Creeping Charlie on the Move

Taken with a Canon PowerShot S90.

Creeping Charlie is a type of ground ivy which releases a strong aroma when cut. I rather enjoy mowing my spreading patch of creeping Charlie. The pleasant aroma makes mowing the lawn a little more pleasurable.

Native to Europe, creeping Charlie was intentionally brought to North America by European settlers. Today it is found much of the U.S. and Canada.

Landscapers consider creeping Charlie a lawn weed and not a beautiful wild ground cover. They will expend a lot of energy trying to get rid of it. They often fail. There was a time that they would use repeated applications of 2-4-D in an attempt to eradicate it but that time has past in Ontario.

The provincial government, backed by medical experts – like the Canadian Cancer Society – believe we should be reducing our exposure to pesticides. Children, who often play on lawns, are particularly susceptible to the potential toxic effects of pesticides. 

Ontario’s pesticides ban came into effect on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. Today, Ontario lawns are home to creeping Charlie and dandelions along with Kentucky bluegrass.