Henbit, Dead Nettle
Lamium amplexicaule

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

An annual herb. The stems can be 30 cm long. The stems have many branches. The upper leaves do not have stalks but lower leaves have stalks as along as the leaf blade. The leaf blade is round or kidney shaped. It is 1-2 cm long by 0.7-1.5 cm wide. The edges are irregular or lobed and the base partly clasps the stem. There are 6-10 flowers in a head. They occur in rings in the axils of the leaves and are pink. The nuts are greyish yellow and oval. They are 3 angled.

There are about 50 Lamium species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It can grow on walls and in dry arable land. In China it grows on roadside and marshes between sea level and 4000 m altitude. It suits light soils. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,200 m above sea level. It suits plant hardiness zones 3-9. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Alaska, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Is., Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Crete, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe (country/location of origin), Falklands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Mediterranean, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norfolk Is., North Africa, North America, Norway, NW India, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Siberia, South America, Spain, St Helena, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The tender young leaves and flowering tips are cooked and eaten. They are used in soups and salads. They are also used for tea.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or rooting stems.

Its other names

Local names

Ballibaba, Baltutan, Bao gai cao, Bee nettle, Blind nettle, Gallarete, Gallito, Gwangdaenamul, Hotoke-no-za, Indu saag, Mentaselvagem, Ortiga mansa, Ortig muerta, Vinagrillas

Synonyms

Galeobdolon amplexicaule (L.) Moench; Lamiopsis amplexicaulis (L.) Opiz; Pollichia amplexicaulis (L.) Willd.; and several others