Ground Ivy

About Ground Ivy

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), also called creeping Charlie, is a shade-tolerant perennial broadleaf weed that spreads by stolons and forms dense, low-growing mats in fescue lawns. You can identify it by its round scalloped leaves, square stems, and small purple flowers — and if you crush a leaf, it has a distinctive minty smell. The single biggest mistake homeowners make with ground ivy is trying to kill it in midsummer. It just does not work well. Ground ivy is a perennial, and in Middle Tennessee the perennial treatment timing principle applies: you hit it in the fall when the plant is actively translocating resources down into its root system for winter dormancy. Herbicides applied during this window ride along into the roots and cause real systemic damage. The fall treatment window in Middle Tennessee starts in September and extends all the way through December — and yes, you can still treat in December here. Middle Tennessee winters are not really winter anymore. We have had Christmas Days at 75 degrees four out of the last five years. These perennial plants are still actively growing well into December in our warming climate, which means herbicides applied then still get translocated down to the roots. If you have been trying to kill creeping Charlie all spring and summer with no success, you are not using bad chemistry — you are using the right chemistry at the wrong time of year. Wait until September, try again with the same product, and watch the difference. The plant is spending its stored reserves in spring and early summer, so herbicides applied then barely affect it. In fall, it is pulling everything back underground — and taking your herbicide with it. Ground ivy is not in the same difficulty tier as dallisgrass, nutsedge, or wild violets, but it does require the discipline to treat in the correct seasonal window rather than reacting when you see it taking over in June or July.

Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a turf weed commonly found in lawns throughout Middle Tennessee, including Columbia, Thompson's Station, Spring Hill, and the surrounding areas. This entry is part of our Weed Identification Guide.

As lawn care and treatment specialists, we identify and treat Ground Ivy regularly when servicing properties across the region. Proper identification is the first step toward selecting the right herbicide and timing for effective control.