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Warning! This is an
invasive plant, which has the potential to aggressivley crowd out native species. Learn
more about invasive plants!
Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea)
Image ID: 2019/yrt263
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Other common names: Gill-over-the-ground
Invasive
Family:
Lamiaceae (Mint)
Height: 0.1 to 0.67 ft.
Blooms: March to
July
Leaf Type:
lobed
Bloom Size: 0.5 in. (typical)
Flower Description:
Flat or rounded clusters,
Fused petals, 10 or more parts
Location: Youghiogheny River Trail
Date: 6/15/2019
More photos of this flower
Ground Ivy may be
easily confused with:
- Bugle
Bugle had flowers in a raceme (above the leaves), while ground ivy has flowers in the axils.
- Lyre-Leaved Sage
Ground ivy has leaves all along the plant, while the sage flowers grow on a spike above the leaves.
- Purple Dead Nettle
Purple dead nettle has purplish upper leaves and a "pouched" flower. Flower of ground ivy has a prominent, open lower lip.
Folklore, History, and Other Facts
The following information is taken from my great-grandmother's copy of
The Herbalist (1918).
This information is presented for historic purposes only, as many remedies recommended by this book
are toxic!
We started out as wildflowers from the bicycle trails of western Pennsylvania, but we've
grown!
Meyer, Joseph E. (1918). The Herbalist and Herb Doctor. Hammond, Ind.: Indiana Herb Gardens. 400 pp.
