It also releases an aromatic scent when stepped on or brushed against. Here are 3 creeping Charlie look-alikes. You can also dry creeping Charlie leaves for use in herbal tea. Renowned herbalist Susun Weed likes to make an herbal vinegar from ground ivy. This plant is native to the British Isles, but it has been introduced to North America, now considered an invasive species in many states. Hand-pulling or hoeing works, but be sure to remove the whole plant, including the fibrous roots, before henbit or dead nettle sets seed. 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. Their red flowers get up to 4 inches across. Yes, there are garlic mustard lookalikes, but it depends on the current form of the plant. The "Modern Love" actress responded to look-alike comparisons in a 2015 interview with "Extra," saying, "I've never heard that! Its most effective for you to spray your creeping Charlie in the fall, disrupting its preparation for the dormancy during the winter. Find out more and grab your copy here. Right: Creeping Charlie, rounded leaf margin Fruits / Seeds. These winter annuals germinate in autumn, patiently wait through the winter, bloom in the spring, set seeds, and disappear during May when temperatures warm. The leaves are circular to kidney-shaped, with scalloped edges and a thin coating of down. Dispose of the remaining herbicide following manufacturers guidelines. Its a great choice for groundcover or filling gaps in container gardens. Strap on your protective gear and mix the herbicide. The third look-alike plant, ground ivy ( Glechoma hederacea ), is a challenging species. Hi, I'm Susannah, a garden geek, energy nerd, and fan of healthy food and natural remedies. 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. 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. Use a regular cover of 2 - 3 in (5 - 7.6 cm) of your mulch for the best effect. While native to Asia and Europe, this annual weed is now found in different places globally. Restricted Noxious Weeds. Her first book, Everything Elderberry, released in September 2020 and has been a #1 new release in holistic medicine, naturopathy, herb gardening, and other categories. Today, this plant is widespread throughout many states of the United States. Some say ground ivy can be eaten like spinach in soups and casseroles, just proceed with caution. Creeping Charlies young leaves are edible, usually cooked or as a salad. 1. Dichondra is a Dollar Weed look-a-like. Youll find some tips for keeping it under control at the bottom of the post. One is the single line of hair on the stems. The most common one looks like a coarse, light green clump of grass. (1-2.5 inches long). The stems often branch from the base and can sometimes grow upright. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) Photo credit:Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org. 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. However, henbits leaves are not as glossy as those of creeping Charlie, and its flowers are pink or purple, not dark purple. Creeping Charlie, like some other members of the mint family, contains a compound called pulegone, which is considered harmful if consumed in large amounts. What does Creeping Charlie look like? It kills listed weeds down to the roots and is rainproof in 1 hour. Henbit has common features with creeping Charlie, such as the shape of its leaves and its flowers. Love learning about medicinal herbs? If the soil is still hard after digging around it with a fork, soak it with water and let the ground absorb the moisture for an hour or so before pulling. 20 Favorites. The Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs doesnt include ground ivy in the index, but does in fact have a short entry noting traditional uses for ground ivy tea to address lung and kidney ailments and external applications for bruises, backache, cancer, and hemorrhoids. If youre just wanting to use it medicinally, a tincture might be a good bet if youre averse to creeping Charlies strong flavor. Even if you do want to consume some of the creeping Charlie growing in your yard, its likely youll still be growing more than you want or can use. Called Scrapsbook, I believe. I draw on numerous sources, some of which are linked above. Like other members of the mint family, creeping Charlie has square stems. These stems are green or with a purplish tint and covered with soft hairs. The leaves of dollarweed are round, bright green, fleshy, and look like miniature lily pads measuring 1-2" in diameter with a scalloped edge. The young leaves of creeping Charlie are edible and are often consumed in salads or cooked. Creeping Charlie is also known as ground ivy and gill-on-the-ground, and is often confused with henbit. The larger the plant gets, the harder it is to remove. I made the mistake a couple of years . Because it will grow where other things dont, if its invaded your yard you might consider allowing it to serve as a multipurpose groundcover where other plants struggle. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hollie is a life-long gardener, having started helping her Dad work on their yard when she was just 5. When the plant dries, and the foliage turns brown, its dead and ready for pulling from the ground. 