I have to make a confession: I love Glechoma hederacea, more commonly know as creeping charlie or ground ivy. I love how it grows in thick carpets where grasses are hard to grow, I love the leaves that blush when exposed to the sun and I love the flowers.
What I do not understand is why Americans hate it. I can understand that it is an invasive species and that it may therefore displace native flora. It appears that it is toxic to horses and some livestock and should be controlled near pastures. But those who hate it most do not seem in need to worry about either native flora or livestock. I doubt that the grasses they are trying to protect from ground ivy invasion would survive without careful tending, even in the absence of G. hederacea. And livestock, well, besides a few well fed police horses I haven't seen much.
When doing an internet search for 'creeping charlie' the first 10 hits include the terms control, kill, eradicate and others. Even Wikipedia includes a longish paragraph on G. hederacea control. Interestingly, the German Wikipedia page on Gundermann includes a page on its medicinal and culinary uses and has suggestions on which hybrids to grow a, you guessed it, ground cover. Both the German and French (lierre terrestre=ground ivy) Wikis praise its use in brewing before the use of hops and in the kitchen, to add some spice to salads. Leave it to the French to take it a step further, in France they use the pretty leaves to decorate cakes.
Great post. I agree entirely with you. I'm planning to get rid of my entire yard and move to shrubs and ground cover on 1/3 acre and just let leaves fall from a dozen big trees into the shrubs. I'm now composing the leaves in 50 foot fence on back corner, but would rather just let the leaves fall in shrub cover. Flagstones and creeping charlie would be great for walking areas. I have always admired the delicacy of the flowers and the fragrance of creeping charlie.
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