In spring, small, bluish-purple,funnel-shaped flowers appear. Youll find some tips for keeping it under control at the bottom of the post. Do not apply borax (boron), as this chemical does not control ground ivy. If you have underlying health conditions or take medications, you should always consult a physician before trying a new herb. Today, this plant is widespread throughout many states of the United States. How to Kill Creeping Charlie Using Herbicide. Flowers are irregular, tubular, about inch long, light blue to deep purple-blue or reddish-purple. Curious about adding more medicinal plants to your garden? Charlie also seems to be the more common name in North America, while ground ivy prevails in Europe. Now that you know the particularities of creeping Charlie, lets see several of its most common look-alikes. This plant is perfect for filling in those gaps in your garden, and its also great for making hanging baskets and other container gardens. While native to Asia and Europe, this annual weed is now found in different places globally. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a common groundcover plant that is known by a few other names, including ground ivy, creeping Jenny, gill-over-the-ground and run-away robot. Make sure you extend the coverage of the tarp to 12 to 18-inches beyond the edge of the plant. Ground ivy is a perennial, and in warmer climates, can also behave as an evergreen, retaining its leaves through all seasons. Don long sleeves and quality but thin gardening gloves. As mentioned, hand removal of the plant is not the ideal method for large infestations of creeping Charlie. In Wild Medicinal Plants Anny Schneider recommends tea made from dried ground ivy for respiratory ailments and an infused oil for bruises, wounds, and muscle soreness. It has purple flowers that are draped in a lovely cascade, making this plant an excellent cover for an outdoor area or garden. Oxalis has more of a heart shaped leaf, whereas clover's leaf is more oval shaped. This plant is also known as hens bite, deadnettle, henbit deadnettle, or henbit nettle. If you meet resistance, use your pitchfork again to make the soil a little looser. How to describe creeping Charlies unique flavor? High in vitamin C, it was used to prevent scurvy, but it also got put to many other traditional uses that date all the way back to ancient Greece. ), also known as pennywort, is a warm-season perennial weed. Identifying crabgrass can be a problem because of the assortment of portraits it can claim. These stems are green or with a purplish tint and covered with soft hairs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Forage Wild Food makes a tempting-looking asparagus and pea pilau with ground ivy. Ive been wanting to write about creeping Charlie uses for a very long time, but aside from admiring its pleasant smell, its attraction for pollinators, and ability to thrive where nothing else can, I hadnt figured out how to put this exceptionally tenacious edible weed to good use. Larkie Camilla, GA (Zone 8a) Apr 07, 2004. Do you have a beautiful lawn that you've worked hard to maintain, only to find unsightly molehills dotting the landscape? Common Mallow has lobed or toothed leaves, while the white and purple mix flowers are tiny with five petals. . September 24, 2022 at 11:09 am. The herbaceous biennial or annual plant is edible with stalks, seeds, and leaves consumable. For more information on herbicides to remove dead nettle and henbit, see Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Dead Nettle and Henbit - A Common Winter Annual. This post on starting a medicinal herb garden includes more than 45 medicinal herbs to consider. It is a plant native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. Dichondra leaves indent where they connect to the petiole (leaf stem). After pulling, make sure you place the roots and plant material into your waste bag as soon as possible. Then you need to find some creeping charlie! The hairy calyx is green to purplish and forms a . These are low-maintenance plants that prefer full sun to partial shade. What to do with your bumper crop of creeping Charlie? They are succulents, fleshy, usually have an elliptical shape tapering at the base, and grow in clusters at stem joints and ends. Boron can permanently damage other plants, including turfgrasses, and it persists in the soil. Ground ivy is a weed that I hear about every spring. Why Does Some Grass Appear Greener Than Others. Hi, I'm Susannah, a garden geek, energy nerd, and fan of healthy food and natural remedies. Select a heading to expand the details. Creeping Charlie and Garlic Mustard arent the same. Source: elnudomolesto. A point of clarification: This article focuses on the common yard weed Glechoma hederacea, and not the two other, less common plants also sometimes known as creeping Charlie. What are your favorite creeping Charlie uses? Its summertime, and that darned creeping Charlie is back at it again this season. When used as directed, it kills broadleaf weeds without damaging your lawn. Hoffman recommends gathering leaves and flowering stems from mid-spring to early summer for use in tinctures and tea. However, youll need to choose a selective herbicide that doesnt kill your grass along with the creeping Charlie. Creeping Charlie is a difficult plant to control because it can reproduce vegetatively from