Ground Ivy: A Weed by Any Other Name

Ground ivy is the first weed I have ever loved. Yes, I did say weed and
love in the same sentence. And no, I have not been out in the sun too
long today. Regarded by some as a pesky weed and garden invader, ground
ivy is quick to be eradicated upon sight. But wait! Don't pull it
out yet--Praised by Gerard, Culpepper and herbalists down through the
centuries, the many virtues of this tiny herb have proved it to be a
boon more than a beast, and a panacea more than a pain.

If ground ivy were on a "Most Wanted" poster, It would have many
aliases: Gill-over-the- Ground, Creeping Charlie or Creeping Jenny,
Alehoof, Haymaids, Lizzy-run-up- the-Hedge, Cat's foot,
Robin-run-in- the-Hedge, to name just a few. Catalogued by the 18th
century botanist Linnaeus as glechon, Greek for "mint" and
hedera, Latin for "ivy," a century later it was recataloged by
English botanist, George Bentham as Nepeta glechoma which translated
into "mint mint" or "ivy-like mint."

The association with the name gill was also claimed by several sources
to be derived from French guiller "to ferment beer." Early
Saxton invaders used it to flavor and clarify beer before the
conventional use of hops. Gill ale was a popular drink of the time and
was believed to impart good health on those who drank it. Naturalized
from Europe, ground ivy grows freely throughout the north-eastern,
north-central and southern United States.

A member of the Labiatae family, Glechoma hederacea has the classic
square stem (often covered in short, bristly backward pointing hairs) of
those in the mint family. It is often misidentified as a speedwell or
common mallow. A vigorous (and I do mean vigorous) herbaceous perennial
with lovely scalloped, kidney shaped leaves of dark green, ground ivy
grows by trailing runners, some as long as 36 inches.

Its delicate pixie-like blue to purple-hued funnel shaped flowers bloom
from March through late summer. You will find it growing in shade or
semi shade, in the woods, in ditches or along roadsides. The fragrance
is that of a mint, heady and balsamic. Surely there is nothing
disdainful about the cooling scent of mint on a hot summer day.

A Magical Herb

Ground ivy has a strong connection with the powers of magic and
divination. Considered a safeguard against sorcery it was worn by
milkmaids when first milking cows in the pastures. A magic charm, it was
used to prevent the cows from enchantment. In many regions the first
milking of the cows was actually done through a wreath of ground ivy.

Other magical uses of ground ivy included promoting sleep, meditation,
healing, love, friendship and fidelity. The ritual use of ground ivy was
popular and the herb was often woven into crowns and garlands to be worn
on Midsummer's Eve.
"To find out who might be using negative magic against you, place
some ground ivy around the base of a yellow candle. Burn the candle on a
Tuesday and the person will then become known to you." Scott
Cunningham

A tea of Gill-over-the- Ground may be sipped to help overcome shyness.
Strewing leaves of this herb about the floors of your home is said to
promote serenity and peaceful dreams.

Ground Ivy Tincture

Gather a few handfuls of ground ivy leaves and flowers on a sunny day.
Make sure they have not been sprayed with any insecticide. Gather leaves
from your own yard if possible. Do not gather leaves from a roadside
where car exhaust would contaminate them. Rinse the leaves of dirt and
pat dry.

Remove leaves (and flowers) from stem and lightly pack them in a clean
sterilized jar. I find a half pint canning jar with a wide mouth works
well. For a smaller amount of tincture you can use a sterilized baby
food jar. Fill jar about half full and cover leaves with a good brand of
Vodka (at least 80 proof) leaving about one-half to one inch of space
between alcohol and lid. Poke a straw or Popsicle stick down the side of
the jar to dispel any air that may be trapped in the jar. Place a piece
of wax paper cut a little larger than the lid of the jar over the top
and screw on lid.

Store jar out of direct light for approximately 4-6 weeks. Inside a warm
kitchen cupboard works well. Be sure to shake jar daily and check to be
sure that no leaves have risen above the level of the alcohol (you do
not want any mold to grow). Poke down any leaves that rise up and add
more alcohol if needed. If any of the leaves have turned black, remove
them. When your tincture is ready, strain it through a non-bleached
coffee filter or piece of cheesecloth into clean amber colored bottles.
Be sure to only use tincture bottles with glass droppers.

