# Name that Weed - ground ivy



## Chuck (Oct 27, 2003)

All right! You guys are batting a thousand so far, and I'm learning a ton about the weeds in my yard. I like this!

Here's the next contestant - it grows low to the ground, is sorta viney, and is trying to take over what I euphemistically call "my lawn."


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Ground ivy?
http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/glehe.htm

here is another picture;

http://www.weedalert.com/weed_pages/wa_ground_ivy.htm


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## DayBird (Jul 26, 2004)

Pennyroyal???


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## Thumper/inOkla. (May 10, 2002)

I used to have a ground cover called pennywort that looked alot like that.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Here is pennywort:

http://www.magdalin.com/herbs/plants_pages/p/pennywor.htm

Guess Chuck will have to look real close to figure out which it is! :haha:


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## FairviewFarm (Sep 16, 2003)

Ground ivy, also known as Creeping Charlie, with square stems which puts it in the mint family. Gives off a minty odor when mowed.


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## DayBird (Jul 26, 2004)

My granny always called it pennyroyal. I guess that sounded better than pennywort. A local nursery sells it as creeping jenny and it does smell like a mint.


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## Chuck (Oct 27, 2003)

Boy, I guess I'll have to go out and do some more checking in the morning. I _think_ it's ground ivy, but there are a lot of others that are extremely close. Pennyroyal is out, though I think that's what I've been making mint tea out of all summer... 8) Glad I read about it, turns out I shouldn't be drinking so much of it. That explains the dizzyness, spasms and coma I've been experiencing. I thought it was the political commercials!

I'll have to go nose around in the stuff tomorrow and see if it's minty!


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## Guest (Aug 10, 2004)

It's Ground Ivy! My mother grew it by the potfulls in the yard. She picked it down by a stream and carried it home.


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## torade (Jun 17, 2004)

Ground Ivy also commonly known as creeping Charlie, Creeping Jenny, gill-over-the-ground, and haymaids.

Has purpley flowers in spring.

cut and paste-
Properties: Medicinal and edible, a light taste very agreeable in salads. Ground ivy is used in alternative medicine and is an excellent spring tonic, it is an appetite stimulant. It contains a volatile oil which aids in relieving congestion and inflammation of mucous membranes associated with colds, flu, and sinusitis. It is Anti-allergenic, Antibacterial, Anti-flu, Antihistaminic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antiviral, Cancer-Preventive, Expectorant, Immuno-stimulant, and Sedative. Ground ivy tea or juice is well tolerated and can be given to small children. Some of the most valuable plant constituents are 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, apigenin, beta-sitosterol, borneol, caffeic-acid, ferulic-acid, hyperoside, iodine, luteolin, menthol, oleanolic-acid, rosmarinic-acid, rutin, ursolic-acid. Ground-Ivy is being studied for use in preventing Leukemia, Bronchitis, Hepatitis, many kinds of cancer, and HIV. The fresh juice or a medicinal tea is used to treat digestive disorders, gastritis, acid indigestion, and diarrhea. It is also beneficial for liver and kidney function, said to relieve gravel and stones. Although results are not conclusive it is being used as an antidote for lead poisoning. Added to bath as an emollient to soften skin and has a sedative effect.

Folklore: Ground ivy has a long history of use in alternative medicine and as an edible herb, dating back to the first century A.D. it was long considered a panacea (cure-all). Known for itâs hi vitamin C content it is said to be one of the first herb and edible plants brought to the North American continent by early settlers.

TRY THESE RECIPES

Spring Tonic: Steep 2 tsp. of fresh or dried herb in 1 cup water for 10 min. flavor with peppermint or honey to taste take in Â½ cup doses twice a day.

Colds and flu: Express fresh juice with press. Take in 1 tsp. doses 3 times a day, Â½ tsp. for children. Use 2 or 3 drops in nose twice a day for sinusitis.


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## BCR (Jun 24, 2002)

Hey torade---where'd you cut and paste from??


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## torade (Jun 17, 2004)

BCR said:


> Hey torade---where'd you cut and paste from??


http://altnature.com/gallery/ index.html


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

Hi Y'all

Ground Ivy has been used in brewing Beer or Ale, in Colonial Times.
As have young Spruce tree tips.
They have both been used as a preservative & flavouring, when Hops 
were not available.
I have a friend who brews Beers with all sorts of herbs, replacing Hops,
because he doesn't like the bitterness.
And, because Hops have a reputation, according to the old Herbal Books,
for having an Anti-aphrodisiac effect on men.
Actually though, his Beers & Ales just taste "Strange & Nasty".
Herbs are an interesting study. But, you can't believe all you read, 
in old books.


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## Chuck (Oct 27, 2003)

Well, I checked and it IS ground ivy, because the stems are square. But it certainly doesn't smell like mint! Blech!


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## Tempest (Oct 15, 2002)

I have this and something that looks just like it but gets little berries that look like mini strawberries, stems are green and it isn't viney. or is it the same thing just lots of younger versions?
edited to add: flowers were white


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## comfortablynumb (Nov 18, 2003)

it makes a nice tea....


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

My favorite name for it is 'Gill over the ground". Sounds real 'old world'. All of the mints have a tendency to not seed 'true'. That is why they are usually sold as plants. It isn't unusual for one plant of a variety to have an excellent flavor and another to be bland or nasty tasting. You can start it from seed, then choose the best flavored ones and propagate from plants.


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## torade (Jun 17, 2004)

www.homestead.com/peaceandcarrots/ ForagingAndWildFoods.html 

I've got alot of herb and wild food sites on my other computer, but I found this web page that has all of them (and a few others) all together. How nice!
Check out this kid's Home page too.


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## Chuck (Oct 27, 2003)

bump


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

"I have this and something that looks just like it but gets little berries that look like mini strawberries"

mock strawberry duchesnia indica. berries edible but tasteless, yellow five part flowers.


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