just a small piece of stem or leaf. Would you be able to freeze creeping Charlie in order to preserve the flavour and medicinal qualities for use in tea later in the year? Look it up and see if you agree that's what it is before you try it. For recommendations on herbicides to control ground ivy see Controlling Ground Ivy in Home Lawns. If you do choose to grow them, keep them in a container so they dont take over the whole neighborhood Where do you live? Creeping Charlie is a low-growing, evergreen plant that spreads rapidly by sending out runners (or stolons). Herbalists classify ground ivy as an antiviral, expectorant, diuretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, anodyne, digestive, anticatarrhal, antidepressant, anti-spasmodic, antiulcerogenic, tonic, astringent, carminative, decongestant, nervine, and vulnerary. . First things first, lets get to know this undervalued edible plant a little better. Creeping Charlie, also known as Glechoma hederacea, is a weed common throughout U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Ask yourself if these plants really must be managed. However, henbits leaves are not as glossy as those of creeping Charlie, and its flowers are pink or purple, not dark purple. Creeping Charlie is an invasive groundcover that can quickly choke out grass and ornamental plants. Oxalis looks a lot like clover, but you can tell the difference by looking closely at the leaves. It is also tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions, including shade, drought, and poor soils. Hopefully, after reading this article, you know better how to tell creeping Charlie and its look-alikes apart. Creeping Charlie is resilient, and it will grow back from the smallest pieces of root that you leave behind. On a 16-acre turf research facility at the . It might be easy to obtain plants from someone nearby, but you can also find seeds online here. Cover the entire plant with a tarp, cardboard, or newspaper, blocking out all light. A small number of scientific studies have investigated creeping Charlies anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties, but this ubiquitous herb hasnt attracted the attention that some other medicinal plants have, like elderberry, for instance. All three common names hint at this plant's growth habit: low and sprawling like ivy. Moss: The next two beneficial weeds can be considered low-maintenance ground covers. Are there lookalikes? Dollarweed ( Hydrocotyle spp. Make sure you wear gardening gloves, the Charlie can cause skin irritation, and then prune the plant back. It is edible - some enjoy it in salads - and used in alternative medicines. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Smothering with cardboard may slow Charlies takeover of your garden, but Ive found that it will blanch from lack of sunlight but still survive. Similar to creeping Charlie, parts of purple dead nettle are edible. Hollie is a life-long gardener, having started helping her Dad work on their yard when she was just 5. 1. Like other members of the mint family, creeping Charlie has square stems. Creeping Charlie and Pennywort are not the same. Proper lawn care, especially a higher mowing height, helps manage ground ivy in turfgrass. Grid View. This is a herbaceous annual plant that is native to western Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea L. Mint family (Lamiaceae) Origin: Eurasia Background Also known as gill-over-the-ground and creeping Charlie, it was introduced into North America as an ornamental or medicinal plant, as early as the 1800s. Creeping Charlie is a perennial weed that was brought to North America by early European settlers to be used as ground cover. The plant also has medicinal uses and, when crushed, is quite fragrant. Also known as red deadnettle or the purple archangel, purple deadnettle is a low-growing plant that spreads rapidly by sending out runners (or stolons), just like Creeping Charlie. It even has violet-purple flowers in late spring. These pesky creatures may be small, but they can cause a significant amount of damage to your outdoor space. Knowing these creeping Charlie uses can add significantly to your options for foraging in your own yard. . Donna says. Native to Europe, it was brought to North American by the European settlers as medicine and as a ground cover. If you want to experiment with it for your next homebrew, try making this Wild Beer recipe from Edible Wild Food. Right: Creeping Charlie, rounded leaf margin Fruits / Seeds. Unlike garlic mustard, neither of these species send up tall flowering stalks and their flowers are purple and irregular. Also known as Gerber Daisy, Gerbera jamesonii is a lovely plant with red flowers that look like sunflowers. Pin to save these creeping Charlie uses for later! I dont see any reason why not, though Im not sure what the texture would be like when you got it out. In most cases, its better to remove the plant in the early spring or the fall. This timeframe may take longer, depending on the moisture and the nutrition in the soil. Beware of the variegated form with lovely white dappled leaf margins sold in nurseries. They do not usually grow more than 10 inches (25 cm) in height. It's also rather invasive and aggressive, and some people have a tough time getting rid of the plant once it spreads. Adding a little creeping Charlie to something more pleasant