Friday Foraging #171 - 19th September 2025

Friday Foraging

Ivy - Ground Ivy

A creeping plant that grows low to the ground with kidney-shaped, deep green leaves that are typically scalloped, with a square stem. This delightful herb is found in abundance in woodlands, hedgerows and damp ground pretty much all throughout the year.  

Being an evergreen, it is prominent year-round and as the name suggests, is commonly found creeping on woodland floors, hedgerows, parks and gardens.

The leaves can be used all year round although they are at their best used from Spring to Autumn. They can be used in salads or cooked like spinach. Why not dry some and keep for herbal teas too, or to flavour stews and soups.
Flowers usually from March to May and are a great source of nectar, so be sure to leave some for the bees.
During the spring the tiny light purple flowers appear and are also edible and great as a garnish.

Flowers are dark green in colour , kidney-shaped or heart-shaped with scalloped or rounded edges. 

The stems are square and the flowers are funnel shaped and a lavender to pinkish colour. The leaves when crushed up have a distinctive smell which smells like a cross between rosemary, mint and sage combined.

When picking, choose the young shoots and leaves which are the tenderest and they can become a bit more chewy towards winter. Harvest the flowers when fully open.