Over the years, we have seen different plants and flowers growing in our environment, even though some of them weren’t planted by us. Some of them are used to beautify our homes, while others are planted because of their medicinal benefits. All these plants are there for one purpose or another, but sometimes not all of them are safe for our dear animals, and that’s why we need to be cautious about what plants we bring into our various homes. Creeping Charlie is what we are writing about, and it’s important that we dive very deep into it in order to expose everything that we need to know, including whether it is safe for us humans and also for our pets. Is creeping Charlie safe for dogs? This is the question that brought us here, so pay attention while I explain everything you need to know.
It is called the Swedish Ivy, or Plectranthus verticillatus. This plant produces a bright green color and has lavender buds that smell so delightful and welcoming. The shape of its leaves looks like a kidney, but with scalloped edges, sitting opposite each other in a square format. It can thrive both indoors and outdoors, but will be better in a shady spot. This plant is one that needs to be careful with, as all parts of it can cause drooling, even though it may not be fatal. It is still safe for dogs and cats to consume in small quantities. It mostly affects horses and can cause so many health conditions when eaten in large quantities. Sicknesses like drooling, staggering, hyperactivity, stomach upset, fever, and so much more have been noticed.
Creeping Charlie is bitter in taste, and its victims are mostly horses. It’s poisoning in dogs is rare, may be because they hardly eat it. If consumed in large quantities, horses can equally experience death, whether they eat it dry or green.
Does Creeping Charlie Have Any Health Benefits?
Of course it does. Surprisingly, creeping Charlie might be toxic to horses when eaten in large quantities, but at the same time, it has so many health benefits that might interest you. It is high in vitamin C and used in treating tuberculosis, eye inflammation, indigestion, bruises, bronchitis, and many more. As a matter of fact, creeping Charlie has been used for a range of ailments, including the prevention of scurvy, and also as a traditional medicine that provides a cure for diabetes, antibacterial, gastric diseases, asthma, serves as an anticancer, and is equally known for its antioxidant features.
What Does Creeping Charlie Do?
Ground ivy, as it is fondly called, is a native of Europe. It is known for different things depending on what you are using it for. It has a mint-like smell and can be tossed into salads for a wonderful taste and experience. You can produce tea from both its fresh and dried leaves, but for a more refreshing taste, add verbena leaves and mix them together. It can also be cooked like some English spinach and enjoyed with soups, stews, or omelettes, depending on your choice.
Creeping Charlie, at the same time, has its negative characteristics, as it has this habit of suppressing the growth of every other plant around due to its ability to produce a biochemical that deters the fitness of nearby plants. Again, as an ornamental plant, creeping Charlie becomes a nuisance by covering all the floor, other grass, and plants around it, making them die off if not intervened for.
What kills Creeping Charlie fast?
Creeping Charlie is planted because of its creeping and medicinal benefits, but if you give it time, it can become a nuisance, thereby dominating and overpowering other plants and flowers around or even spreading to an unwanted area. This is exactly why, and when the thought of getting rid of it comes in, In a situation like this, there are a variety of options to explore. Some homeowners prefer weed killer, but it should contain dicamba salt or, better yet, triclopyr. These ingredients are very active and are found in some weed killer products. Make sure you go through the container to check the product ingredients list to see if it contains triclopyr. Standard herbicides, too, can be helpful, but they must surely contain Dicamba and/or tricopyr; otherwise, they won’t be very effective. Also, any triple-action turf builder will help prevent creeping Charlie from thriving, but this works mostly in the spring.
If you want to do this in a more natural, chemical-free way, then try killing them with vinegar. Mix them with the desired amount of water, put them in a spray bottle, and spray it on the plants; this will gradually cause the foliage to die. This can also be more effective by adding some calcium, lime, and magnesium to the mixture before spraying it all over the plants. Boiling water, too, can provide a natural way of killing creeping Charlie. Add borax to the hot water and pour it on the plant.
Does Creeping Charlie Smell Good?
Creeping Charlie is more like a member of the mint family because its leaves have a strong mint-like odor when crushed. Due to the attraction of this smell, some people choose to toss it into fresh dishes or salads for a more aromatic flavor, while others prefer to cook it and add it to omelets, soups, or stews for a more memorable taste. This plant thrives best in shady places, but most importantly, in moist soil under trees or shrubs.
Is Creeping Charlie Houseplants Edible?
Creeping Charlie is edible and safe to consume, but there are things you must know first. This plant is one of the mint family and, as such, contains a mildly harmful compound called pulegone, which can be harmful if eaten in large amounts. But for the fact that it contains a high amount of vitamin C, some actually enjoy it more than tea, which is used to prevent scurvy. The medicinal benefits are one of the major reasons why this plant is mainly considered an edible and harmless plant, but like many herbs, creeping Charlie is not safe in any way for pregnant women as it may affect the baby in the womb.
The stem and leaves are equally used by many to add flavor to soups, meat dishes, sauces, and the rest in place of thyme because of its aromatic flavor, which is loved by all, while the leaves have also been added raw to salads. Creeping Charlie can be useful in a wide range of ways, but we must not forget that eating too much of it can cause stomach upset and the rest.
Does Creeping Charlie Need Sun?
Yes, it does need a mild sun. They can actually tolerate direct sun, but as a matter of fact, they thrive better in moist, shady areas. Some people choose to plant creeping Charlie as a turf grass alternative, while others have alternatively considered it a lawn weed, but it has done well in either way, and it doesn’t even stress you with the lawn care required by other traditional lawn grasses before they could thrive. Creeping Charlie prefers summer and winter because that is when their flowers produce blooms that bring in butterflies and bees for pollination. For better results, don’t expose them to the harsh sun, as they require shade or filtered light that will help them meet creeping Charlie light needs at ease.
Does Creeping Charlie Make You Itch?
Yes, and it doesn’t just depend on the type of skin you have. Always wear gloves and long sleeves, as they will prevent you from having contact with them. Charlie is a common skin allergen that can cause itching and sometimes rash by mere contact. Some people are allergic to it, and it can go all the way to their mouths and throats if chewed. Seek medical advice if you experience such reactions after consuming in order to get it resolved, then afterwards, dig out the weeds to expose them enough, then pull them out. This can be achieved by pruning and cutting off every one of it’s roots entirely.
Summary
So many plants are brought in by us for one purpose or another, but sometimes not all of them are safe for our dear animals, and that’s why we need to be cautious about what plants we bring into our various homes. This plant produces a bright green color and has lavender buds that smell so delightful and welcoming. It is high in vitamin C and used in treating tuberculosis, eye inflammation, indigestion, bruises, bronchitis, and many more, which is another major reason why we love to have it in our home, but unfortunately, it is toxic to dogs, especially horses, when eaten in large quantities, so kindly take note of this.