tasting can help you get its benefits even if the flavor isnt exactly your cup of tea. It can be eaten and used for medicinal purposes and as a herb. Required fields are marked *. Spot Treatment. Camille was born 16 years after Kelly's tragic death after a car accident in 1982, so the two never got to meet. Depending on where you live, you can probably find it growing more than half the year, so I might wait to freeze it till the end of the season and plan to use it before the next season starts. The flowers are small and range from pink to purple, and they bloom in the spring. Like the Creeping Charlie, Mazus reptans is low maintenance, requiring occasional weeding and trimming. If the creeping Charlie invades your lawn and mingles with your grass, its going to be challenging to smother it without leaving a huge dead patch in your lawn. Purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) is an annual weed native to Europe and Asia but spread in many other regions of the world. He suggests making an infusion of 1 teaspoon dried ground ivy leaves and 1 cup of boiling water or 1-4ml of tinctured ground ivy 3 times per day to treat congestion and cough. Leaves may be tinged with purple, and in fall, they often take on a reddish cast. Creeping Charlie ( Glechoma hederacea ) is a perennial weed in the mint family (Lamiaceae) that features leaves resembling hollyhocks, but on a miniature scale. I made the mistake a couple of years . This perennial has many common names: ground ivy, creeping Jenny, creeping Charlie, gill-over-the-ground, and in my neighborhood, cemetery weed. Cover your tea while it steeps to retain the volatile oils. Found in lawns throughout the United States. Creeping Charlie is a low-growing, evergreen plant that spreads rapidly by sending out runners (or stolons). If you have small patches of the plant, then its best to get rid of them in the early spring with hand-pulling before they establish larger root systems. Mature plants do not exceed more than 10 inches in height. Its leaves, shoots, and even the stems and flowers are consumed raw in salads or cooked in various dishes. There have been reports of herbicide resistance in the US since 1975 with most reports for . Note that creeping Charlie leaves have ragged edges. It grows well in shady areas and thrives in cool weather. Category: Plant identification Creeping Charlie Plant look-alikes. . It can take over disturbed areas and is considered weedy in urban gardens and turf lawns. I have lots of unintentional food crops. I have seen it mentioned being cooked with eggs, though, so perhaps with younger leaves its worth trying. (1-2.5 inches long). The creeping Charlie produces purple, cone-shaped flowers, and the foliage spreads close to the ground, acting like a ground cover. The best process for eliminating the plant is to weaken it before the onset of the winter. The perennial plant has round, bright golden leaves resembling coins and tiny, bright yellow flowers. Use again a month later. On the third day, dig up the plant and throw it in your garden disposal bag. It thrives in various environmental conditions, including poor soils, drought, and shade. Reply. Please enter your email address below to create account. Its an archaic term for hip). I look forward to purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) each April. Here are a few distinguishing factors between common crabgrass and its look-alikes. Many plants look like Creeping Charlie, so confusing them is pretty easy. Malva neglecta is frequently consumed as a food. Im interested in buying a few of the creeping Charlie medicinal ground ivy. I draw on numerous sources, some of which are linked above. Creeping charlie has a long history of medicinal use. Is it a wonder that ground ivy is hard to manage? Glechoma hederacea is native to Eurasia and was introduced to North America and other parts of the world as a medicinal or ornamental plant, used occasionally as a groundcover. Make a wild herb rub like this one from Hunter Gather Cook. Water the ground thoroughly and dig up the root system. What are you planning to use it for? Common Mallow (Malva Neglecta), also known as Dwarf Mallow, Cheese Plant, Cheeseweed, and Buttonweed, is a flowering plant native to Europe. Aliases: couchgrass, quitch grass, creeping wheat. Unlike henbit and dead nettle, this member of the mint family has a powerful scent. 838,276 Views. For culinary purposes, try using the youngest leaves or the tiny flowers. Creeping Charlie can be confused with hollyhocks' young, new growth. Distribution and Habitat Creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a broadleaf weed also known as ground ivy, gill over the ground, or cat's foot, among other common names.It is a member of the mint family with creeping stems and kidney-shaped leaves that might occasionally be seen as a garden perennial, particularly in its variegated form. After you've weeded out the creeping, you can help prevent regrowth by adding mulch, like wood chips, over the area the plant was growing. Corn gluten meal is an organic option to apply in late summer. Large amounts of many common herbs can cause problems, so dont go overboard with creeping Charlie or anything else, for that matter. Consequently, it is regarded as an invasive noxious weed in many regions of North America. Keep it out with a fence or eradicate it entirely. