Name that plant

[Jerry-B-WI]

Was traveling through Indiana and Ohio today and noticed some type of plant in several fields that I think might be a weed but I've never seen so much of it. It was low to the ground and appeared to have purple blossoms, and a lot of it was blossoming. Any idea what it's called? Sorry no pictures.

 

[KY wild]

Henbit or Purple Deadnettle. Both bloom purple blooms, low growing in the early spring, around here would more likely be Henbit, winter annual that covers crop fields and flowers before herbicide application and fits a nitch which allows it to become prolific

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

Is it a good plant or bad weed? Never saw anything like it.

 

[KY wild]

I have never seen deer eat it but it offers an early nectar source for my honey bees. I would say over all very good at preventing erosion due to spring floods. Weed or helpful plant is always a matter of opinion but I like this plant and find it a positive.

 

[Turkey Creek]

There are some cropfields around us that are nothing but purple this time of year. You would swear that it was planted its so thick.

 

[Native Hunter]

KY Wild is correct. It's one of those two plants., and they look similar from a distance. Neither are browsed by deer.