Ground Ivy
Glechoma hederacea
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krym, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine
Ivar Leidus
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Glechoma
- Species:
- Glechoma hederacea
- USDA Symbol:
- GLHE2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 20 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, violet, purple
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata), False Crocus Geometer (Xanthotype urticaria), Polia purpurissata
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Half-black bumble (Bombus vagans), Tri-colored bumble (Bombus ternarius), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Butterflies:Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers shaded or semi-shaded areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in light; vegetative propagation via stolons is more common and reliable.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI