A while back I wrote about the growing "creeping Charlie" problem I have in my yard. The lawn and flower beds are being invaded by masses of round leaves - with purple flowers - that grow low to the ground - so, if I manage to catch them early enough and when the soil is soft, I can lift them out quite easily. But I suspect that any remaining white root hairs will continue to grow...
I assumed that these weeds in our yard are "creeping Charlie." I had no idea that there was yet another similarly invasive blue plant that looks very much the same. Reading my blog post, my neighbor Mary commented:
I looked at your blog posting on creeping charlie.
The picture you are showing is actually WILD VIOLETS.
The leaves are more heart-shaped and the flowers are little bigger and look like miniature violets.
Creeping charlie's leaves are rounded and have strings showing how it creeps across the yard. I definitely have more creeping charlie in my yard then violets.
Mary's plant leaves definitely are more "ripply" than mine - though the flowers - to my eye - look almost the same. Lucky I didn't eat the plant, I thought... Somewhere in my online searching I discovered that Creeping Charlie's leaves are edible - and have a minty taste.
I googled Wild Violets - and discovered that they too are edible and have a nutty taste!! (I haven't been able to find that website to show as a reference either.)
Dare I risk it and add either (or both?!) to a salad? I think I'd better check more sources online. Many websites that mention the two have suggestions for getting rid of them - what works and what doesn't. But one suggested letting these invasive flowering plants take over the lawn - no cutting required!
Why would you ever want to get rid of either? Both are pollinator friendly, both are edible, both are good for the soil and both make the most beautiful delicious jelly from the flowers. Versus expensive, non-native useless grass? You're welcome to the grass. I'll take the ground cover.
ReplyDeleteNot only are both plants edible, they are also highly medicinal. You have been blessed with potent medicine in your own yard! Learn to use it for your own betterment, as well as your family's.
ReplyDeletePeople have been taught to fear wild plants but will swallow any pill a doctor gives them with little to no research. This absolutely astounds me.