Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Assess the current light levels in your plant's spot.
- Check the distance between the leaf nodes on the stems.
- Trim back any excessively long or bare runners.
Likely causes
Insufficient Light
Most likelyHow to tell: The stems are very long with large gaps between the leaves. The plant looks stretched out and weak.
What to do: Move the plant to a location with brighter, indirect light. If it is indoors, place it closer to a north or east facing window.
Lack of Pruning
PossibleHow to tell: The plant has old, woody stems that are no longer producing lush growth. The center of the plant looks sparse.
What to do: Trim back the long runners to encourage new, bushy growth from the base. You can cut the stems back by 3 to 6 inches.
Find out what's wrong with your ground ivy
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
It is not a health emergency, but it does mean the plant is unhappy with its environment. If the stems are turning brown and brittle, it may be time to propagate a new cutting.
Stopping it coming back
Prune your ground ivy regularly to maintain a compact shape and ensure it gets consistent, indirect light.
Ground Ivy: leggy growth? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your ground ivy and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
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Questions people ask
- Can I grow ground ivy in full sun?
- No, it prefers partial to full shade. Too much sun will scorch the leaves and cause them to wilt.
- Will the stems fill back in after I prune them?
- Yes, pruning stimulates the plant to grow new, healthy stems from the nodes.
More problems with Ground Ivy
- Why does my ground ivy have spots on its leaves?
- Why is my ground ivy drooping?
- Why are my Ground Ivy leaves turning yellow?
- How do I fix root rot in my Ground Ivy?
- Why are my Ground Ivy leaf tips turning brown?
- Why is my ground ivy losing its leaves?
- What are these bugs on my ground ivy?
- Why are my ground ivy leaves curling up?
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.