What is Charlie doing creepy? An herbaceous perennial plant known as creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) disperses its seeds along with creeping stems (known as stolons) that develop along the ground. Early immigrants brought creeping Charlie from Europe to North America because they believed it would provide a nice groundcover for shade. The plant’s variegated variety is occasionally used in hanging baskets. Other names for creeping Charlie include creeping Jenny, gill-on-the-ground, and ground ivy.
How does creepy Charlie appear? Bright green, round or kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped margins are produced by creeping Charlie. On square (i.e., four-sided), creeping stems that root at the nodes, the leaves are formed in opposition to one another. Small, bluish-purple, funnel-shaped blooms start to bloom in the spring. The plant has a pungent minty smell when it is crushed. Henbit, an annual winter plant called Lamium amplexicaule, is frequently mistaken for creeping Charlie.
How can I stop Charlie from being creepy? In wet, shaded areas like those found under trees and bushes and along the north sides of buildings, creeping charlie thrives. Changes to these damp, shaded circumstances can prevent creeping Charlie from growing. If at all feasible, boost soil drainage, water less frequently to dry the soil, cut trees to open the canopy and let more light in, and if necessary, plant more trees. Try to increase turf health and density if creeping Charlie is taking over a thin lawn to get weeds under control. This can be achieved by overseeding in the fall, fertilizing and watering adequately, and mow frequently (to a height of two to three and a half inches). Additionally, be careful to grow the turfgrass kind that is most suited for the area (e.g., plant shade tolerant turfgrass varieties under trees). As an alternative, think about removing the grass and replacing it with shade-loving plants that can outcompete weeds, including vinca, English ivy, pachysandra, or hosta. Try hand-removing plants in locations where creeping Charlie has taken hold. The preferred method of control in vegetable or flower gardens is this one. However, due to the difficulty in totally removing the creeping Charlie’s vast spreading stems, this approach might not be practical in strongly infested areas. When plants are pulled, make sure to get rid of them in a way that prevents re-rooting.
Using a postemergence broadleaf herbicide to combat creeping Charlie is an additional (and frequently more successful) option. For homes, a weed killer that contains triclopyr is the best option. Many commercially available lawn care products for homeowners contain this active component, which is frequently combined with other herbicides like dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid), 2,4-D (2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), and mecoprop or MCPP [2-(2-methly-4-chlorophenoxy) propionic acid]. Products that contain 2,4-DP can also offer sufficient control. The majority of common vegetables and ornamentals are broadleaf plants that are extremely vulnerable to these herbicides, so none of the items on the above list should be used in vegetable or flower gardens. It might be simpler to use a broad-spectrum herbicide (such as glyphosate) to kill all of the vegetation in the area before reseeding the lawn in regions of a lawn with a severe infestation of creeping Charlie.
To guarantee the safest and most efficient use of the herbicide you choose while using it to reduce creeping Charlie, make sure to read and abide by all label directions. A typical guideline is to apply when it is between mid-sixties and low-eighties outside, there is little to no wind, and no rain is predicted for 24 hours after application. For a few days before and after a herbicide treatment, DO NOT mow the treated area. Applications of dicamba, triclopyr, MCPP, 2,4-D, or 2,4-DP should be made when plants are actively growing in order to suppress creeping Charlie. Herbicide applications made in mid- to late-autumn (after the first frost) are frequently very successful. Herbicides are also more effectively transported into the roots at this time, resulting in improved control. Plants are pulling nutrients from their leaves and into their roots for storage over the winter during this time. If necessary, a second application can be submitted in the fall. You can also use herbicides in the spring, but you should timing it to coincide with creeping Charlie’s blooming season (typically April to June). During this phase, plants are more vulnerable to herbicides. Once more, a second application might be required to get sufficient control. Remember that no more than twice a year should any dicamba-containing herbicide be used to a specific region. As a final organic creeping Charlie control, borax has been promoted. Borax, however, can not effectively manage creeping Charlie over the long term, according to research from the Universities of Wisconsin and Iowa State, and it can harm turf and other plants, leading to stunting and yellowing. Therefore, using borax to manage creeping Charlie or other broadleaf weeds is not advised.
Is creeping Charlie a suitable indoor plant?
