Tags
ale-hoof, blue flowers, Blue runner, British flora, British wildflowers, Glechoma hederacea, Ground ivy
Ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a type of dead-nettle, common in woodlands, lurking under hedgerows and scrambling over dampish spaces. Richard Mabey’s Flora Britannica tells me this pretty little plant was once known as blue runner because of its blue-ish flowers and its habit of spreading via overground runners. Another interesting titbit: ‘before hops became widely used in brewing, it was once one of the chief bittering agents in the making of beer’, which is why another of its common names is ale-hoof.
Shelly Gunderson said:
Beautiful flower.
LikeLiked by 1 person
sconzani said:
It is. Thanks, Shelly.
LikeLike
Toffeeapple said:
That is pretty – never seen it before!
LikeLiked by 1 person
sconzani said:
I’m surprised as it’s very common here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Toffeeapple said:
What sort of size is it – Pansy or Violet? Bear in mind, also, that I am a mountain child, not a shore one…
LikeLiked by 1 person
sconzani said:
Violet-ish in size. And, yes, I’m hearing from my Welsh Valleys’ friends that they don’t see it often either.
LikeLiked by 1 person