Glechoma hederacea (Ground Ivy, Creeping Charlie) - photos and description
Patch of many plants
Flowers two-lipped, the upper lip cleft, the bottom lip with a
central lobe and two lateral lobes.
The calyx about half as long as the corolla, and the flowers have
short pedicels.
Nodes on the stem have two tufts of hairs, growing on opposite sides
of the stem.
Leaves petiolate, orbicular with a cordate base.
General: Stoloniferous, escaped ornamental groundcover. Plants have a semi-decumbent to erect growth habit, stems square, upper most stem with purple colouring, calyxes and petioles pubescent. Tufts of hairs grow on the leaf nodes, each tuft grows on opposite sides of the stem.
Flowers: Flowers purple-blue, in pairs from leaf axils, the flowers have short stems (pedicels). The flowers are two-lipped, the upper lip cleft, the bottom lip with a central lobe and two lateral lobes. We measured a flower at 9 mm long, the calyx was 5 mm long, and the corolla grew for 4 mm longer than the calyx.
Leaves: Opposite on the stem, orbicular, petiolate, margins crenate. We measured a leaf at 15 mm long and 13 mm wide.
Height: We measured plants 5 to 15 cm tall.
Habitat: Lawns, waste ground.
Abundance: Uncommon.
Origin: Introduced.
Similar species: This plant is similar to another escaped ornamental groundcover - Lamium amplexicaule (Henbit). The latter plant's upper leaves and flowers are sessile; while with Glechoma hederacea the upper leaves are petiolate, and the flowers pedicellate.
When and where photographed: Took the above photos June 7th, in a grassy laneway beside a city park in our home in Regina, SK.