Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) - How to Grow & Care Guide

Plant Snapshot

Common Name: Creeping Charlie
Latin Name: Glechoma hederacea
Alternate Names: ground ivy, gill-over-the-ground, alehoof
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 3–9 with more aggressive growth in warmer zones and possible dieback in the coldest zones.
Typical Height: Typically 2–6 in (5–15 cm) tall.
Typical Spread: Spreads aggressively to form mats often 1–3 ft (30–90 cm) or more across from runners.
Bloom Period: Spring blooms, commonly April to June in temperate Northern Hemisphere.
Soil Preferences: Prefers moist, fertile, well drained soils but tolerates clay and a wide pH range. Prolonged dry soils reduce vigor.
Light Preferences: Shade to part sun is preferred. Tolerates full sun when soils remain moist.
Toxicity: Not widely reported as highly toxic but ingestion may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in pets or livestock and contact dermatitis is possible in sensitive people. Verify with local poison control.
Propagation: Mainly by stolons and runners that root at nodes. Also self seeds. Control requires removing runners and roots.

Key Facts

Low growing perennial in the mint family that forms dense mats.
Spreads rapidly by stolons and rooting nodes.
Produces small purple to blue tubular flowers in spring.
Tolerates shade and a wide range of soils but prefers moist sites.
Common lawn weed and invasive groundcover in many temperate regions.
Easily propagated by runners and can be persistent once established.

Creeping Charlie is a low growing perennial in the mint family used as a groundcover and often found as a persistent lawn weed. It forms dense mats from stolons and produces small purple to blue tubular flowers in spring, while tolerating shade and a wide range of soils.

Identification

Glechoma hederacea grows 2 to 6 inches tall and spreads by creeping stolons that root at nodes to form mats often 1 to 3 feet across. Plants produce small purple to blue tubular flowers in spring, and the species is a low, mat forming perennial in the mint family that can be mistaken for other groundcovers.

Best uses and where it grows

It performs well as a moisture‑loving groundcover in shaded to partly sunny sites but is commonly invasive in turf and landscape beds. Preferring moist, fertile soils yet tolerating clay and a range of pH, Creeping Charlie is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and shows more aggressive growth in warmer, milder winters.

Planting and seasonal notes

Establishes easily from runners or rooted plugs and will naturalize if left to spread. Blooming typically occurs in spring, commonly April through June in temperate Northern Hemisphere climates. Work with the soil when it is workable for planting or removal because runners root readily and small fragments left behind will regrow.

Watering and soil

Prefers moist, fertile, well drained soils and tolerates a wide range of soil types. Keep soil consistently moist to maintain vigor; prolonged dry conditions reduce competitiveness and can cause dieback. It will tolerate full sun only when soil moisture is adequate and thrives in shaded turf where many grasses struggle.

After‑flowering care

Remove flower stalks to reduce seed set and pull or dig runners and roots to prevent reestablishment. Mowing can limit flowering in lawns but will not eliminate creeping stems that root at nodes. Repeated removal of stolons and small fragments is usually necessary to reduce large mats.

Controlling spread

Control relies on persistent mechanical removal because runners root from tiny fragments. Hand pulling or digging out mats, smothering with thick mulch or landscape fabric, and improving competing turf vigor are practical approaches. Expect repeated treatments because individual pieces left in soil often resprout and warmer, moist sites accelerate spread.

Frequently asked questions

How fast does Creeping Charlie grow?: It spreads rapidly by stolons and can form mats often 1 to 3 feet across as runners root at nodes, with faster spread in warm, moist conditions.
How tall does Creeping Charlie get?: Foliage and flower stalks typically reach about 2 to 6 inches tall before flattening into a carpet.
When does it bloom?: Flowers appear in spring, commonly April to June in temperate Northern Hemisphere climates, with timing shifting earlier in warmer areas.
Is Creeping Charlie toxic to pets?: Toxicity reports are inconsistent. It is not widely labeled highly toxic but ingestion may cause mild gastrointestinal upset and contact dermatitis is possible. Check a local poison‑control or extension source for specific guidance.
What is the most effective control method?: Remove runners and roots and repeat treatments. Mechanical removal combined with improving competing turf or smothering treatments reduces reinvasion, since small fragments left in soil will often regrow.