Brown Leaves on a Creeping Charley

Light

• Creeping charley plants do well in partially shaded conditions. In areas that receive little light, like under trees or near fences, the groundcover survives where other plants fail to thrive. Creepy charley's value as a groundcover is diminished by their propensity to spread uncontrollably and out-compete turf grass and garden plants. Some gardeners control unwanted creeping charley growth by thinning out dense tree growth or installing link fences. Light causes creeping charley's foliage to burn and as a result the unwanted plants die back.

Temperature

• Creeping charley are warm weather plants. They flourish when night temperatures fail to dip below 50 degree Fahrenheit and when daytime temperatures are within the 70 to 80 degree range. Their leaves turn brown when cool fall weather signals the end of the growing season. Though they die back in winter, the plants are perennial and return year after year.

Moisture

• Creeping charley spreads via seed and vegetatively. The plant produces stolons, offshoots from the root system that emerge from underground and form leaves and new plants. The plants are connected to one another by the stolens. Evenly moist, fertile soil is creeping charley's preferred growing medium. Compacted, dry soils won't support creeping charley development or healthy foliage. Control unwanted creeping charley by draining excess water from wet areas and improving overall soil drainage. Dry conditions will prevent creeping charley from spreading.

Herbicides

• Broad leaf herbicides like triclopyr, dicamba and other chemicals. Glyphosate is a broad spectrum herbicide that kills grass and plants as well as weeds. Use glyphosate only if you plan on reseeding or replanting the area. This herbicide will turn the leaves of every plant it touches brown. Borax, another method used by gardeners to control creeping charley's spread, turns leaves yellow. It also negatively affects other plants in its vicinity.

Houseplants

• Creeping charley is considered a hardy houseplant. It thrives in lowlight conditions. Its creeping habit allows for trailing baskets and it makes an appropriate understory plant in large plantings. Indoor creeping charley leaves have variegated colors. When exposed to bright light and dry conditions plant foliage is negatively affected and may turn brown and die.