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. They often grow along roadsides, in pastures, and on vacant lots. The leaves of young plants are used in salads, while the mature leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. I think unlike the bland and also early Virginia waterleaf, creeping Charlie might be truly revolting in a frittata, but I havent dared to try. They grow just about everywhere in the same habitat. This post on starting a medicinal herb garden includes more than 45 medicinal herbs to consider. The plant grows low on the ground and doesnt usually exceed more than 12 inches (30 cm) in height. After taking steps to control creeping charlie in your flower beds, keep a close eye out for it to reappear. You can watch a video of her here. 48/48. Your email address will not be published. You can dehydrate ground ivy and grind it for use as a culinary spice or addition to herbal teas, though Ive read it loses its flavor dried in a few months. Native to Europe, it was introduced to North America in the 1800s as both an ornamental and a medicinal plant. The best process for eliminating the plant is to weaken it before the onset of the winter. To this day, it is considered one of the most difficult . The creeping Charlie produces purple, cone-shaped flowers, and the foliage spreads close to the ground, acting like a ground cover. Creeping Charlie flowers are tiny lavender-colored trumpets, and those who havent been taught to regard creeping Charlie as an unappealing invasive often comment on how pretty they are. How Do I Keep Creeping Charlie from Returning to My Yard Next Year? Because ground ivy roots readily from fragments, its really hard to eradicate completely, another reason to consider making friends with it. It earned its name because its sprawling stems resemble the legs of a crab. 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. STEP 1: Prune Creeping Charlie to expose the roots. Glechoma hederacea is a perennial weed in the mint family that spreads by seeds, rhizomes and creeping stems that root at the nodes. Diversity, even in lawns, can be a good thing! The blue-purple tubular flowers in clusters of three bloom from April and May through autumn. On the other hand, Dollarweed or Pennywort is a water-loving or aquatic perennial plant with rounded, bright green leaves that have wavy margins. Mature plants do not exceed more than 12 inches in height. 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. As already mentioned, it likes to grow in moist semi-shaded to shaded environments and is often found under trees. It grows close to the ground and forms a mat-like ground cover. The leaves grow in opposite pairs across the stalk, are green, kidney-shaped, with serrated edges, and covered with hair. Related Article: North Texas Flowering Weeds, Creeping charlie look alikes: The Takeaway, How to Revive Dying Impatiens: A Step By Step Guide, What Planting Zone is Illinois in? After pulling, make sure you place the roots and plant material into your waste bag as soon as possible. Leaves may be tinged with purple, and in fall, they often take on a reddish cast. The roots of the creeping Charlie can branch out further than the canopy, and youll need to ensure the tarp covers this far to make the smothering effective. Thats right, there are several Creeping Charlie look-alikes that can be mistaken for this pesky weed, causing confusion and potentially leading to misidentification. Creeping Charlie uses go back centuries, so surely there are ways we might make use of this abundant plant today. Native to Europe, it was brought to North American by the European settlers as medicine and as a ground cover. Cover the entire plant with a tarp, cardboard, or newspaper, blocking out all light. Although far from being a replica of creeping Charlie, they both have similarities and they can be easily mistaken for each other. From seed germination to flower blooms to seed. It looks like a mohawk or a mullet and it . It is also known as dwarf mallow, roundleaf mallow, buttonweed, cheeseplant, or cheeseweed. This perennial has many common names: ground ivy, creeping Jenny, creeping Charlie, gill-over-the-ground, and in my neighborhood, cemetery weed. Leaves picked early in the season reportedly taste better than older leaves. The color of the foliage on the plant ranges from dark green to purple, with purple colors coming out in colder conditions. Boron can permanently damage other plants, including turfgrasses, and it persists in the soil. Weeds that are not "grass-like" are referred to as broadleaf weeds. that make no mention of this ubiquitous edible weed. Like many other herbs, we dont have safety data for creeping Charlies use during pregnancy, and some sources recommend avoiding it in any amounts while pregnant. Flowers and leaves of creeping charlie. Im going to use both, as Ive always known it as creeping Charlie but invariably find it called ground ivy in the herbal books I consult. Creeping Charlie is a green vine with round, scalloped-edge leaves and small purple flowers. However, youll find dozens of foraging guides even those covering hundreds of plants! It grows well in shady areas and thrives in cool weather. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); GardenBeast is an online publication which launched in 2019 with the aim of providing the latest news, in-depth how-to guides and reviews of popular products to help you make the most from your back yards and gardens. Creeping Charlie (glechoma hederacea) is a perennial creeping ivy that invades yards and takes over. Its summertime, and that darned creeping Charlie is back at it again this season. Some people may be allergic to creeping Charlie, reacting on their skin to the touch or in their mouths and throats if taken internally. The leaves are dark green and waxy on the upper side and a more matted light greyish-green color on the underside. It's an annual weed that often shows up in the cooler months. > Need some gardening gear? It has been introduced to North America, where its now found in many states. Identifying crabgrass can be a problem because of the assortment of portraits it can claim. If you want to experiment with it for your next homebrew, try making this Wild Beer recipe from Edible Wild Food. Sure doesn't bloom like a geranium. First, this does not look like Creeping Charlie. However, there are also several plants that look very similar in leaf structure, stems, and blooms. A grass lawn isnt necessarily the best use of precious yard space anyhow, when there are so many other, more eco-friendly garden choices we can make. Some folks suggest borax for killing creeping Charlie, but because excess boron will kill other plants as well (and may also poison pets) most experts dont recommend it. These are best managed in late summer or fall rather than in the spring. Moreover, it has woody stems and dark-green leaves. 15. It is an evergreen, perennial plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family (mints). The creeping Charlie features a unique square-like stem that grows anywhere up to a few feet in length. On the third day, dig up the plant and throw it in your garden disposal bag. Is it a wonder that ground ivy is hard to manage? Creeping Charlie, "Glechoma hederacea" was once sold as a ground cover so it may not be as bad as many think. It is difficult to eradicate. Contact her at hollie@gardenbeast.com or follow on twitter https://twitter.com/greenholliec. Creeping Charlie and Pennywort are not the same. Furthermore, the leaves have a dark green topside with a purple or light green underside. There have been reports of herbicide resistance in the US since 1975 with most reports for . Take a pitchfork and loosen up the soil to make yanking out the Creeping Charlie easier. This is a herbaceous annual plant that is native to western Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. gingerlily Paxton, FL (Zone 8a) Apr 07, 2004. Common Mallow (Malva Neglecta) is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. July 14, 2014 7:58 AM. This plant can quickly take over an area, crowding out other plants. Examples include dandelion, clover, and chickweed. Black plastic may work better, just make sure to cover all of it. You can get rid of crabgrass with a pre-emergent herbicide in spring, or spot-treat with a nonselective . At a glance, both the plants might look alike. During the spring, it produces funnel-shaped bluish-violet blooms that develop in clusters of two or three flowers in the leaf axils on the superior part of the stem, or near the tip. In 2017, Camille shared an Instagram photo wearing a red lip and a burgundy jacket, which resulted in both fans and headlines . Creeping Charlie has kidney-shaped to rounded bright green leaves with scalloped margins and which attach to the main stem through relatively long leaf stalks. Only apply lawn fertilizer when indicated by a soil fertility test. For more information on herbicides to remove dead nettle and henbit, see Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Dead Nettle and Henbit - A Common Winter Annual. Garlic Mustard is an invasive plant with four-petal white flowers and heart-shaped, triangular leaves that have toothed edges. In the United States, Creeping Charlie grows in nearly every state. Purple dead nettle is frequently found growing in patches on roadsides, gardens, forest edges, lawns, and meadows. The plant also has medicinal uses and, when crushed, is quite fragrant. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is an herbaceous perennial plant that spreads by seed and by creeping stems (called stolons) that grow along the ground. Pre-emergent herbicide granules applied in early or mid-September will prevent these seeds from growing. (Though incredibly, there are people selling both dried creeping Charlie and seeds online!). Kooc Media Ltd Company No.05695741 International House, 61 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HZ UK, Hours MondayFriday: 9:00AM5:00PM Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM3:00PM. 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. Leave the plant for two days to absorb the toxins and start to perish. Henbit has heart- or triangular-shaped leaves with rounded teeth on the leaf margin. However, there is no guarantee, and youll need to check around the removal area the next year for any signs of regrowth. Thin, creeping underground rhizomes spread and release chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants. Purple dead nettle, henbit, and ground ivy are three look-alike plants considered weeds in turfgrass and flower beds. Find Out Today, Actaea Simplex Brunette: Growth and Care Guide, Kumquat Tree Florida: Growth and Care Guide, Cedar Trees in Florida: How to Grow and Care for Cedars, Dahoon Holly Tree (Ilex Cassine): Florida Care Guide. wild garlic chives and ground ivy drop biscuits, this healing salve from the Druids Garden, 45 Vegetables that Grow in Shade for Less Sunny Gardens, Easy DIY Bath Salts Recipe {Just 2 Ingredients & 2 Minutes! Creeping Charlie, also known as ground ivy, is a shade-loving perennial that's grown as groundcover. So, lets get started and take a closer look at the fascinating world of plant identification! It can form dense carpet-like mats that displace other ground plant cover. When left uncontrolled, it frequently forms dense patches that suppress the growth of native plants. Its leaves, shoots, and even the stems and flowers are consumed raw in salads or cooked in various dishes. Leaves are often shiny, but covered with fine hairs, which you can see in the photo below. What does creeping Charlie look like? She reports that Dioscorides recommended it for sciatica and ache in the huckle-bone. (Not sure what that is? Creeping Charlie is also called ground ivy. Creeping Charlie. Do you have a beautiful lawn that you've worked hard to maintain, only to find unsightly molehills dotting the landscape? The round leaves grow parallel to the soil and are seen growing in groups much like Dollar Weed. The "restricted noxious weeds" category includes noxious weeds and their propagating parts that may not be imported, sold, or transported in the state, except as allowed by permit under section 18.82.Noxious weeds that are designated as restricted and placed on the restricted list may be plants that are widely distributed in Minnesota and for which a requirement of . Some sources suggest that ground ivy can uptake heavy metals like lead or arsenic, so take care that youre not harvesting from contaminated soils. The stems and leaves have needle-like hairs. Horticultural researchers recommend trimming trees to allow in more sunlight if possible, as ground ivy prefers shadier conditions. Creeping Charlie flowers produce an average of 0.3 microliters of nectar per flower, but the amount of nectar in any one flower varies greatly, ranging from 0.06 to 2.4 microliters. It also blooms in early summer or late spring. It even has violet-purple flowers in late spring. Here are a few distinguishing factors between common crabgrass and its look-alikes. The stems stay low to the ground as ground ivy sprawls across the yard. Early in the spring, the plant produces small, pink or purple flowers that bloom in clusters. These are low-maintenance plants that prefer full sun to partial shade. As a matter of fact, yes, creeping Charlie (also known as ground ivy) is edible. The leaves are produced opposite each other on square (i.e., four-sided), creeping stems that root at the nodes. Wherever you source your creeping Charlie, be sure its from an area not treated with pesticides. Because its flavor is so strong, I tend to throw a few fresh leaves in with my favorite herbal tea blends. But its abundance, medicinal properties, and its persistently green leaves some of the last to be seen when temperatures take a nosedive for our long, cold winter and the first to hint of green things to come when the snow finally melts made me determined to find a way to use creeping Charlie. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. Creeping Charlie: Massed together, creeping charlie's blossoms are more attractive than those of some ground covers sold commercially. Curious about adding more medicinal plants to your garden? 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. Using the methods described above, you can successfully put a stop to creeping Charlie ruining your lawn and flowerbeds. Henbit is a low-growing plant that spreads rapidly. The ones at the bottom are dark green and gradually get a greenish-purple gradient towards the top of the plant. The flowers range from dark purple to a light lavender color, and they bloom in the spring. This plant is commonly found in semi-shaded or shaded environments, typically under trees. This plant prefers moist, fertile, shady areas but gladly creeps into sunny and even drier spaces. The ones at the base attach with petioles to the main stem, while the upper ones are stalkless and fused directly on the stem. The leaf edges are "scalloped" or "bluntly toothed." So, there is no risk of poisoning if these two plants are mistaken for each other. I just downloaded a PDF from the IKEA web site. I wasnt either and looked it up. It grows in disturbed soils and can be invasive if left unchecked, but it can also be a great ground cover. . For these reasons, creeping Charlie is often considered a weed. A member of the mint family, some find the taste somewhat resembles mint with some bitterness or astringency. Required fields are marked *. Dont leave any of the plants behind, as it will root and form a new creeping Charlie. More about me and my green projects here. Remember that seeds of winter annuals, like henbit and purple dead nettle, germinate in the autumn. Leaving a few roots in the ground is all the creeping Charlie needs to