Ground Ivy

  • Ground Ivy
Ground Ivy

Scientific Name: Glechoma hederacea L.
Other Names: Creeping charlie, field balm, cats-foot, and gill-over-the-hill.
Life Cycle: perennial
General Description: Perennial with creeping square stems and rounded leaves.
Seedlings: Cotyledons are spatulate and located on the end of a long stalk. Leaves are opposite and shiny on the upper surface. A few sparse hairs may be present. Seedlings are rarely found.
True Leaves and Stem: Stems and leaves are mostly smooth with a few hairs. Leaves are opposite and round, while leaf margins are made up of rounded teeth. Stems are square and root at nodes.
Roots: Fiberous, but has rhizomes also.
Flower and Fruit: Pinkish-purple flowers found at the end of long trailing vegetative stems. Petals are tubular. Fruit are egg-shaped nutlets (flat on two sides, round on the third).
Other Information: Has a distinctive "minty" smell (member of mint family).