Lamium amplexicaule

henbit, common henbit, giraffehead, henbit deadnettle
Family

Lamiaceae

Leaf Arrangement

opposite

Leaf Attachment

petiolate

Leaf Margin

crenate, serrate

Leaf Type

simple

Leaf Shape

reniform, orbicular, deltoid, ovate

Growth Form

forb

Flower Color

pink, purple

Flower Petals

5

Flower Month

January - December

Height (meters)

0.1 - 0.4

Milky Sap

No

Armed/Unarmed

Unarmed

Origin

introduced

Lifespan

annual, biennial

Growing Season

Cool season


Prairie Coefficient of Conservatism

-1

Cultural Information

Freshly harvested seed is usually dormant due to a water soluble inhibitor which decreases during dry storage. Germination is inhibited by far-red radiation but not by red light in the visible wavelength (Jones and Bailey 1956).

Natural History

Henbit grows in cultivated areas, waste places, and along roadsides throughout Louisiana and most of Texas. It is a native of Europe and is naturalized throughout North America (Correll and Johnston 1979).

Habitat

Fields, pastures, roadsides, lawns, and waste places especially in fertile soil in cultivated areas among grasses.

Plant Uses

Edible cooked as a green. Its common name comes from the fact that it is a favorite forage of chickens.