Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata'

Plant Family

Lamiaceae

Plant Botanical Name

Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata'

Photo by: JAMES H. SCHUTTE

Plant Common Name

Variegated Ground Ivy

General Description

Known to many gardeners as a pestiferous weed (and going by numerous other common names including gill-over-the-ground, creeping Charlie, and Robin runaway), ground ivy is a rampant, mat-forming herbaceous perennial native to Europe and naturalized in North America. The trailing stems of the cultivar 'Variegata' root at the nodes to form carpets of round, scalloped, pungent, white-splotched leaves. It also spreads by seed. Small, purple-blue, snapdragon-like flowers appear through much of the growing season.

This vigorous, hardy, shade-tolerant plant succeeds in most sites, and gallops in moist, humus-rich soil. Typically used in hanging baskets, it also works well as a ground cover or cottage garden plant.

Characteristics

• AHS Heat Zone

  9 - 1

• USDA Hardiness Zone

  5 - 9

• Sunset Zone

  A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

• Plant Type

  Perennial

• Sun Exposure

  Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade

• Height

  2"-4" / 5.1cm - 10.2cm

• Width

  12"-30" / 30.5cm - 76.2cm

• Bloom Time

  Spring, Summer, Fall

• Native To

  Europe

Growing Conditions

• Soil pH

  Acidic, Neutral

• Soil Moisture

  Average

• Soil type

  Clay, Loam, Sand

• Growth Rate

  Very Fast

• Water Requirements

  Average Water

• Habit

  Prostrate/Trailing

• Seasonal Interest

  Spring, Summer, Fall

Ornamental Features

• Flower Interest

  Showy

• Flower Color

  Blue, Purple, Pink

• Foliage Color (Spring)

  White, Green

• Foliage Color (Spring) Modifier

  Variegated

• Foliage Color (Summer)

  White, Green

• Foliage Color (Summer) Modifier

  Variegated

• Foliage Color (Fall)

  White, Green

• Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier

  Variegated

• Fragrant Flowers

  No

• Fragrant Fruit

  No

• Fragrant Foliage

  Yes

• Bark or Stem Fragrant

  Yes

• Flower Petal Number

  Single

• Repeat Bloomer

  Yes

• Showy Fruit

  No

• Edible Fruit

  No

• Showy Foliage

  Yes

• Foliage Texture

  Medium

• Evergreen

  No

• Showy Bark

  No

Special Characteristics

• Usage

  Container, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border

• Sharp or Has Thorns

  No

• Self-Sowing

  Yes