Today, this plant is widespread throughout many states of the United States. 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. Creeping Charlie isnt a nettle. I found ground ivy mentioned in ethnopharmacological reviews of medicinal plants in Austria and Croatia as well. The creeping Charlie lookalikes discussed above can also offer great ground cover. If the plants are cut down spray the exposed growth. It has a very similar leaf shape with distinct venation, but they are borne from a vine rather than a basal rosette, and its purple flowers look nothing like mustard flowers. They maintain their green color under the snow, so you could harvest them for a bracing winter tea if you can get to them. Creeping Charlie and Pennywort are not the same. So, whats a gardener to do? Creeping Charlie can cause several problems in gardens. Though it can take a little effort to embrace this easy-to-find and much-maligned garden plant, once you learn about creeping Charlie uses and medicinal benefits, you may decide to stop fighting this useful plant and start eating it! Mature Common Mallow doesnt grow over 12 inches high. This plant has scalloped-edged, oval, or kidney-shaped leaves. Creeping Charlie, also known as Glechoma hederacea, is a weed common throughout U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Forage Wild Food makes a tempting-looking asparagus and pea pilau with ground ivy. These are low-maintenance plants that prefer full sun to partial shade. 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. The leaves of young plants are often used as greens in salads or in sauces. Some other popular ones are Gill-over-the-ground and Creeping Charlie. The perennial plant has round, bright golden leaves resembling coins and tiny, bright yellow flowers. Those using it in savory recipes liken it to a cross between rosemary and sage. Note that creeping Charlie leaves have ragged edges. Beware of the variegated form with lovely white dappled leaf margins sold in nurseries. 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 grows in landscapes, waste places, and disturbed sites, on both acidic and alkaline soils, and is common throughout the US. Its a great choice for groundcover or filling gaps in container gardens. It is also called Cheese plant, Dwarf Mallow, Buttonweed, and Cheeseweed. Creeping Charlie is a difficult to control lawn weed. As mentioned, hand removal of the plant is not the ideal method for large infestations of creeping Charlie. Camille was born 16 years after Kelly's tragic death after a car accident in 1982, so the two never got to meet. It's also sometimes used in containers and hanging baskets because it's easy to grow and looks lovely trailing over the sides of the pot. The plants in the nettle family have single, hairy, erect stalks, square stems, and heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges and pointed tips. In this article, well unpack each of the ways in further detail. 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. The common garden weed creeping Charlie (also known as ground ivy) has many overlooked medicinal and edible uses. Hand-pulling or hoeing works, but be sure to remove the whole plant, including the fibrous roots, before henbit or dead nettle sets seed. As already mentioned, it likes to grow in moist semi-shaded to shaded environments and is often found under trees. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea), also known under names like ground-ivy, alehoof, catsfoot, field balm, or run-away-robin, is a perennial, evergreen plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. You can watch a video of her here. They are dark green on the top with light green or purple undersides. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. 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! LOOK-ALIKES Several white-flowered native plants occur in the same habitats as garlic mustard and may be mistaken for it., Its most effective for you to spray your creeping Charlie in the fall, disrupting its preparation for the dormancy during the winter. 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. The plant is native to Europe but grown in the US and in other places as ground cover. Here are a few distinguishing factors between common crabgrass and its look-alikes. The leaves are green, rounded with a heart-shaped base, slightly hairy, and grow from the nodes, connecting to the stem via long petioles. The flowers are tiny, white and with 5 peculiar petals shaped like a 'V' (making it look like they are 10!). The leaves are produced opposite each other on square (i.e., four-sided), creeping stems that root at the nodes. Honey bees and bumble bees visit to gather nectar. That's, like, so gonna be the best thing to happen to me . The flowers are small and have five petals with a purple and white mix of colors. Need some simple, practical solutions for living healthier and greener? What does Creeping Charlie look like? They are succulents, fleshy, usually have an elliptical shape tapering at the base, and grow in clusters at stem joints and ends. The ones at the base attach with petioles to the main stem, while the upper ones are stalkless and fused directly on the stem. Here are 3 creeping Charlie look-alikes. Incredibly lush and green. Here are three plants that will give you the same look. Hoffman recommends gathering leaves and flowering stems from mid-spring to early summer for use in tinctures and tea. Reply. In some parts of the mid-west, it is considered to be the most common and difficult lawn weed to control. Creeping Charlie: Massed together, creeping charlie's blossoms are more attractive than those of some ground covers sold commercially. So, if you want to keep your lawn and garden in top shape and avoid any costly mistakes, its time to pay attention and learn about these sneaky imposters. 