Creeping Charlie whose scientific name is Glechoma hederacea is a perennial herb that is mostly spread by its stem and seeds when blown by wind. This herb has got its name from the creeping nature of its stem that naturally spreads on the ground. Creeping Charlie has bright green kidney-shaped leaves with wavy trims on their edges. The leaves are produced on the stem opposite to each other. The stem also develops roots where it touches the ground. When the creeping Charlie blooms during spring it produces small blue-purple funnel-like flowers. Just like any other herb when creeping charlie leaves are crushed it produces a strong pleasant mint-like odor. There are creeping Charlie look alikes herbs like henbit that people mostly confuse with creeping Charlie. Also read DILL PICKLE PASTA SALAD-Ingredients ,Benefits and Recipe
It is important to be able to identify the creeping Charlie plant correctly, though many people hate it because they consider it a weed due to its spreading nature creeping Charlie is edible and also used as an herb because it belongs to the mint family of herbs. It has some helpful medicinal properties thus it’s important to be able to differentiate it from other creeping Charlie look-alike herbs. Though many creeping Charlie look alikes herbs have no harm to your health it’s vital to be able to identify each of them. Also read DILL PLANT: Growing,Planting and Harvesting Dill
1.HENBIT
Henbit whose botanical name is Lamium amplexicaule is one of the herbs that people confuse with creeping Charlie thus considered as creeping Charlie look alikes herb. It is a member of the mint family which grows low to the ground and has scalloped leaves which are almost similar to those of creeping Charlie.
The difference between these two herbs is in their leaves. The leaves for henbit are not hairy not unlike those for creeping Charlie which are all hairy. Henbit leaves just grow directly from the stem so they are around the stem not like those of creeping Charlie which have small stalk that join the leaves to the stem. Also read CARROT JUICE BENEFITS
Henbit leaves have more deeply scalloped edges than creeping Charlie. Also, it’s important to note that the mild-tasting wild green henbit can be eaten when fresh or cooked because its leaves, stems, and shoots are edible and it has been used as a medicinal herb to treat different illnesses. Just like creeping Charlie henbit produces purple flowers when it blooms.
2.COMMON MALLOW
It is botanical name is Malva Neglecta, it belongs to a group of flowering plants whose family name is Malvaceae. Due to its growing characteristics, it has also been given other names such as roundleaf mallow, cheeseweed, dwarf mallow, cheese plant, and buttonweed.
Due to the appearance of common mallow leaves when the plant is still young it is mostly confused with creeping Charlie. This herb grows low on the ground, mostly its height cannot exceed 29-32cm. When this plant grows it tends to spread its stem along the ground. Also read ASPARAGUS FERN,HOW TO GROW AND CARE FOR ASPARAGUS FERN
Leaves for common mallow are green with rounded heart-like shapes, slightly hairy, and are attached to the stem just like for those of creeping Charlie. During spring when it blooms the plant produces purple and white flowers. This herb is mostly consumed as food with other vegetables. Its leaves, stem and seeds are edible.
3.PURPLE DEAD NETTLE
Its scientific name is Lamium Purpureum, it’s an annual herb that originated from Asia and Europe but currently, it’s popular in the whole world. It is always found on roadsides growing in patches, lawns, home gardens, flower beds, and forest edges. This herb belongs to the same family of plants with creeping Charlie called Lamiaceae. People also call it purple archangel and red dead-nettle.
What makes purple dead nettle creeping Charlie look alikes is the nature and color of leaves and flowers. This herb has a bright green stem that grows up to 26 cm high and then spreads on the ground just like creeping Charlie. It has bright green leaves with a heart-like shape, with wavy margins that resemble those for creeping Charlie. The leaves slowly changed from green to dark green and eventually to purple as the plant grows old.
During spring purple dead nettle produces red-purple flowers when it blooms. Just like creeping Charlie purple dead nettles are edible. Its leaves when the plant is young are used in sauces and salads with other vegetables so there is no health risk when this herb is confused with creeping Charlie.
4.PENNYWORT
It is also referred to as dollar weed, it is mostly found in America. This plant has some similar properties to creeping Charlie which is why I have decided to group it with creeping Charlie look alikes plants. These plants have a creeping nature as they grow, they also have green leaves with scalloped edges. Some of these plants have kidney-shaped leaves just like those of creeping Charlie. Pennyworts are also edible just like creeping Charlie, it can be used to treat some diseases such as inflammation just like creeping Charlie. The only difference is that Pennyworts leaves don’t have a mint-like odor when crushed which makes you able to differentiate with creeping Charlie.
5.PONYFOOT
This weed has a creeping nature just like creeping Charlie. It also has green kidney-like leaves whose surfaces are smooth, unlike the hairy leaves of creeping Charlie. It is also easy to differentiate these two herbs because Ponyfoot forms white flowers rather than purple. Though my research has no enough evidence on whether polyfoot is edible several proofs showed that it has been used for medicinal purposes.
6.GARLIC MUSTARD
This plant has green leaves with a kidney-like shape and hairy and wavy margins this makes it group as creeping Charlie look like a plant. When garlic mustard leaves are reared or crushed it produces a garlic-like odor which is different from creeping Charlie which produces a mint-like smell. This makes it easy to differentiate these two herbs.
7.PERSIAN SPEEDWELL
Persian speedwells have green hairy leaves with kidney-like shapes. Its leaves and stems have a creeping nature that spreads on the ground making it resemble creeping Charlie. It also forms light purple flowers. It is easy to differentiate these two herbs because of the nature and size of their leaves. Persian speedwell is not as edible as creeping Charlie but has been used as medicine to treat some illnesses. Also read CARROT COMPANION PLANTS(best plant to grow with carrots)