The luxuriant succulent species known as the “Creeping Charlie Houseplant” produces an abundance of leaves. This Urticaceae-family plant is frequently grown indoors. Although it may be cultivated outside as a groundcover, most gardeners thought it was a weed.
Swedish ivy, sometimes known as the creeping Charlie houseplant, is a common sight throughout the Caribbean and in some parts of South America.
The varied sizes and wrinkled green leaves with sunken veins give this creeping perennial depth. With its long, green vines cascading downward, it will look lovely in hanging baskets.
According to NC State University, the leaves of this plant can be used to make tea.
This creeping houseplant, which has bright green foliage and lavender blossoms, is simple to grow inside. This type is hardy in USDA zones 10a, 11b, and 11.
How are creeping Charlie houseplants grown?
Select a bigger pot that is well-drained, has holes in the bottom, and has a saucer to catch water. A 6-8 pot would be adequate. Brown Gold For its requirements, All Purpose Potting Mix would be ideal. The creeping charlie plant (Pilea nummulariifolia) prefers even hydration, but you should let it dry out a little between waterings and water it less in the winter (maybe once or twice a week). Provide it with strong, indirect light, and lightly feed it with a slow-release fertilizer made specifically for indoor plants. Repot it in the spring if it outgrows its container. It prefers some ambient humidity, like the majority of tropical plants, therefore keep it away from vents and fans where it will be exposed to dry air.
About Jessie Keith
Jessie sees the world through plants since they are self-sustaining. (“They take care of our needs for food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. They create the oxygen we breathe and even our attractive scent.) She holds degrees in horticulture and plant biology from Purdue and Michigan State Universities and works as a garden writer and photographer. Internships at Longwood Gardens and the American Horticultural Society helped her degrees. Since then, she has worked for numerous horticultural organizations and businesses, and she currently oversees communications for Sun Gro Horticulture, Black Gold’s parent firm. She enjoys showing her two girls everything beautiful and green.
Do you recommend I plant creeping Charlie?
The ubiquitous herbaceous perennial known as creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea L.), often known as ground ivy, is indigenous to the British Isles. Since then, Creeping Charlie has moved to North America, where it has inhabited our landscapes for about 200 years. Some seed suppliers will sell creeping Charlie as a decorative ground cover, but others view it as a weedy species that has become naturalized. The little, pale violet flower of the creeping Charlie, which blooms in the early spring months of April to May, makes it easy to identify. It thrives on moist, fine-textured soils that are shady, somewhat acidic to slightly alkaline, and humid (pH 5-7.5). Stoloniferous development, in which stems grow at the soil’s surface and spread laterally, is how Creeping Charlie grows quickly. These stems are frequently known as “Runners should be removed to allow creeping Charlie to develop its readily recognizable mat-like ground cover (Hutchings and Price 1999).
Many people view creeping Charlie as an unwelcome weed in lawns. Creeping Charlie will invade neglected or otherwise improperly maintained lawn areas. Once established in a lawn, creeping Charlie may inhibit the growth of nearby plants because of a trait known as “allelopathy. A plant that is allelopathic will create biochemicals that harm the health of nearby plants. According to one study (Rice, 1986), flowers grown next to creeping Charlie exhibited slower seed germination and quicker root and stem growth.
Adopting proper lawn management techniques is an efficient approach to keep creeping Charlie away from your front lawn. When developing a lawn at home, species selection should be taken into account initially. It is crucial to use grasses like the fine fescues (Festuca spp.), which are known to perform well in these locations, in shady places where creeping Charlie frequently develops. The most prevalent species of turfgrass in the colder regions of the United States is Kentucky bluegrass. Despite being a high-quality turfgrass with good winter hardiness, Kentucky bluegrass has trouble growing in shaded locations. Both the cool-climate turfgrass species tall fescue (Festuca anrundinacea) and fine fescue (Festuca spp.) thrive in shady locations. Fescue and Kentucky bluegrass mixtures are an efficient approach to maintain a high density of turfgrass despite the shade produced by popular backyard trees. To achieve optimal turfgrass health and density, it’s crucial to use knowledgeable mowing, watering, and fertilizer regimes in addition to carefully choosing the type of turfgrass.
