(Redirected from Deadnettle)
'''Lamium''' ('deadnettle') is a genus of about 40-50 species of
flowering plants in the family
Lamiaceae, of which family it is the type genus. They are all
herbaceous plants native to
Europe,
Asia, and north
Africa, but several have become very successful
weeds of
crop fields and are now widely
naturalised across the temperate world.
The genus includes both
annual and
perennial species; they spread by both
seeds and stems rooting as they grow along the ground.
The common name refers to their
superficial resemblance to the unrelated
stinging nettles, but unlike those, they do not have stinging hairs and so are harmless or apparently "dead".
;Selected species
★ ''
Lamium album'' (
White Deadnettle)
★ ''
Lamium amplexicaule'' (
Henbit Deadnettle)
★ ''
Lamium bifidum''
★ ''
Lamium barbatum''
★ ''
Lamium corsicum''
★ ''
Lamium flexuosum''
★ ''
Lamium garganicum''
★ ''
Lamium glaberrimum''
★ ''
Lamium hybridum'' (
Cut-leaf Deadnettle)
★ ''
Lamium maculatum'' (
Spotted Deadnettle)
★ ''
Lamium moluccellifolium'' (
Northern Deadnettle)
★ ''
Lamium moschatum''
★ ''
Lamium orvala''
★ ''
Lamium purpureum'' (
Red Deadnettle)
Several closely related genera were formerly included in ''Lamium'' by some
botanists, including ''
Lamiastrum'' (Yellow Archangel), ''
Galeopsis'' (hemp-nettles) and ''
Leonurus'' (motherworts).
''Lamium'' species are used as food plants by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera species including
Angle Shades,
Setaceous Hebrew Character and the ''
Coleophora'' case-bearers ''C. ballotella'', ''C. lineolea'' and ''C. ochripennella''.
Cultivation
Lamiums are frost hardy and grow well in most soils. Flower colour determines planting season and light requirement: white- and purple-coloured flowered species are planted in spring and prefer full sun. The yellow-flowered ones are planted in fall (autumn) and prefer shade. They often have
invasive habits and need plenty of room. Propagate from seed or by division in early spring.