Photo: Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

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WildflowersSeen in the wild

Glechoma hederacea

Ground-ivy

Scalloped kidney-shaped leaves creep over the ground beneath violet flowers. This is not the woody climbing ivy.

See all four seasons Explore fruits, seeds & edibility ↓ Where to look & how to find it ↓

Some plants are poisonous. Do not identify by a photograph alone, and never taste them.

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Habitat first

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go: Often flowers March–September, especially noticeable in spring.
Where to start: Shaded Irish hedgerow bases and grassy edges. It does not climb trunks like Hedera ivy.
What to do when you arrive: At damp shaded hedge bases, look for ground-running stems and rounded kidney-shaped leaves, easier to spot with purple spring flowers. It is not tree-climbing Ivy.

Habitat and behaviour reference: Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

ONE PLANT · FOUR SEASONS

One plant. Four seasons.

Look beyond the flowers: fresh leaves, fruits, bare stems and dormancy.

Meteorological seasons: spring March–May, summer June–August, autumn September–November and winter December–February. Irish weather, cultivar, pruning and plant age affect timing and appearance.

Photos illustrate the relevant feature, not the same plant photographed through a year in Ireland. Features shared across seasons, such as evergreen leaves, may use the same reference. Missing reliable photos are marked; dormancy is not death.

Spring

Mar–May

Flowers

Kidney-shaped leaves and blue-violet lipped flowers are especially evident in spring.

Summer

Jun–Aug

Foliage and growth

Creeping stems keep spreading, with some flowers still possible.

Autumn

Sep–Nov

Foliage and growth

Scalloped foliage stays low and may become purplish in cold conditions.

Winter

Dec–Feb

Foliage and growth

Mild sites retain green or purple-tinged leaves, usually without spring-level flowering.

Seasonal references: Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

FRUIT · SEED · FOOD SAFETY

Fruits, seeds & edibility

Know the structure, then the part. Recognising a plant does not make it food.

Fruit

Four nutlets develop within the calyx and turn brown at maturity.

Food use of this part: Food safety not established by this guide

Seeds & dispersal units

Each nutlet encloses one seed; the entire fruit is the usual dispersal unit.

Food use of this part: Food safety not established by this guide

Some seed references show intact one-seeded fruits or dispersal units, as identified in their captions. A whole-fruit photo is not a close-up of the enclosed seed. Cones and arils are not true fruits of flowering plants.

Sources & limitations

Wildflowers of Ireland ↗ · Botanical description, not proof of food safety
NC State Extension · Plant Toolbox ↗

No field detoxification methods or safe doses are provided. Never taste a plant to identify it or eat treated or contaminated specimens. Seek professional help after suspected accidental ingestion. National Poisons Information Centre, Ireland ↗

Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

BOTANICAL NOTESPlant notes

How to identify it

Opposite rounded to kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges; creeping stems bear violet two-lipped flowers.

Where it grows

Hedges, woods, lawn edges and shaded damp verges.

Growth and ecology

A creeping perennial, retaining some foliage in mild conditions; flowers feed insects.

Flowering and seasons

Often flowers March–September, especially noticeable in spring.

Where to look

Shaded Irish hedgerow bases and grassy edges. It does not climb trunks like Hedera ivy.

Seasons vary with weather and location. Suggested habitats are places to look, not guaranteed sightings. Photos show only some features; check leaves, flowers, fruits and specialist references together.

Further reading:Wildflowers of Ireland ↗

Photo license: Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · License terms ↗
Photo resized, converted to JPEG and stripped of metadata.

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