When & Where to Find
Gill-Over-The-Ground, also known as Ground Ivy, starts growing in May (or earlier!) in South Dakota and the Upper Midwest. It is a creeping weed with round, scalloped toothed, and sometimes purple-tinged leaves. This is one of the very first wild edible plants of the season to forage.
My kids and I frequently find it in shady forests along hiking trails but you can also find it growing as a weed on herbicide-free lawns.
How to Eat
Most of the time this plant is too fuzzy for me to eat a bunch so I simply chew it and spit it out. The mint flavor leaves a refreshing taste in the mouth. BUT! Sometimes when I find it young enough the leaves are delicious to eat by the handful.
I also like to dry, crunch, and steep it in boiling water for 10 min along with some dandelion leaves. Enjoy!
(Left photo is catnip but the square stem gives an idea of how ground ivy stems appear)
TREEfool 