creeping charlie

[Stephen M Jankalski]

Dear Beverly,

Vinca major, especially its variegated cultivar, is often sold as a hanging
basket plant. It is a genuine Vinca, blue flowers and all. It is popularly
called "Vinca Vine". Don't know why because it doesn't vine at all.

The widely grown annual Vinca is correctly Catharanthus roseus.

I know Lysimachia nummularia as "Creeping Charlie". A close relative,
Lysimachia congestiflora, is currently in the trade as a hanging basket
plant. 
http://hatchettcreek.com/culture/html/golden_globe.html

Still have no idea which plant Jerry is calling "Creeping Charlie".

Cereusly Steve

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Beverly Erlebacher <bae at cs.toronto.edu> wrote in article
<1999Oct6.151322.20115 at jarvis.cs.toronto.edu>...
> In article <7td38n$5e1$1 at news1.inlink.com>,
> Jerry O'Neal <jerryo at sheltonbbs.com> wrote:
> >I have hanging baskets that contain creeping charlie and vinca on my
porch.
> >I live in zone 6. Is there anything  can do to winterize them so they
will
> >grow next year?
> 
> THe vincas used in hanging baskets are usually the tropical ones.  I
> think they are in Catharanthus now.  The hardy vinca has blue flowers.
> 
> There are a number of plants called creeping charlie.  Around here, the
> name is applied to Glechoma hederacea (sp?).  I've seen a variety with 
> white-edged leaves used in hanging baskets.  If I were you, I'd burn it 
> in a cement kiln and scatter the ashes at sea.  Once it gets into a lawn,
> you will never get it out.  It's all too hardy.
> 
> You may be able to save the vincas by bringing them in as houseplants,
> although they will likely get very leggy.  If the creeping charlie is
> G.hederacea, and you actually want to save it, bury the basket (or
contents
> to slightly below ground level, and maybe mulch with some dead leaves.
> Don't say I didn't warn you when it escapes and takes over! :-)
> 
> 
>