Glechoma Hederacea

Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug

Perennial, Weed, Wildflower

Perennial

Three to seven blue-violet, half inch, tubular shaped flowers in whorls in leaf axis; corolla is two-lipped; lower lip has three lobes. Clusters of flowers develop from the leaf axils. The corolla of each flower is narrow at the base, but flares outward like a trumpet into spreading lobes. There is a notched upper lobe, a notched lower lobe, and 2 smaller side lobes. The lower lobe is larger than the others and functions as a landing pad for visiting insects. It has darker violet lines that function as nectar guides. Within the throat of the corolla, there are fuzzy hairs. Each flower has a single pistil with a divided style, 2 long stamens, and 2 short stamens. The pubescent calyx is about 1/3 the length of the tubular corolla, with 15 veins running along its length and 5 teeth along its outer edge.

Upon maturity, each flower is replaced by 4 dark brown nutlets. Each nutlet is ovoid, with 2 flat sides and an outer side that is rounded.