Ontario Weeds: Ground
Table of Contents
- Other Names
- General Description
- Stems and Roots
- Flowers and Fruit
- Similar Species
- Related Links
Name: Ground-ivy, Glechoma hederacea
Other Names: lierre terrestre, Creeping
Charlie, Gill-over-the-ground, gléchome lierre, lierre-terrestre
Family: Mint Family (Labiatae)
General Description: Perennial, reproducing
by seed and by creeping stems.
Photos and Pictures
Ground ivy, in a lawn.
Ground ivy. Portion of a "creeping" stem lying
on the ground surface, rooting from every node, as well as producing
leaves and upright shoots from most nodes.
Stems & Roots: Stems prostrate,
rooting at every node which touches the ground, producing short,
erect, leafy branches 10-30cm (4-12in.) high and slightly hairy;
leaves opposite (2 per node), long-stalked, hairy, green or somewhat
purplish; margins coarsely round-toothed to wavy-toothed.
Flowers & Fruit: Flowers 1 to
several (usually in pairs) in axils of upper leaves; calyx short,
tubular with 5 short, sharp, soft points; corolla blue-violet to
purplish, about 10-23mm (2/5-7/8in.) long and 6-10mm (¼-2/5in.)
wide, of 5 united petals, irregular, tubular, 2-lipped at the end,
the upper lip with 2 shallow lobes and the lower lip with 3 larger
lobes; each flower producing 4 tiny nutlets ("seeds").
The leaves and stems have a strong, disagreeable, almost rancid
mint-like odour but the flowers are sweeter and they are sometimes
used as a garnish when icing cakes. Flowers from late spring until
Habitat: Ground-ivy occurs throughout
Ontario but is much more common in the southern parts of the province,
infesting gardens, roadsides, waste areas, pastures, open woods
and occasionally edges of cultivated fields.
Similar Species: It is distinguished from
other low-growing plants by its creeping square stems, opposite,
long-stalked, rounded to kidney-shaped leaves with round or wavy
teeth, prominent axillary blue to purplish flowers and strong, rather
rancid, mint-like odour.
... on general Weed
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA
Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA
Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control
to the Ontario Weeds Gallery |