A gardener's guide to Creeping Charlie

Sometimes, you have to choose your battles. I learned this with my kids long ago. I've learned it in my woodland garden at home, too. I have chosen not to fight Creeping Charlie.

You may be waving your weeding tool at me, proclaiming your hatred for this plant. But lay down your arms and consider some of the cool traits of Creeping Charlie.

Creeping Charlie is a European import that has made itself at home here in North America. It has small, rounded leaves that grow opposite each other on long, prostrate stems. It's in the mint family, cousin to the more popular native mints, like Monarda, and nonnative mints like thyme and basil. Two telltale signs of its mint-ness are square stems and opposite leaves. But unlike most mints, Creeping Charlie isn't very fragrant.

Creeping Charlie trails grass and garden on long, prostrate stems. Mostly, it hugs the ground, but some of the stems bend upward when in bloom, undaunted by lawn mowers and weed whips. It can extend a few inches high - perhaps to show off its flowers, or more likely, to welcome pollinators.

The habit of creeping is what irks many lawn-lovers and gardeners. As the stem grows horizontally, it produces tiny rootlets at the juncture of the leaves. These roots lay claim to any bit of soil they touch. The long stems are easy enough to pull up, but every piece left behind gets busy making new roots. Onward it creeps.

Creeping Charlie quickly forms a loose mat of ground cover. Another reason to hate the plant? I don't view this as cardinal sin. In fact, I find it helpful in covering bare soil that might otherwise welcome more aggressive invasive plants. Plus, walking barefoot on Creeping Charlie is one of summer's pleasures. It's super comfy.

And those flowers! If you haven't looked closely at a Creeping Charlie flower while you're busy pulling it up, take a minute to examine a blossom. Like all the mints, the flowers are tubular and have two "lips." The bottom one serves as a landing pad for insect pollinators. Dark purple patterns guide the insects to the nectar inside.

Speaking of pollinators, there are lots who like Creeping Charlie. Among them are native bumblebees, which by some feat of physics are able to land on flowers a fraction of their size without losing balance. If you're lucky, you may also see a small, green, metallic bee visiting Creeping Charlie.

Still not convinced that this is a cool plant? Maybe it's a branding issue. We could call it by one of its more appealing European names, like Ground Joy, or Field Balm, Robin-run-in-the hedge, Runaway-robin, Hedgemaiden, Gill-go-by-the-hedge, or Gillale.

Common names vary from region to region, but the go-to name is Glechoma hederacea. This is the scientific name that is recognized in all countries. According to the USDA's Plant Guide, the scientific moniker comes from the Greek word for mint/thyme, glechon, and the Latin hederacea, which refers to ivy.

Glechoma (which we'll call it now) was used in brewing beer in Europe before hops were introduced. The names Alehoof, Tun hoof, and Gillale are all brewing-related words. (Hofe is a brewing term in Old English, tun is a measurement in the fermentation process, and gill is a derivation of the French verb "guiller," to ferment.)

There were more medicinal uses of Glechoma in the Old World than you can shake a stick at. Feeling blue? Try some of this plant for your melancholy, the old folks said. Digestive problems, bladder issues or kidney flare-up? How about some of this herb? Tinnitus, a stubborn cough or cold? Reach for the Glechoma. If your cow has eye problems, maybe some Glechoma will help.

And on and on went the medicinal uses of this versatile plant. It's no wonder that Europeans who settled in North America brought this plant in their first aid kits.

Glechoma is toxic to horses and cattle, but there are purported culinary properties to this mint. (I'll stick to the produce at Jewel.) However, if you need to know if there are witches in your area, Glechoma might give you some insight.

Citing a 1930 publication of naturalist W.S. Blatchley, Pamela Pavek wrote, "Wreaths were once made with the trailing stems of ground ivy and placed on the dead, and the Swiss believed when worn with rue, agrimony, maidenhair and broom straw, it could improve vision and indicate the presence of witches."

I'm no peacenik when it comes to defending natural areas, and I do battle with plenty of invasive plants all year long. Creeping Charlie, though, gets a reprieve. Overall, it's a fine little nonnative plant to admire, and pass over, as you fight the good fight in the weeds.

•Valerie Blaine is the nature programs manager for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. You may reach her at blainevalerie@kaneforest.com.