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| Lamium amplexicaule |
| Family: Lamiaceae (Mint) |
| Flowers — color: magenta, size: 1/2", type: lipped |
Henbit Deadnettles have tubular magenta flowers nearly an inch long. They flare into two lips, the top a floppy hood and the lower two-lobed with markings [compare to California Hedgenettle]. These markings may resemble a rabbit's face. Unfortunately, I need strong reading glasses or a close-up photo to appreciate this whimsy. Multiple buds grow from the final leaf nodes. An early bloomer [February].
Habit:
Henbit Deadnettles are small annual herbs with heights ranging from 2–12" when blooming. My first impression was many flower stalks springing up between the mustard plants along the side of the road. Grasses concealed the base, so the blooms seemed spontaneous.
The plant base has many stemmed leaves, deeply veined and scalloped. The square stem, typical of mints, has leaves in opposition: the lower ones may have short stems, the upper ones are sessile [directly attached to the stalk]. My photo of henbits growing from a crack in pavement isolates these elements, but it is hard to distinguish how many plants are there.
Chickens enjoy this plant, so it got the name Henbit. Although the leaves resemble stinging nettles, its hairs are not irritating, hence deadnettle. Non-native, probably Mediterranean, with world-wide distribution. This plant blooms early in the spring, so it supports bees and other pollinators. Henbits have uses in folk medicine and the kitchen.