Tame nettle (Lamium amplexicaule)

Today we are going to talk about a herbaceous plant that is distributed in Europe, West Asia and North Africa.  It is the Lamium amplexicaule.  It is also known by other common names such as bunnies, lamio, tame nettle, Virgin's shoes, lesser dead nettle or triggers.  These names are given depending on the area where you are and the traditions that exist in each place.  It belongs to the Lamiaceae family and has its charm to have it as herbaceous in the garden.  In this article we are going to go in depth by analyzing the entire Lamium amplexicaule.  We will talk about its characteristics, main uses and care it needs.  Main characteristics It is a herbaceous plant that usually reaches a height of about 30 cm.  It has stems of square selection and with very short hairs that are scattered throughout the stem.  It is quite curious because it has a reddish color, used to seeing almost all the stems green or brown.  Its leaves are opposite, petiolate, simple and ovate in shape.  As with the stems, they are covered by short hairs that are quite soft to the touch.  These leaves are green to red in color.  The flowers are arranged in small groups at the end of the stem.  They are zygomorphic type flowers.  This means that it has petals on the corolla that form a kind of elongated tube that ends in two lips.  The upper lip is cap-shaped, while the lower lip has stained lobes.  It is purple in color and covered with hairs.  This shape makes it quite curious in a herbaceous plant, so it could be interesting to have it in the garden as part of the background grass.  Although its flowers tend to have appreciable beauty, we are not going to compare them with other flowers with greater showiness, so we would not recommend having it in decoration either.  It can simply serve as a herbaceous bearing for the background plants.  Lamium amplexicaule blooms in late winter, when all the frosts are over and the temperatures start to get higher.  Main uses of Lamium amplexicaule This plant has been used for many things throughout history.  The young leaves, roots and shoots are edible and are often used to make totally natural salads.  They give them a good flavor and seasoned they are a delight.  If they are cooked they are also used to add to homemade soups, being quite delicious.  The flowers are used to make jams, although it is not convenient to abuse their saponin content.  Many of the shampoos, herb baths, or facial lotions we use today are largely made from Lamium amplexicaule.  This is due to the fact that it has a high content of tannins that help in the repair and health of our skin and scalp.  Another use that is usually given is in the form of eye drops to heal eye pain.  For women, it comes in handy in the treatment of alterations in the frequency of menstruation.  It can help regulate your menstrual cycle so you don't have to use birth control pills.  However, it is always better to first ask a specialist who can advise you on the use of lamium for the regulation of menstruation.  It is a very useful plant for treating wounds that have become infected.  It usually heals them and helps them heal without problems.  Although it is not a very well-known plant that is seen often, it is worth knowing for all the uses it has.  As I have mentioned before, it is a plant that has a certain beauty, but not enough to serve in the decoration of a garden (or at least not as a main element).  Rather, it is useful as a background grass or to fill in some empty holes that the garden may have.  It is considered in many places as a weed.  This is because it has not been given the care it requires and it is no longer attractive.  So that this does not happen to you, we are going to analyze the care you need.  Lamium amplexicaule care This plant can be seen in semi-natural meadows and is used to be shared with other plants such as Bellis or Ranunculus (link).  Its propagation is done in the wild and, therefore, it can be considered a weed.  If the environmental conditions are favorable, it can be spread quite easily.  This is because it is dispersed and is able to conquer new areas thanks to ants.  The seeds fall from its fruit and it is the ants that are attracted to this food.  Once they have made use of the seeds, it will proliferate elsewhere and you will be able to conquer new lands.  It is a species that can tolerate shade very well, so there is no problem for it to serve as a background grass, as we have mentioned before.  It has no disadvantages in growing under the shade of trees or hedges.  What it does need is a fairly nitrogenous soil so that it can grow without problem, but it does not usually give many problems.  It is a resistant plant.  Even in areas where climates are extreme both hot and cold, the plant tends to last all year round.  Regarding its location, we have already said that it survives well in the shade, although the sun is good for it.  It needs more or less abundant water so that its flowers can develop well.  This means that you must prevent the soil from drying out and is the indicator that will let you know when to water again.  It does not need any fertilizer, as long as the soil is very rich in nitrogen, the plant will be able to thrive well.  If you want to guarantee a good flowering, you can pay them with organic fertilizers (link) once a month.  It does not need pruning, since it is a herbaceous plant that does not exceed 30 cm in height.  For the multiplication, you can do it by seeds in spring, Keep in mind that their seeds will attract ants to your garden, so they themselves could propagate.

