Ground-Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is in the Mint Family family (Lamiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 8,892 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from March to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Ground-Ivy: observations by month (U.S.)
About Ground-Ivy
Glechoma hederacea (syn. Nepeta glechoma Benth., Nepeta hederacea (L.) Trevir.) is an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is commonly known as ground-ivy, gill-over-the-ground, creeping charlie, alehoof, tunhoof, catsfoot, field balm, and run-away-robin. It is also sometimes known as creeping jenny, but that name more commonly refers to Lysimachia nummularia. It has numerous medicinal uses, and is used as a salad green in many countries. European settlers carried it around the world,...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Ground-Ivy by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 821 | April | Apr–May |
| New York | 704 | May | Apr–May |
| North Carolina | 637 | April | Mar–May |
| Massachusetts | 593 | April | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 533 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Kentucky | 525 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Illinois | 500 | April | Apr–May |
| Virginia | 476 | April | Mar–May |
| Ohio | 474 | April | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 422 | April | Apr–May |
| Minnesota | 404 | May | Apr–May |
| Vermont | 299 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 287 | May | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 205 | May | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 202 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Indiana | 200 | April | Mar–May |
| West Virginia | 169 | April | Mar–May |
| Georgia | 155 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Connecticut | 154 | April | Apr–May |
| Nebraska | 148 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 143 | April | Mar–May |
| Delaware | 108 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Iowa | 98 | April | Apr–May |
| Maine | 93 | May | May–May |
| New Hampshire | 81 | May | May–May |
| Washington | 69 | April | Apr–May |
| District of Columbia | 66 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 63 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 59 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 45 | May | Apr–May |
| Kansas | 40 | April | Mar–May |
| Oregon | 34 | April | Apr–May |
| South Carolina | 30 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Mississippi | 25 | April | Mar–Apr |
| South Dakota | 10 | May | Apr–Jun |
| North Dakota | 9 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 6 | March | Feb–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Mint Family)
Red Deadnettle
Common Selfheal
Henbit Deadnettle
Wild Bergamot
Lyreleaf Sage
Chia
American germander
Vinegar Weed
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ground-Ivy?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to May.
Where is Ground-Ivy most often seen?
The most observations come from Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina.