- Name
- Henbit
- Common Names
- Scientific Name
- Lamium amplexicaule
- Family
- Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
- Description
- A cool season annual/biennial, introduced from Europe, often considered a weed. Henbit is a wild edible; leaves and flowers have a slightly sweet and peppery flavor
- Leaves
- The plant has two types of leaves. The lower leaves have petioles (leaf stalks) and are not associated with flowers, while the upper leaves are not stemmed and located just below the flower clusters. Both leaf types are similar in shape, being somewhat rounded and scalloped. Flower bracts are very hairy.
- Flowers
- Lavender flowers are small, two-lipped; upper lip is concave To the novice, flowers appear to resemble a very small orchid.
- Bloom Time
- February-October
- Pollen Source
- minor but valuable due to earliness/frost hardiness
- Nectar Source
- Henbit is an important early-season source of nectar for honey bees
- Pollen Color
- reddish
- Native to NC
- No