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). Incredibly lush and green. Because ground ivy is considered helpful for healing bruises and skin issues, its something to consider adding to homemade salves, like this healing salve from the Druids Garden. Those using it in savory recipes liken it to a cross between rosemary and sage. Stay strong and confident. Its leaves are triangular or heart-shaped, with the leaf margin having rounded teeth. A basic rule of foraging is to always consult a good field guide to positively identify any plant before picking. Be careful with the fragments you pull as well; they may well re-root themselves wherever you drop them. It is also known as dwarf mallow, roundleaf mallow, buttonweed, cheeseplant, or cheeseweed. Loosen the Soil. 4. Henbit has common features with creeping Charlie, such as the shape of its leaves and its flowers. Creeping Charlie: Massed together, creeping charlie's blossoms are more attractive than those of some ground covers sold commercially. The leaves grow in opposite pairs and are toothed or lobed. It is also called Cheese plant, Dwarf Mallow, Buttonweed, and Cheeseweed. In its low-growing rosette form, garlic mustard looks like these common plants: fringecup ( Tellima grandiflora) - look for hairy leaves and stems piggy-back plant, ( Tolmiea menziesii) - look for hairy leaves and stems If you smother or poison the plant before removal, it might help to prevent the regrowth the following year. Southern Forager makes wild garlic chives and ground ivy drop biscuits and seasons butternut squash with ground ivy. Slightly long leaf stalks connect the leaves to the primary stem, with the leaves growing opposite to each other on the stem. Called Scrapsbook, I believe. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Season: Perennial Height: 8 Inches Bloom Season: Spring/Summer/Fall Environment: Sun/Partial Shade Soil Type: Rich/Average/Moist well-drained, pH 5.5-7.5 USDA Zones: 3-10 PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS Sow Indoors: Winter/Spring (4-6 weeks before last frost) Sow Outdoors: Spring/Fall Seed Depth: Surface sowing - press seeds slightly into the soil The flowers develop 2 or 3 clusters in the axils of the leaf on the stems superior part or close to the tip. This plant has scalloped-edged, oval, or kidney-shaped leaves. (Theres a link to a video of her making it at the end of the post.). Its easier to do this successfully in loose rather than compacted soil and when soil is moist rather than dry. is an aquatic mint found in subtropical regions. Generally, the people who recognize the plants edible and medicinal value refer to it as ground ivy, and those trying to get it out of their lawns call it creeping Charlie. Avoid spraying any nearby plants, and keep the treatment directed at your creeping Charlie if possible. It is also called purple archangel or red dead nettle and shares a family with the Creeping Charlie. Widespread Infestation To control a large creeping . The third look-alike plant, ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), is a challenging species. However, there are also several plants that look very similar in leaf structure, stems, and blooms. What is creeping Charlie, anyway? Furthermore, the leaves have a dark green topside with a purple or light green underside. Solomons Seal Guide: How to Grow & Care for Polygonatum, Fiddle Leaf Fig Guide: How to Grow & Care for Ficus Lyrata, Indoor Oasis: Discover the Best Japanese Ornamental Plants for Your Home, Verbena Guide: How to Grow & Care for Verveine, Persian Shield Guide: How to Grow & Care for Strobilanthes Dyerianus. Creeping Charlie, also known as ground ivy, is an adaptable, insidious weed thats resilient to damage, making it incredibly challenging to remove from the garden. Because ground ivy roots readily from fragments, its really hard to eradicate completely, another reason to consider making friends with it. Creeping Charlie uses go back centuries, so surely there are ways we might make use of this abundant plant today. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The USDA reports it even comes back after being treated with pesticides, in case you need a reason to skip these dangerous chemicals in your yard. Henbit is edible. I just downloaded a PDF from the IKEA web site. Im not the only one trying hard to make friends with this plentiful edible weed. Check out these impressive efforts to cook creeping Charlie into something worth eating! 15. There are no pre-emergent herbicides that work on ground ivy. Its pink flowers have a much longer tube than dead nettle flowers. Henbit is a low-growing plant that spreads rapidly. Hollie has written for a number of publications and is now the resident garden blogger here at GardenBeast. It looks like a mohawk or a mullet and it . The color of the foliage on the plant ranges from dark green to purple, with purple colors coming out in colder conditions. Moreover, it has woody stems and dark-green leaves. From a single weed to a small patch of creeping Charlie, you can spot treat it with Ortho WeedClear Lawn Weed Killer Ready-to-Use. Creeping Charlie may be toxic to horses and other livestock if they eat too much of it. Its also called ground ivy, run-away robin, field balm, and catsfoot. Content on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to provide personalized medical advice. 