both decorative, fragrant, and useful for pollinators, creeping savory produces delicate flowers that attract bees and other beneficial insects to the garden. Its creeping habit adds texture and movement to landscapes, while offering a convenient harvest of fresh or dried leaves. It is an excellent herb for gardeners looking for a robust, flavorful, and original plant, perfect for gourmet gardens, dry borders, and sunny containers.

Care guide

Care level
Easy

Choosing this plant

Main benefit
Creeping aromatic habit ideal for dry, rocky groundcover
Rock garden, dry border, low wall, container, aromatic groundcover, Mediterranean cuisine
Container growing
Excellent for pot culture in containers, on walls, or in well-drained window boxes.
Seasonal care
Lightly prune after flowering to maintain a dense habit; avoid heavy, waterlogged soils; harvest young shoots as needed
Growing conditions

Light, soil, water and hardiness

Hardiness zone
Zone 5 and above
Exposure
Full sun
Watering
Moderate; allow the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings
Humidity
Low to average moisture; tolerates drought once established
Fertilization
Light compost in spring; avoid excessive fertilizer
Soil type
Light, poor to medium, dry and very well-drained soil
Soil pH
Neutral to slightly alkaline
Minimum temperature
-20 °C
Propagation method
Cuttings, division, or seeds
Plant appearance

Blooming, foliage and shape

Blooming period
Summer
Flower color
White to pale pink
Fruiting
Late season seeds
Foliage color
Dark green
Foliage type
Persistent to semi-persistent
Shape
Creeping, spreading, and prostrate habit
Garden structure

Size and growth

Height
4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm)
Width
45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches)
Growth rate
Average growth
Vegetable garden and yield

Companion planting, spacing and harvest

Companion plants
Thyme, oregano, lavender, rosemary
Spacing
30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches)
Harvest period
Leaves from spring to autumn
Not recommended for pets
Not recommended for pets

Pets

Deer
Less attractive or generally tolerated by deer

Deer

The availability of our plants varies depending on arrivals, seasons, nursery production and supplier availability. Some varieties may be offered for a limited time only, depending on their natural cycle or current stock. These plant profiles are designed to guide and inspire you when choosing plants for the garden, landscaping projects, containers or long-lasting outdoor arrangements.