Today we are going to talk about a herbaceous plant that is distributed throughout Europe, West Asia and North Africa. Its about Lamium amplexicaule. It is also known by other common names such as bunnies, lamio, tame nettle, Virgin's shoes, lesser dead nettle or triggers. These names are given depending on the area where you are and the traditions that exist in each place. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family and has its charm to have it as herbaceous in the garden.

In this article we will go into depth by analyzing the Embrace Lamium full. We will talk about its characteristics, main uses and care it needs.

Key features

Tame nettle

It is a herbaceous plant that usually reaches a height of about 30 cm. It has stems of square selection and with very short hairs that are scattered throughout the stem. It is quite curious because it has a reddish color, used to seeing almost all the stems green or brown.

Its leaves are opposite, petiolate, simple and ovate in shape. As with the stems, they are covered by short hairs that are quite soft to the touch. These leaves are green to red in color. The flowers are arranged in small groups at the end of the stem. They are zygomorphic type flowers. This means that it has petals on the corolla that form a kind of elongated tube that ends in two lips. The upper lip is cap-shaped, while the lower lip has stained lobes. It is purple in color and covered with hairs.

This shape makes it quite curious in a herbaceous plant, so it could be interesting to have it in the garden as part of the background grass. Although its flowers tend to have appreciable beauty, we are not going to compare them with other flowers with greater showiness, so we would not recommend having it in decoration either. It can simply serve as a herbaceous bearing for the background plants.

El Embrace Lamium blooms in late winter, when all the frosts are over and the temperatures start to get higher.

Main uses of Embrace Lamium

Lamium stem

This plant has been used for many things throughout history. The leaves that are young, the roots and shoots are edible and They are usually used to make totally natural salads. They give them a good flavor and seasoned they are a delight. If they are cooked they are also used to add to homemade soups, being quite delicious.

The flowers are used to make jams, although it is not convenient to abuse their saponin content. Many of the shampoos, herb baths, or facial lotions we use today are made largely from the Lamium amplexicaule. This is due to the fact that it has a high content of tannins that help in the repair and health of our skin and scalp.

Another use that is usually given is in the form of eye drops to heal eye pain. For the women, it comes in handy in the treatment of alterations in the frequency of menstruation. It can help regulate your menstrual cycle so you don't have to use birth control pills. However, it is always better to first ask a specialist who can advise you on the use of lamium for the regulation of menstruation.

It is a very useful plant for treating wounds that have become infected. It usually heals them and helps them heal without problems. Although it is not a very well-known plant that is seen often, it is worth knowing for all the uses it has. As I have mentioned before, it is a plant that has a certain beauty, but not enough to serve in the decoration of a garden (or at least not as a main element). Rather, it is useful as a background grass or to fill in some empty holes that the garden may have.

It is considered in many places like a weed. This is because it has not been given the care it requires and it is no longer attractive. So that this does not happen to you, we are going to analyze the care you need.

Caring for the Embrace Lamium

Lamium implexicaule flower

This plant can be seen in semi-natural meadows and is used to be shared with other plants such as Bellis or Ranunculus. Its propagation is done in the wild and, therefore, it can be considered a weed. If the environmental conditions are favorable, it can be spread quite easily. This is because it is dispersed and is able to conquer new areas thanks to ants. The seeds fall from its fruit and it is the ants that are attracted to this food. Once they have made use of the seeds, it will proliferate elsewhere and you will be able to conquer new lands.

It is a species that can tolerate shade very well, so there is no problem for it to serve as a background grass, as we have mentioned before. It has no disadvantages in growing under the shade of trees or hedges. What it does need is a fairly nitrogenous soil so that it can grow without problem, but it does not usually give many problems.

It is a resistant plant. Even in areas where climates are extreme both hot and cold, the plant tends to last all year. Regarding its location, we have already said that it survives well in the shade, although the sun is good for it. It needs more or less abundant water so that its flowers can develop well. This means that you must prevent the soil from drying out and is the indicator that will let you know when to water again.

It does not need any fertilizer, as long as the soil is very rich in nitrogen, the plant will be able to thrive well. If you want to guarantee a good flowering, you can pay them with ecological fertilizers once a month. It does not need pruning, since it is a herbaceous plant that does not exceed 30 cm in height.

For the multiplication, you can do it by seeds in spring, Keep in mind that their seeds will attract ants to your garden, so they themselves could propagate.

I hope this information helps you to know more about the Lamium amplexicaule.


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  1.   Ruth said

    I would like to know if Lamium maculatum has similar properties; I have an area at home where I planted several last year and the truth is that they are very similar. Thank you.