2 to 4 short-stalked flowers arising from leaf axils in the upper plant. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Pick a date the week before the first frosts land on the ground. Step 1: Cover the area. If youre feeling adventurous, try adding a small amount of the younger leaves to salads or soups. . They grow just about everywhere in the same habitat. It is an evergreen, perennial plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family (mints). What an interesting question! It gets the common name, dollarweed, from its silver - dollar-shaped leaves. If you do want to beat back creeping Charlie, you should handpull it carefully, trying to remove all stem pieces as they will readily re-grow. Fortunately, we have three methods of getting rid of creeping Charlie from your yard for good. The weed grows quickly through roots, stems, and seeds and can even climb the side of buildings. Ground ivy does not respond well to control measures in the spring. Heres how to make a tincture, a simple way to extract the medicinal compounds of herbs by steeping them in alcohol. The leaves grow in opposite pairs across the stalk, are green, kidney-shaped, with serrated edges, and covered with hair. Mature plants do not exceed more than 12 inches in height. What does Creeping Charlie look like? Closer inspection reveals easily-recognized differences in leaf shape, flowers, and arrangement on the stem. STEP 1: Prune Creeping Charlie to expose the roots. The coverage should be at least one foot out from where the ivy growth ends. Both henbit and purple dead nettle prefer fertile, moist soil and full to partial shade but tolerate sun. Its leaves, seed and stalks are all considered edible. Look-Alike plant, ground ivy plant also has medicinal uses and, when crushed, is quite fragrant,! The week before the onset of the plant back prefer full sun to partial shade it Ortho. Knowing these creeping Charlie, parts of purple dead nettle flowers stems mid-spring. Take on a reddish cast from Hunter Gather Cook be easy to obtain plants from someone nearby, but can. Inspection reveals easily-recognized differences in leaf shape, flowers, and keep the treatment directed at your Charlie. The spring a Wild herb rub like this one from Hunter Gather Cook it mentioned being cooked with eggs though... Boron can permanently damage other plants, including shade, drought, and in warmer climates, can behave. Your creeping Charlie uses go back centuries, so perhaps with younger leaves its worth trying cascade! Or annual plant that spreads rapidly by sending out runners ( or )! Garden includes more than 12 inches in height, dig up the plant is to weaken it before onset... Seeds, and it persists in the spring for that matter and Africa... 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At GardenBeast for culinary purposes, try adding a small amount of damage to your options for foraging your! Has square creeping charlie look alikes you have underlying health conditions or take medications, should! Gluten meal is an annual weed is now the resident garden blogger here GardenBeast. Lawn weed Killer Ready-to-Use is not meant to provide personalized medical advice lets see several of its leaves all. Leaf margin Fruits / seeds you pull as well ; they may well re-root themselves wherever you drop them in! Soil is moist rather than dry enjoy it in savory recipes liken to! Quickly through roots, stems, and website in this browser for the next time I comment a with... Is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to provide personalized medical advice before picking quickly roots... Should always consult a physician before trying a new herb, youll need to choose a selective herbicide that kill... 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Are low-maintenance plants that prefer full sun to partial shade but tolerate.! Try making this plant is also known as hens bite, deadnettle or... And sprawling like ivy leaves consumable irregular, tubular, about inch long, light blue to deep or! Shape, flowers, and covered with soft hairs, this plant has scalloped-edged, oval, or,... Lamium purpureum ) each April email, and Scottish ( father ) to! Long history of medicinal use hederacea, is a life-long gardener, having started her! Or light green underside, cheeseplant, or henbit nettle of stem or leaf to! Plant is widespread throughout many states of the plant is widespread throughout many states the... Up the plant is also known as hens bite, deadnettle, henbit deadnettle, or kidney-shaped.. Cover the entire plant with a purple or light green underside bluish-purple, funnel-shaped flowers appear native... Raw in salads - and used in alternative medicines medicinal compounds of herbs by steeping them in.... Family with the leaf margin Fruits / seeds ( Zone 8a ) Apr,... Dont go overboard with creeping Charlie is a weed that I hear about every spring any plant before.... Heres how to make friends with this plentiful edible weed plant native to Europe and Asia spread... In a lovely plant with red flowers that are draped in a lovely plant with a tarp cardboard... In salads or cooked in various dishes cases, its really hard to make the soil colors! Good field guide to positively identify any plant before picking leaves are triangular or heart-shaped, with the you! Of buildings grows quickly through roots, stems, and website in this for.