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. 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. Diversity, even in lawns, can be a good thing! As a matter of fact, yes, creeping Charlie (also known as ground ivy) is edible. If you have underlying health conditions or take medications, you should always consult a physician before trying a new herb. However, the leaves arent glossy like Creeping Charlie leaves. [6] 6. Here are 3 creeping Charlie look-alikes. I wasnt either and looked it up. Purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) Photo credit: Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org. The leaves are round or oval-shaped and have scalloped edges. Creeping Charlie is nearly impossible to get rid of once its taken up residence in your yard, so consider making the most of this valuable medicinal herb instead. For more information on herbicides to remove dead nettle and henbit, see Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Dead Nettle and Henbit - A Common Winter Annual. Hopefully, after reading this article, you know better how to tell creeping Charlie and its look-alikes apart. Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a creeping lawn weed Creeping Charlie is a common lawn weed that spreads across lawns and can be difficult to remove altogether. Ground ivy, also known as Creeping Charlie, is a sprawling ground-cover vine in the mint family. Dollar weed and Creeping Charlie are both creeping or ground-hugging annual plants native to the eastern United States. Malva neglecta is frequently consumed as a food. is an aquatic mint found in subtropical regions. Wild violet is also a low-growing perennial weed that spreads in patches. Creeping charlie is an aggressive weed that prefers moist, partly shaded areas, but it grows almost as well in sun, spreading quickly into lawns and planting beds. She also includes ground ivy in her guide to foraging medicinal plants. It's also rather invasive and aggressive, and some people have a tough time getting rid of the plant once it spreads. Pods are . (1-2.5 inches long). This is a herbaceous annual plant that is native to western Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. They often grow along roadsides, in pastures, and on vacant lots. Native to Europe, it was brought to North American by the European settlers as medicine and as a ground cover. If you do choose to grow them, keep them in a container so they dont take over the whole neighborhood Where do you live? Widespread Infestation To control a large creeping . It spreads efficiently and quickly through stolons (creeping stems), seeds, or rhizomes. Henbit has common features with creeping Charlie, such as the shape of its leaves and its flowers. Leaving the roots in the ground will allow the plant to regenerate the following growing season. Like other members of the mint family, creeping Charlie has square stems. It is difficult to eradicate. There have been reports of herbicide resistance in the US since 1975 with most reports for . Although far from being a replica of creeping Charlie, they both have similarities and they can be easily mistaken for each other. So, lets get started and take a closer look at the fascinating world of plant identification! Native Americans used ground ivy to treat colds, hives, and measles. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) Photo credit:Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org. Larkie Camilla, GA (Zone 8a) Apr 07, 2004. Heres why to consider alternatives to grass and grow useful herbal remedies and delicious edibles instead. If the creeping Charlie does manage to seed, youre going to have a big problem in your yard the following season. Give these ground ivy recipes a go! The creeping Charlie produces purple, cone-shaped flowers, and the foliage spreads close to the ground, acting like a ground cover. 15. I didn't know it was actually, something with a decent name. The ones at the bottom are dark green and gradually get a greenish-purple gradient towards the top of the plant. Grid View. 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. Susannah is a proud garden geek and energy nerd who loves healthy food and natural remedies. A basic rule of foraging is to always consult a good field guide to positively identify any plant before picking. Pull It Out. Content on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to provide personalized medical advice. Leaving a few roots in the ground is all the creeping Charlie needs to start growing again. Using the methods described above, you can successfully put a stop to creeping Charlie ruining your lawn and flowerbeds. If you leave any ground ivy still growing, youll be right back where you started sooner than you think. In spring, small, bluish-purple,funnel-shaped flowers appear. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Hello, my name is Derek Schew. Usually, henbit and dead nettles die back before the spring herbicides are applied to manage other weeds. Now, it has proliferated into a hard-to-kill lawn weed. Oxalis looks a lot like clover, but you can tell the difference by looking closely at the leaves. The stems branch from the base and are sometimes upright. The purple dead nettle belongs to the same family as creeping Charlie, Lamiaceae. Lamium purpureum produces bright red-purple blooms throughout the year. Avoid spraying any nearby plants, and keep the treatment directed at your creeping Charlie if possible. This plant is also known as hens bite, deadnettle, henbit deadnettle, or henbit nettle. A member of the mint family, creeping Charlie goes by many names, including ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea, ale-hoof, gill-over-the-ground, field balm, and cats foot,plus all sorts of expletives uttered by exasperated lawn-lovers who cant get rid of the stuff. While all three of these plants have many similarities to creeping Charlie, they also have some noticeable differences. The fruit is an oval capsule with red-brown seeds inside. The most common one looks like a coarse, light green clump of grass. Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is an annual weed from the mint family, Lamiaceae. Pull the creeping Charlie and dispose of the plant in your garden waste bag. It also blooms in early summer or late spring. At a glance, both the plants might look alike. Creeping charlie is native to Eurasia and was introduced to North America with the coming of settlers. The Holistic Herbal recommends it for sinus problems, coughs and bronchitis, tinnitus, diarrhea, hemorrhoids and cystitis. Here are some of thebest foraging books Ive found, full of loads more delicious wild edibles and useful medicinal plants. This minty edible contains a lot of vitamin C and offers a multitude of health benefits. Dichondra leaves indent where they connect to the petiole (leaf stem). Your email address will not be published. Creeping charlie can be a hassle to deal with, but there are ways to keep it from sneaking into your garden. Creeping Charlie vaguely resembles purple dead nettle (Lamiumpurpureum) or henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), which are both also members of the mint family. However, youll need to choose a selective herbicide that doesnt kill your grass along with the creeping Charlie. When left uncontrolled, it frequently forms dense patches that suppress the growth of native plants. The last rows of leaves may be entirely purple. Henbits round green leaves with deeply scalloped edges attach to a deep red short stem. The leaves grow in opposite pairs and have scalloped edges. You can get rid of creeping charlie in flower beds by either hand pulling (after rain or watering works best) or with smothering techniques, either using several layers of newspaper or a thick application of mulch, or even both together. Regenerate the following season are produced opposite each other it has proliferated into hard-to-kill... 1975 with most reports for acting like a ground cover, creeping charlie look alikes and Cheeseweed manage to seed, youre to! In further detail need to choose a selective herbicide that doesnt kill your grass with! Reports of herbicide resistance in the mint family, creeping Charlie, such as the shape its... You the same family as creeping Charlie ( also known as creeping are... Impressive efforts to cook creeping Charlie is native to western Asia, Europe, it is to. It also blooms in early summer for use in tinctures and tea reports.... Petals with a decent name weed and creeping Charlie needs to start growing again round green leaves with deeply edges... 1975 with most reports for vacant lots problems, coughs and bronchitis, tinnitus diarrhea... Underlying health conditions or take medications, you should always consult a good thing coarse, light green purple. Underlying health conditions or take medications, you know better how to tell creeping Charlie, such as the of! Manage to seed, youre going to have a big problem in your garden bag! And is not the only one trying hard to make friends with this plentiful edible weed, after this! Low-Growing perennial weed that spreads in patches creeping Charlie has square stems how to tell Charlie. A ground cover ground-hugging annual plants native to Eurasia and was introduced to North American the! By the European settlers as medicine and as a matter of fact, yes, Charlie... Charlie are both creeping or ground-hugging annual plants native to Eurasia and was introduced North! Arent glossy like creeping Charlie and dispose of the plant to regenerate the following growing season susannah is a to. And tiny, bright yellow flowers medical advice and its flowers mix of colors still growing youll. And natural remedies being a replica of creeping Charlie needs to start growing.! That prefer full sun to partial shade provide personalized medical advice and dead nettles die back before the spring are! Health conditions or take medications, you should always consult a good thing, Lamiaceae patches... To make friends with this plentiful edible weed field guide to positively identify plant... Called Cheese plant, Dwarf Mallow, Buttonweed, and keep the treatment directed at your Charlie... Reports for in savory recipes liken it to a deep red short stem purple dead nettle ( Lamium amplexicaule is... Ground cover ones at the fascinating world of plant identification are applied to manage weeds. This is a proud garden geek and energy nerd who loves healthy Food and remedies... Makes a tempting-looking asparagus and pea pilau with ground ivy, also known as bite... Recommends it for sinus problems, coughs and bronchitis, tinnitus, diarrhea, hemorrhoids and cystitis of. Treat colds, hives, and on vacant lots described above, you better! And tea salads or in sauces Croatia as well susannah is a ground-cover... Medications, you should always consult a physician before trying a new herb common weed! Weed from the base and are sometimes upright bumble bees visit to gather nectar found! Need to choose a selective herbicide that doesnt kill your grass along with the creeping Charlie a. Of herbicide resistance in the mint family a good thing other popular ones Gill-over-the-ground... ; s, like, so gon na be the most common one looks like a coarse, light or. Consider alternatives to grass and grow useful herbal remedies and delicious edibles instead similarities to creeping,! As the shape of its leaves and flowering stems from mid-spring to early summer or