Usual dosage of tincture is 5-10 drops in a glass of water (or hot tea
if you are concerned about the minute amount of alcohol) up to three
times daily. If you are pregnant, nursing or on any type of medication,
be sure to check with your health care practitioner before use.

An Herb of Many Uses

Ground ivy was highly regarded for its medicinal value. The juice of the
plant acted as a diuretic, astringent and diaphoretic making it
especially useful for sinus congestion and headaches. A snuff was made
from the dried powdered leaves. The expressed juice, used fresh and
"snuffed" up the nose prompted relief from colds and migraine
headaches.
Gill tea acted as an expectorant and was a popular remedy for coughs and
consumption as well as whooping cough, bronchial catarrh and asthma. The
high vitamin C content made ground ivy useful in the prevention and
treatment of scurvy. Gerard also recommended using it "against the
humming noise and ringing sound in the ears, being put into them, and
for them that are hard of hearing"

The ability of ground ivy to act as both a stimulant and tonic made gill
tea especially useful for those suffering from weak digestive systems
and complaints. Acting as a blood purifier, it proved helpful for those
suffering from kidney ailments such as gravel or stones.

Gill Tea Spring Tonic - Infuse one ounce of ground ivy with one pint of
boiling water sweetened with honey or sugar. When cooled, strain and
drink small amounts several times a day.

As useful externally as it was internally, the juice of ground ivy was
used for "black eyes." Galen engaged the use of the virtues of
the flowers, rose ground ivy, celandine and daisies: "stamped,
strained and a little sugar and water put thereto, and dropt into the
eyes, takes away all manner of inflammation… yea, although the sight
were well-nigh gone."

As a lotion or compress, ground ivy was used to cleanse sores and
ulcers. When combined with yarrow and chamomile flowers, it made an
excellent poultice for abscesses, boils and skin tumors. Culpeper
declared it "a singular herb for all inward wounds, ulcerated lungs,
or other parts, either by itself, or boiled with like herbs and being
drank, in a short time it easeth all griping pains, windy and choleric
humours in the stomach, spleen or belly."

Perhaps the two most interesting uses for ground ivy were its use for
painter's colic (lead poisoning) and sciatica. Gill tea was the
tonic of choice for cleansing the blood and tissues of any toxic metals.
And, according to Greek physician Dioscorides, "half a dram of the
leaves being drunk in foure ounces and a half of faire water for 40-50
days together is a remedy against sciatica or ache in the
huckle-bone. "

To Pluck or Not to Pluck

Yes, that one little plant that you are so quick to pluck out had all
those uses. And, as I write this, ground ivy is being studied for use in
preventing leukemia, bronchitis, hepatitis and various cancers and HIV.
Did you know that ground ivy acts as a dense groundcover and keeps the
soil from eroding? The lovely blue flowers attract bees, butterflies and
on occasion even a hummingbird.

It will also grow where nothing else will and it stays green nearly all
year long. I dare you to take your lawnmower and mow over a patch of it
this summer, deeply inhaling the tart balsamic scent and not smile. Did
I forget to mention that it eases depression? Did I forget to mention
that it is FREE?

Okay, so perhaps you don't need to pull out all of it. Why not find
a place where you can let some of it grow freely. Ease yourself into
trying a few leaves in your salad, or drinking a cup of Gill tea as a
Spring tonic.

If you celebrate Beltane, weave some stems and flowers into your crown.
Pick an alias name for it that appeals to you—my personal favorite
is Gill-over-the Ground. Repeat it several times until it rolls nicely
off your tongue and sounds almost exotic. And, if you must pluck some of
it, at least stop and pay homage to the myriad of uses of it throughout
time. Ground ivy, a small herb with great determination!

copyright ©2008 Kathy Turcotte

Katherine is a herbalist and student of CCNH. She writes from her home
in the Pine Barrens of NJ. A regular contributor to Herb Quarterly
magazine, you can visit her and her "White Spirit Deer" at
http://www.enchante dwoodmusings. blogspot. com
<http://www.enchante dwoodmusings. blogspot. com>