PlantFiles: Henbit, Deadnettle
Lamium amplexicaule

We purchased this house about one year ago, and this STUFF was surrounding a l.p. Gas tank, which we removed. After mowing, thereby spreading the stuff, it has continued to grow around the base of the pool fence, out into the yard, and every concievable place where it isn't wanted. How can it be contained, other than spending my entire summer pulling the stuff? Are there any herbicides that will kill the invasive beast and leave the bermuda grass?

I can't believe anyone would pay money for this plant. The flowers are pretty and very unique, but I noticed it spread through my entire back yard (especially the shadier areas) in full bloom in February.

Actually, Henbit is the Lamium amplexicaule . It is the one shown in the pictures that has been submitted.

Dead Nettle is Lamium Purpurium which looks somewhat different but has some of the same looking flowers.

I enjoy the bit of color it adds.

Some plants exhibit an albinism mutation (white flowers instead of purple). I recently found a patch of these and was able to obtain some seeds. It will be interesting to see what the offspring look like...

Easy to pull, so not high on my list of hated weeds.

It is attractive, but doesn't stay put and always
seems to find it's way next to my poppies, which
do not like to be disturbed. If Lamium a. and p. would
behave, they would be welcome to stay, but they
pop up in areas where I like a clean look.

So, sorry, Lams, out you go.

Best to pull when they are young and tender, else
ye find yourself using a trowel to dig them out.

KM

I've always liked this plant since I saw it as a young boy in the fields around my parents' house.

The fact that it's introduced doesn't really bother me because the related Purple Dead Nettle is MUCH more invasive than Henbit and we've never seen an over-abundance of Henbit because of it.

As for its edibility qualities, The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America says this.

"The leaves of L. album, L. amplexicaule, L. maculatum, and L. purpureum are eaten raw or cooked in Europe and Asia. They are not aromatic, but have a pleasant taste and make good salad greens."

L. amplexicaule is a weed, but it's not particularly difficult to pull, like Dandelion, for instance. I agree with tiG that it's best to pull these up before they flower. I read that, on average, each plant will make 1000 seeds. Still, weed status notwithstanding, it's nice to see some green in the winter before the lawn "wakes up," and it provides nectar for bees when few other plants can.

An invasive weed that can take over a whole yard or garden if allowed to. It stays green and even blooms most of the winter here.

I pull this stuff out in huge hunks...it just seems to make room for more.

It comes up in cracks in the sidewalk, in my landscaping pea gravel and other hard to reach areas. Roundup will kill it, but I only use that where I don't want huge patches of dead plants.

It came with the property, and despite my efforts...it will be here long after I'm gone.

I just purchased this house and found this nestled in with some black eyed -susans in the shade. I just now was at a nursery and found out what it was. I transplanted it to the front of the house around the front border of our flower bed and use as a low creeping border. Here it gets full sun. I must say though in the winter it did not lose any flowers in fact it looked as though it just laid dormant but with all its greenery and flowers.I live in the N.E. part of Oh near Youngstown where it gets below -10 or even lower at times.
Thanks for letting me share this with you.

Lamium amplexicaule, the plant we are talking about here, is a winter annual. It dies off when the summer heat comes around and looks absolutely terrible. That is why I eradicate it as early as possible. The seed seems to come in on the wind, though, because I get plenty more plants every year.
I can't imagine anyone liking this plant after seeing it's entire life cycle and invasive qualities.
There are several good decorative lamiums such as 'Beacon Silver' and 'Hermann's Pride' that are perennial groundcovers. Perhaps that is what the positive raters are referring to.

I really like this plant. I like the White Nancy kind also. The only thing about it in Minnesota is if we have don't near normal snow fall sometimes that plants don't come back. I have experience this both at my parents and my house. Try to get these plants from a friend or neighbor so that you don't have to pay for them. Last year I bought several of them and they didn't come back but the ones that I got from my sister-in-law did come back.

I couldn't agree more with Cherish. This is a problem weed in agricultural settings, extremely difficult to get rid of. I can't imagine anyone wanting it in their yard.

I have an impossible slope behind my garage and decided to create a tiered rock garden. The soil is heavy Virginia clay. I amended the soil, a bit, and planted the deadnettle in the front tier. It is looks lovely in it's place. I wanted to use it's trailing tendencies to cascade over the rocks.

WEED! I can't believe it's listed as an annual. It certainly spreads fast enough. I used to admire the pretty flowers (and still do on occasion) but mostly would rather not have to deal with it in my yard.

Terribly invasive. They do pull easy but get them before they flower.

Crushed foliage has a peculiar acrid smell. It looks attractive blooming in colonies in a field, but is a very invasive pest in cultivated gardens, rooting along its stem if trampled.

This is a common urban weed in the midwest. It occurs in lawns, gardens, roadsides and cultivated fields. The seeds are eaten by some birds.

This plant is considered to be an invasive weed in some states. It is a native of Eurasia and Africa.