Creeping Charlie volunteers as an edible groundcover and offers early bee forage. 

We encourage Glechoma hederacea as a groundcover in our forest garden. 

Common Name: Creeping Charlie / ground ivy

Scientific Name:  Glechoma hederacea

Plant Family: Lamiaceae

Primary Uses

Edible Parts: 

Cute young leaves are the only edible parts.

Can be eaten raw like a salad it’s a bit tangy (Launert, Edible and Medicinal Plants), (Chiej, Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants). 

Can be cooked like spinach

Can be used for tea, or to flavor beer/ alcoholic drinks (like hops) (Hedrick, Sturtevant’s Edible Plants of the World)

Medicinal Uses: 

Various medicinal uses!

Hels with problems of the mucous membrane, including clearing catarrh, as well as problems of the chest and throat. (Chevallier, The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants)

Are useful in treatments for kidney disease, indigestion and speeds the healing of black eyes and bruises (Grieve. A Modern Herbal)

The native Cherokee used ground ivy as a remedy for colds, measles and baby hives. (Moerman, Native American Ethnobotany.)

Can use fresh or dried

Like anything else, Use in MODERATION and CAUTION.

Meaning of Scientific Name: TBD

Designing with this Plant

 

USDA Hardiness Zones: TBD

Forest garden layer: Great ground cover! Super easy to propagate, grab a nice clump put it in a pot of moist soil to settle and grow its roots, or place it in an area with moist soil and sun outright. (Optimal times: spring or autumn) (Bell,Plant Fibres) BE Aware this plant spreads quickly!

 

Sources

• L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking.Liliaceae Press 1988  “A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.”(PFAF)
• E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2 .Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
• R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 

• Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

• U. P. Sturtevant’s Edible Plants of the World.Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6 .Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

• Pfaf Plant Search, www.pfaf.org/USER/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Glechoma%2Bhederacea.

• Moerman, Daniel E. Native American Ethnobotany. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 1998