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| Henbit Dead-Nettle; Lamium amplexicaule L. |
Mint Family; LABIATÆ (LAMIACEÆ)
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| Henbit Dead-Nettle is, in Seattle at least, far less common than its close relative Red Dead-Nettle
(Lamium purpureum; Weed-of-the-month May 1986). Although the two have about the same size and lifestyle, something makes Henbit a comparative underdog.
Other weed "pairs" are curiously similar this way. For example, common dandelion greatly outnumbers redseed dandelion, and
Himalaya blackberry is way more abundant than evergreen blackberry. Whenever such a discrepancy exists, the question arises why? In the
case of weeds, it is generally a matter of both species being competitive, yet one being extraordinarily so. On the other hand, with
mosses, and certain wildflowers, there is much more of the "first come first served" explanation at work. |
| So since a gene or two confers advantage, Red Dead-Nettle outnumbers Henbit, its nicked-leaf cousin. To me this makes
Henbit something of a "find" since usually I encounter the other species. I tell myself I like Henbit better. Most likely, however, is that I
favor novelty and would prefer Red Dead-Nettle if
it were the less common species. |
| Both species are remarkably cold-hardy winter annuals. That is, they germinate in fall, and after overwintering, bloom in
early spring, to set seed and die in the summer. The related Lamium maculatum and L. album, and so on, grown in gardens for ornament
or herbal usage, are perennials. None like blasting sun; they all prefer partial shade. |
| All Lamium species are from the Old World. All are more-or-less hairy, and have hollow square stems bearing opposite pairs
of leaves. The flowers tend to be white, pink or purple, and are usually moderately handsome clustered tightly together. You can eat
any Lamium if you're willing to chew well. The flavor is blandly sweet if not poor. The best use is adding flowers or the tender tips of
the flowering stems to salads. |
| The names Dead-Nettle, also sometimes seen as Blind-Nettle, Dumb-Nettle,
etc., refer to the approximately similar stems
and leaves of Stinging Nettle (Urtica spp. --to be in this column February 1995). |
| The key to finding either Red or Henbit Dead-Nettles is to look for superbly rich, even humusy soil. They delight in loose
duff, so their roots can freely roam, and they can quickly form colonies. Heavy clay soils and barren sands are tolerated but result in
stunted growth. |
| If you want to eliminate these weeds, simply don't let their seeds ripen. Turn-under the masses of the plants as green-manure,
or just mow them low and often. They can be easily yanked-up if you do not have acres to deal with. |
Henbit and Red Dead-Nettle are accompanied in Seattle by a third related weedy species, Cutleaf Dead-Nettle, Lamium hybridum.
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Originally published as the Seattle Tilth newsletter Weed of the Month in February 1994, along with an illustration from a book.
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