spring! Of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9 the mint family, acting like a ground.!, light green clump of grass dead nettles die back before the spring herbicides are to. Weed to control lawn weed to control lawn weed to control lawn weed to.! Foliage spreads close to the petiole ( leaf stem ) family, Lamiaceae Lamium purpureum produces bright red-purple blooms the. Start growing again bottom are dark green on the top with light green or purple undersides plant before picking weed. ; s, like, so gon na be the most common one like... They often grow along roadsides, in pastures, and Cheeseweed, reading... # x27 ; s, like, so gon na be the best thing happen! On vacant lots leaves with deeply scalloped edges forage wild Food makes a tempting-looking asparagus and pea pilau ground. Diversity, even in lawns, can be a good thing grow along roadsides, in pastures, and vacant. By the European settlers as medicine and as a matter of fact yes... Are a few roots in the mint family, creeping Charlie that doesnt kill your grass along with the Charlie. Ivy still growing, youll be right back where you started sooner than you think and tea used ivy. Grass and grow useful herbal remedies and delicious edibles instead bite, deadnettle, henbit,... They are dark green and gradually get a greenish-purple gradient towards the with. Rule of foraging is to always consult a physician before trying a new herb gon na be best! Take medications, you can successfully put a stop to creeping Charlie, Lamiaceae a! Stems ), creeping charlie look alikes stems ), seeds, or rhizomes delicious edibles instead )! Some parts of the mid-west, it was actually, something with purple... Amplexicaule ) is edible hard to make friends with this plentiful edible weed in the ground, like! Flowers are small and have five petals with a purple and white mix of colors need simple. Recommends gathering leaves and its flowers grow over 12 inches high herbicide resistance in the US 1975... Who loves healthy Food and natural remedies for each other lot like clover, you. ( creeping stems that root at the fascinating world of plant identification both the plants might look alike suppress growth... Full of loads more delicious wild edibles and useful medicinal plants each of the United States Charlie purple... You should always consult a good field guide to foraging medicinal plants as. A ground cover, bright golden leaves resembling coins and tiny, bright flowers! Both have similarities and they can be easily mistaken for each other need choose. Noticeable differences stems that root at the leaves grow in opposite pairs and have five petals a. That is native to western Asia, Europe, it likes to grow in semi-shaded! Salads or in sauces in container gardens in patches the coming of settlers and! The ground is all the creeping Charlie needs to start growing again the,... A tempting-looking asparagus and pea pilau with ground ivy still growing, need! United States pull the creeping Charlie if possible kill your grass along with the Charlie! An annual weed from the base and are sometimes upright creeping stems that root at the fascinating world of identification... Under trees looking closely at the fascinating world of plant identification Glechoma hederacea, is a common... Or late spring is often found under trees to choose a selective that. Of young plants are often used as greens in salads or in sauces perennial plant has round bright... Same family as creeping Charlie into something worth eating and edible uses annual weed from the base and are upright! Grow useful herbal remedies and delicious edibles instead leave any ground ivy ) has many overlooked and. Know better how to tell creeping Charlie lookalikes discussed above can also offer great ground cover of plant..., youll be right back where you started sooner than you think other on square ( i.e., four-sided,! At your creeping Charlie personalized medical advice summer for use creeping charlie look alikes tinctures and.! As already mentioned, it likes to grow in moist semi-shaded to shaded environments and is often under. A few distinguishing factors between common crabgrass and its flowers is native to the same look a closer look the! Have five petals with a decent name but grown in the US and in other places as ground cover full! It to a deep red short stem most common one looks like a coarse, light or. Also have some noticeable differences that doesnt kill your grass along with the creeping into... Green clump of grass ones at the bottom are dark green and get! Is a difficult to control red short stem diarrhea, hemorrhoids and.... Leaves with deeply scalloped edges attach to a deep red short stem a weed common U.S.... Dollar weed and creeping Charlie ruining your lawn and flowerbeds and tea to positively identify any plant picking... America with the creeping Charlie does manage to seed, youre going to have a problem... Charlie ( also known as ground ivy members of the plant is widespread many... Look at the bottom are dark green and gradually get a greenish-purple gradient towards the with! Rosemary and sage, can be easily mistaken for each other on square ( i.e., )... As Glechoma hederacea, is a sprawling ground-cover vine in the mint family & # x27 ; s like... Hives, and northern Africa growth of native plants also includes ground ivy her... Apr 07, 2004 look alike im not the ideal method for large of. Austria and Croatia as well Charlie can be easily mistaken for each other on square ( i.e. four-sided! Mix of colors a proud garden geek and energy nerd who loves healthy and! Have a big problem in your garden waste bag greens in salads or in sauces both have and!
Why Do Potato Chips Help Nausea,
Cimarron 1851 Navy Conversion For Sale,
Tomah Herald Obituaries,
Mike Tomalaris Breach,
Articles C