Fauna
Plant

Ground-ivy

Glechoma hederacea

Also known as Creeping Charlie, Gill-over-the-ground, Alehoof, Catsfoot

Ground-ivy spreads rapidly across shaded lawns and damp woodlands, anchoring itself at leaf nodes along trailing square stems. Small purplish-blue flowers blossom in pairs from the leaf axils in early spring, providing an important early nectar source for solitary bees and hoverflies. When crushed underfoot, the scalloped leaves release a distinct minty, pungent aroma that historically made it a popular bittering agent for brewing ale.

AromaticCreepingFlowering
Ground-ivy reference1 / 7
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil Minerals
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Rabbits
ThreatsHerbicides and intensive turf management
HabitatsLawns, damp woodlands, hedgerows, and disturbed ground
Life spanPerennial
Classification
  1. OrderLamiales
  2. FamilyLamiaceae
  3. GenusGlechoma
  4. SpeciesGlechoma hederacea
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Toxic to horses and pets if ingested; observe or remove safely from livestock areas.
Why it is dangerous
Contains volatile oils such as glechomin that can cause digestive distress and systemic toxicity in horses and pets.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognized by its creeping square stems, scalloped kidney-shaped leaves, and small blue-violet funnel-shaped flowers.
What to do
Prevent horses and pets from grazing in dense patches and wear garden gloves when hand-pulling.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Check for square stems, kidney-shaped scalloped leaves, and a minty scent when crushed.
  • Lawn Management: Hand-pull early in spring before creeping stolons root deeply into the soil.
Related species
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