Ground Ivy
Glechoma hederacea
How to Identify Ground Ivy
Leaves
Kidney shaped with rounded teeth. Green in color and sometimes slightly maroon. Tearing releases a subtle minty odor.
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Flowers
Flowers bloom from April to June. The blue-violet flowers grow in groups of 2 or 3.
Stem
Stems are square. Leaves grow opposite each other. This is a common feature of plants in the mint family.​​
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Clusters
Grows in dense clusters close to the ground. ​
Look-a-Likes
Ground ivy looks similar to Henbit and Purple Dead Nettle.
However, no need to fear! These plants are also safe to eat. ​​
Purple Dead Nettle
(Lamium purpureum)
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Image: https://practicalselfreliance.com/purple-dead-nettle/
You Can't Sit With Us!
Ground Ivy, also known as Creeping Charlie, Gill-Over-the-Ground, or Glechoma hederaceae, is not a true ivy. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. Many of its popular family members are cherished by pizza lovers (Basil), gum chewers (Spearmint), and furry friends (Catnip). Yet in today’s world, Ground Ivy does not come close to the fame and recognition received by its relatives. It is sadly overlooked as a pesky weed despite its historical significance in medicine, brewing beer, and witch-finding.
Why is Charlie Creeping?
Ground Ivy forms thick clusters thanks to its creeping stems, hence the nickname “Creeping Charlie.” Its above-ground runners, or stolons, allow it to creep along the ground and establish roots at every node (where the leaf meets the stem)(1). Because of this, it can create thick mats covering several feet.
Stolons That Allow Ground Ivy to "Creep" Along the Ground ​
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Image: Dr. Lambert McCarty. Clemson University. Clemson, SC.
Culpeper's English Physician and Complete Herbal (1813)​
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https://www.biblio.com/book/culpepers-english-physician-complete-herbal-which/d/1431880233
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Early Medicine
Ground Ivy is native to the British Isles(2). For hundreds of years the herb was a popular medicine used to treat an abundance of ailments including “the pin and web (cataracts)…against the ringing sound of ears (tinnitus),”(2). The plant was also used to make Gill tea (more on this etymology later), a common cough remedy(2). Recent research has confirmed that Ground Ivy is packed full of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds(3).
Ale Yes!
People have been brewing beer for thousands of years(4). But Hops, the popular ingredient used for flavoring beer, was not used for the beer making process until the 8th century in Germany and took several centuries to spread to other European countries(4). Before Hops, people used a variety of herbs to dispatch unwanted bacteria(4).
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In England, Ground Ivy was the most popular herb for flavoring beer(4). Additionally, Ground Ivy’s antimicrobial and antioxidant properties(3) increase an ale’s shelf life for a few days(5).
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However, Hops’ eventually became the dominant flavoring agent in the 16th century(2) because it’s antimicrobial properties(6) extended the shelf life for several weeks, which meant beer could be sold to distant cities, increasing economic growth(5).
Gill-Over-the-Ground
​A gill(4) is a common liquid unit for serving ale in the United Kingdom from the 1400s to about the 1800s. A gill was approximately half a pint or a quarter of a pint depending on the time and place. One of the common names for the plant is Gill-Over-the-Ground.
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Others historians think the name may come from the French word “guiller” which is a verb for “ferment”(4).
Either way, it’s obvious that besides providing medicine, Ground Ivy has provided several ways of lifting people’s spirits.
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19th Century Irish Measuring Jug Marked "1 Gill"
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Witch, please!
​​During the Swiss witch trials, there was a superstition that Ground Ivy worn with Rue, Agrimony, Maiden-Hair, and Broom Straw would allow one to identify witches(4).
Perhaps Ground’s Ivy’s ability to treat eye-related ailments in humans and livestock(7) influenced the belief that it could bestow special vision.
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Red, White, and Violet
Ground Ivy is thought to have been brought to North America sometime around the early 1800s. The herb was imported intentionally for medicinal and other uses(8).
The herb was able to spread quickly due to increased human mobility around the continent and ability to grow on disturbed land(8). ​
Oldest available North American specimen of Glechoma hederacea
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Two is Company, Ivy's a Crowd
​According to invasive.org, Ground Ivy is a weed that crowds out native plants. The plant's ability to grow in thick clusters threatens the uniformity of grass lawns. However, outside of the lawn environment, Ground Ivy is hardly an issue. A study by Hutchings et al (1999) clarifies that Ground Ivy more commonly infiltrates vegetation rather than dominate it.
Family Reunion
Like the Dandelion, Ground Ivy is another plant that has been unfairly roped into the same category with harmful plants such as Japanese Knotweed and Garlic Mustard. Maybe one day Ground Ivy will join its relatives in the spotlight again. After all, most well-known herbs of the mint family (Basil, Catnip, etc) are also non-native to North America and have similar growth patterns.
However, by recognizing the history and uses of this herb, it can be cleared of its bad reputation, much like Ground Ivy has been used to clear and disinfect beer. Instead of removing this herb from the land, try incorporating it into a meal alongside its family. In the words of Alexis Nikole, "Snack Don't Spray." Or in the case of Ground Ivy, drink don't spray.
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(Warning: Please don't use Ground Ivy to accuse nieghbors of witchcraft.)
Harvesting
The whole plant is edible.
Learn about which parts of the plants and at what time of the year they can be harvested once you've identified ground ivy.
Whole Plant
Harvest in the spring. Simply pull at the plant and the long stolons easily come up in long vines. While the whole plant has a minty aroma, it is strongest in the leaves.
Flowers
Flowers bloom from April to June. Pollinators like them so be sure to leave some behind.
Recipes
Now that we have our harvest, it is time to start cooking. Find out the flavors of each part of the plant and what dishes they taste great in. Then check out the recipes below.
Flavor: mint, sage, rosemary
Raw
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salad
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garnish
Cooked
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tea
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soups
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References
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Hutchings, M. J., & Elizabeth, A. C. P. (1999). Glechoma hederacea L. (nepeta glechoma benth., N. hederacea (L.) trev.). Journal of Ecology, 87(2), 347–364. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2648325
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Šeremet D, Durgo K, Kosanović J, HuÄ‘ek Turković A, Mandura Jarić A, Vojvodić Cebin A, Komes D. Studying the Functional Potential of Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) Extract Using an In Vitro Methodology. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 30;24(23):16975. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316975. PMID: 38069297; PMCID: PMC10707382.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10707382/
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Mitich, L. (1994). Ground Ivy. Weed Technology, 8(2), 413–415. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3988130
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Klimczak, K., Cioch-Skoneczny, M. & Poreda, A. Physicochemical characterization of spontaneously fermented gruit beer: historic revival and analysis. Eur Food Res Technol 250, 1123–1133 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-023-04450-3
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Bartmańska A, Wałecka-Zacharska E, Tronina T, Popłoński J, Sordon S, Brzezowska E, Bania J, Huszcza E. Antimicrobial Properties of Spent Hops Extracts, Flavonoids Isolated Therefrom, and Their Derivatives. Molecules. 2018 Aug 17;23(8):2059. doi: 10.3390/molecules23082059. PMID: 30126093; PMCID: PMC6222488.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6222488/
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United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Ground Ivy [Fact Sheet]. (https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_glhe2.pdf
Scholler, M. and Böllmann, J. (2004), Glechoma hederacea (Lamiaceae) in North America: invasion history and current distribution†. Feddes Repert., 115: 178-188. https://doi.org/10.1002/fedr.200311035