When creeping Charlie is present but in small amounts, hand weeding could be effective in keeping the weed under control. To prevent re-emergence, it is essential to remove both the plant’s roots and the top layer of the soil during hand weeding. The creeping Charlie plant is so invasive that it can take several weeding sessions to completely eradicate it. Additionally, management techniques may be used to encourage turfgrass growth as opposed to creeping Charlie. When turfgrass is present, creeping Charlie is less common, according to a research by Price and Hutchings (1986), as the grass competes with creeping Charlie for sunshine and soil nutrients. By enhancing turfgrass growth and decreasing creeping Charlie’s potential to spread over the turf lawn, more sunshine will be available.
There are various methods for getting rid of creeping Charlie if it has already taken over a lawn. A sod-cutter is a tool used to quickly remove strips of weeds like creeping Charlie from a lawn in addition to removing sod for transplant into new lawns. If a homeowner chooses to use a sod-cutter as their preferred method of removal, it is crucial that all creeping Charlie plants be eliminated to prevent re-invasion. Removing strips of creeping Charlie will leave a patch of bare soil in the grass. It is possible for creeping Charlie to re-establish itself in the lawn if any plant material is left behind. To promote thick, even germination throughout the region, premium quality turfgrass should be sown into the bare soil after all creeping Charlie vegetation has been eliminated. Creeping Charlie invasion is less likely to occur on lawns covered in a thick turfgrass layer. Solarization is a second method to clear a lawn of a creeping Charlie infestation.
Placing a transparent plastic sheet over the soil in the warm spring and summer months is solarization, a pesticide-free method of controlling weeds. The soil temperature rises as a result of the clear plastic sheet’s absorption of heat and sunshine, making it impossible for grasses and weeds to survive. Less than a quarter of an acre in size, sunny areas are ideal for solarization. The process of solarization normally takes 5–6 months in cooler, shaded places (where creeping Charlie is likely to be found), although it can sometimes take up to a full year. The Xerces society’s brochure Organic Site Preparation for Wildflower Establishment contains more information about solarization. Soil should be between 35 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit in the late fall when the plastic is removed to allow dormant planting to replace the old grass. The soil is too cold for germination to take place at these temperatures, but the ground is not yet frozen, therefore dormant seeding takes place. This makes sure that when the required number of degree days have passed, the target species that was sown into the newly prepared region will germinate. The new turfgrass area should be dense, consistent, and weed-free if it was planted properly. Chemical herbicides, particularly those with glyphosate or triclopyr as active ingredients, are a further method that can be employed to eradicate a creeping Charlie infestation. This is an efficient technique to get rid of this invasive weed, despite the fact that it is not the most environmentally friendly solution. The best times to apply glyphosate are on calm, warm days when plants are actively growing. Avoid windy days if possible to prevent herbicide sprays from drifting into unintended plants. The best results from glyphosate treatments occur when two treatments are used, the second one being administered 7–10 days following the first. After the creeping Charlie has been eliminated, the turf lawn needs to be overseeded with top-notch grass seed.
Creeping Charlie can act as a nectar supply for those who live in an area where it is OK for neighbors to let it grow. Creeping Charlie uses an original tactic.
We do not advise letting Creeping Charlie grow over your lawn, even if it could be a good source of nectar for bees. In addition to the problems with nectar production, creeping Charlie does not readily provide visiting bees and other insect pollinators with pollen, which is the primary source of protein for bees. The best lawns include a wide variety of flowers, ideally with a range of bloom dates, as bees require a diversity of food sources. Due to its invasive nature, creeping Charlie may restrict you from adding more flowers to your landscape. Instead, we advise growing a variety of flowers that consistently generate high-quality nectar and pollen if you want to improve pollinator health in your yard or garden. To that end, if your lawn or garden is already overrun with creeping Charlie and you haven’t had a chance to get rid of it, enjoy watching the bees buzz around it and keep an eye out for times when they focus especially hard on one flower. They’re probably going to win the lottery!
Weeds of North America, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, Dickinson, R., and Royer, F. 2014.
Ford, K. (2016). Not all weeds are created equal when it comes to the importance of grass weeds for pollinators. Publication from the University of Minnesota Extension.