# What IS this stuff?



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

The green stuff behind the loco is a 'volunteer'...... All I know is it's some sort of viney type thing with scalloped leaves. It grows like crazy,roots anyplace the stems touch the ground, has little pale purple/blue flowers, and stinks when you pull it up. It also seems quite determined to grow back everywhere and then some.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I believe that is known as "Creeping Charlie". It is green, pretty, grows well and easily, so it is known as a weed and everybody tries to kill it.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I should qualify my previous post to state that my horticultural expertise is limited to the realm of being able to distinguish between a weed from a brick.


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## tmtrainz (Feb 9, 2010)

My first thought, as well, was "Creeping Charlie". It's also known as "Gill-Over-The-Ground", or "Ground Ivy". The scientific name is Glecoma hederacea. I referred to my copy of Newcomb's Wildflower Guide for that information. 

FYI: Newcomb's is an invaluable resource for the identification of unknown plant species, especially when they have a flower on them.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Mik- 

Creeping Charlie (sounds like some uncle you would not want to be sent with as a kid) was one of the suggestions given to me for my groundcover question: 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/10/aft/115865/afv/topic/Default.aspx 

Like you, I have a yard full of it along with clover this year!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Spule 4 on 30 May 2010 06:17 AM 
Like you, I have a yard full of it along with clover this year! 
Which KIND of clover? White, Yellow or Red? We have lots of White Clover, which is OK by me, since it's actually the original Irish Shamrock.... just have to watch not to step on honeybees.

The more I've read since you kind gents gave me a name, the more I'm actually contemplating moving old 'Charlie' over to the steep slope on the outside slope of the big fill... It grows so fast, it's free, and not entirely unattractive... besides, I'm already pulling it up everyplace else anyway...


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

White clover, and some purple. Really creeps and fills Mik! 

...which is making me wonder WHY I want rid of it?


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Nothing would grow on the north side of a house we lived in when I was little except Creeping Charlie. A little stone wall separated it from the neighbor's bare area with the same problem.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Its my number one most hated weed.. 
(actually, its my *only* hated weed..other weeds I dont care much about at all) 

my lawn is about half grass and half "creeping charlie".. 

it wouldnt bother me so much if it werent for the "creeping" part.. 
I try to create nice garden beds..regular lawn grass is well behaved..but this stuff requires a physical barrier.. 
so im building literally hundreds of feet of stone borders: 










note the rock edging..this is ONLY because of the creeping charlie.. 
I have to search far and wide for those little round stones..I still need to find about 200 feet more.. 
I have been working on the borders for 4 years now (since we bought the house) 
I suspect it will take about 4 more years for all the borders to be complete.. 

I would like to just have nice simple borders like this: 

http://dev6.ceedcentre.ca/mulch bed.jpg 

(random photo from the internet) 
without the need for bricks or rocks or plastic edging of some sort..but I cant..because of this weed.. 
without the physical barrier, it quickly "jumps the gap", invades, and takes over.. 

and just this weekend I built a new veggie garden: 










the wood borders are necessary ONLY because of this creeping charlie.. 

generally weeds dont bother me..I could care less about dandelions in the lawn.. 
but this stuff is a menace.. 
if you have only a small patch, wipe it out while you have the chance! 
once it escapes into you yard, you will never be rid of it.. 

Scot


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

My 'lawn' is mostly White Clover, Crabgrass, Orchard Grass, and good old Charlie.... with some Canadian Thistle, Wild Violets, Wild Strawberry, Dandelion, and some 3" tall maple seedlings thrown in. Plus some stray puppy piles 


On the 'up' side, it seems Creeping Charlie won't die just because the dogs peed on it.


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