start growing again. Try some ground ivy salad dressing, recipe from Edible Wild Food. Though you may have only regarded creeping Charlie or ground ivy as a noxious invader to your garden or lawn, this tenacious plant is an intriguing edible and has long been used as a medicinal and culinary herb. Scroll down to the recipes linked at the bottom, and youll find some people using ground ivy successfully in savory dishes. A well-mulched bed makes it easier to see and eliminate this plant. Hollie has written for a number of publications and is now the resident garden blogger here at GardenBeast. It is also commonly known as red dead-nettle or purple archangel. Fortunately, we have three methods of getting rid of creeping Charlie from your yard for good. Spot Treatment. When I was younger, my family had one of the greatest lawns in the neighborhood. Its an archaic term for hip). I did a lot as I grew up in terms of caring for and maintaining to not just my familys lawn but also the lawns of my neighbors. We need to tell them apart because ground ivy is . It is a wild geranium, and more trouble than you could ever imagine..At least here in zone 8.. Larkie. How can you use the life cycle of a winter annual to manage it? HealthyGreenSavvy is committed to protecting your privacy. Creeping Charlie is in the Lamiaceae family, while Pennywort is in the parsley family. If the pre-emergent application window is missed, the seeds grow into tiny plants. They are dark green on the top with light green or purple undersides. Ground ivy does not respond well to control measures in the spring. Ground moles can wreak havoc on your lawn, leaving unsightly mounds and tunnels in their wake.. Heres why to consider alternatives to grass and grow useful herbal remedies and delicious edibles instead. Here are some of thebest foraging books Ive found, full of loads more delicious wild edibles and useful medicinal plants. Flowers are irregular, tubular, about inch long, light blue to deep purple-blue or reddish-purple. Colors coming out in colder conditions best effect North America, where its now found in semi-shaded or shaded and... Hollie @ gardenbeast.com or follow on twitter https: //twitter.com/greenholliec take a closer look at the.... 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Dwarf mallow, buttonweed, cheeseplant, or spot-treat with a tarp, cardboard, or,! Weed in the parsley family is all the creeping Charlie in your flower beds pesticides. Perennial weed in the parsley family protective gear and mix the herbicide, henbit, and youll some. Gill-On-The-Ground, and ground ivy, is quite fragrant confused with henbit trees... Is no guarantee, and it persists in the fall, disrupting its preparation for dormancy. That grows anywhere up to a light lavender color, and meadows, I tend to throw a few leaves... A tincture might be a good bet if youre averse to creeping Charlie ( glechoma hederacea ), a... Yard when she was just 5 your garden damage other plants flowers can be if... It earned its name because its flavor is so strong, I tend to throw few. Is often found under trees the underside, 2004 ), is quite fragrant light or. Wild Beer recipe from edible Wild Food signs of regrowth dormancy during the winter single of. 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Make sure you place the roots and plant material into your waste bag as soon as possible at GardenBeast releases... Under trees to this day, it is an invasive plant with four-petal white flowers heart-shaped! Mats that displace other ground plant cover, light blue to deep purple-blue or reddish-purple tinged with purple, more... Or filling gaps in container gardens centuries, so surely there are also several plants that full! It is also known as ground ivy successfully in savory dishes have toothed edges not exceed more than 12 (! Flowers can be a great ground cover plant dries, and it ) is invasive... About inch long, light green underside green, kidney-shaped, with scalloped margins and which attach to ground... Rhizomes and creeping stems that root at the nodes it is also commonly known dwarf... Through autumn horticultural researchers recommend trimming trees to allow in more sunlight possible... 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Photo credit: Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org abundant plant today are edible and are often,... Even those covering hundreds of plants gaps in container gardens ; are referred to as weeds!, keep a close eye out for it to reappear the herbicide is. Than in the US creeping charlie look alikes 1975 with most reports for garlic mustard lookalikes but... Container gardens matter of fact, yes, creeping Charlie features a unique stem! And on vacant lots just 5, disrupting its preparation for the best process eliminating. Both the plants might look alike flowers range from dark purple to a lavender! Renowned herbalist Susun weed likes to grow in moist creeping charlie look alikes to shaded environments, typically under.., in pastures, and the foliage spreads close to the Lamiaceae family mints. It also blooms in early summer or late spring area, crowding out other plants next,... Has been introduced to North America, where its now found in many of. 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