Lamium maculatum
A creeping mint-family groundcover with silver-variegated leaves that form a dense mat, bearing pink to white tubular flowers in summer, typically 4–8 in tall and 12–18 in wide, best in partial shade with moist, well-drained soil, and can become invasive if not pruned.
Common Names
Spotted Deadnettle, Dead Nettle, Variegated Deadnettle, Spotted Henbit, Devil's Nettle, Devil's Clover, St Vincent's Nettle, Double Tongue, Purple Dragon
Summary
Spotted dead-nettle is a creeping, mat-forming perennial in the mint family native to Europe and temperate Asia. It stays low (6–9 in tall) and spreads 12–24 in to form dense ground cover; leaves are heart-shaped to triangular with silver markings, and tubular flowers appear in clusters of purple, pink, or white in late spring to early summer, attracting bees and other pollinators.
Preferring partial to full shade, it thrives in evenly moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil and tolerates a wide soil pH (roughly 5.5–8). Hardy in USDA zones 3–8; it spreads via runners and can be propagated by division or cuttings; prune after flowering to maintain bushiness. Common uses include ground cover for shade gardens, underplanting of shrubs, beds, borders, and containers; pests such as slugs, snails, and aphids may occur, and leaf spots or crown/root rot can arise in poorly drained conditions.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
6-12 inches
Spread
1-2 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-8
Sunlight Requirements
Partial shade to full shade; may tolerate full sun in mild climates.
Soil Type
Loamy, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist and humus-rich, with a pH range of 5.5–8 and tolerance for calcareous or siliceous soils
Soil Drainage
Well-drained, moist soil.
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Pink, Purple, White
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer and Fall
Foliage Color
Green, gray, silver, silver-green, variegated green and silver foliage
Fall Foliage Color
Chartreuse
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Rapid growth; can spread up to two feet or more per year
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Cuttings, Layering, Runners
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl., ed. 2. : 809 (1763)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Lamium
Synonyms
Lamium affine Lamium cardiaca Lamium columnae Lamium cupreum Lamium elegantissimum Lamium foliosum Lamium grandiflorum Lamium grenieri Lamium gundelsheimeri Lamium hirsutum Lamium laevigatum Lamium maculatum var. villosifolium Lamium melissifolium Lamium mutabile Lamium niveum Lamium pallidiflorum Lamium rubrum Lamium rugosum Lamium tillii Lamium truncatum Lamium maculatum var. laevigatum Lamium maculatum var. niveum Lamium cupreum subsp. dilatatum Lamium maculatum var. grenieri Lamium album var. maculatum Lamium maculatum var. nemorale Lamium maculatum var. rubrum Lamium maculatum var. cupreum Lamium maculatum var. rugosum Lamium maculatum var. bourgaei Lamium maculatum var. kansuense Lamium maculatum var. longifolium Lamium maculatum var. glabratum Lamium maculatum var. pallidiflorum Lamium maculatum var. subalpinum Lamium laevigatum var. pubescens Lamium maculatum var. elatius Lamium maculatum var. truncatum Lamium maculatum var. humilius Lamium maculatum var. madrodonton Lamium laevigatum var. glabratum Lamium maculatum var. lacteum Lamium maculatum var. tenoreanum Lamium rubrum var. lacteum Lamium laevigatum var. minor Lamium maculatum var. longearistatum Lamium maculatum var. macrophyllum Lamium maculatum var. echinatum Lamium columnae var. pubescens Lamium maculatum var. rhombifolium Lamium columnae var. glabratum Lamium maculatum f. fasciatum Lamium maculatum f. albiflorum Lamium maculatum f. brevidens Lamium maculatum f. roseum Lamium maculatum f. trilobum Lamium maculatum f. dimorphum Lamium maculatum subvar. parviflorum Lamium maculatum f. lacteum Lamium maculatum f. longearistatum Lamium maculatum f. macrophyllum Lamium maculatum subsp. nemorale Lamium maculatum f. pallidiflorum Lamium maculatum f. rhombifolium Lamium maculatum f. tenoreanum Lamium maculatum f. subalpinum Lamium maculatum prol. hirsutum Lamium maculatum var. hirsutum Lamium maculatum lus. crenatum Lamium maculatum lus. pallidiflorum Lamium maculatum prol. rubrum Lamium maculatum prol. rugosum Lamium maculatum subsp. strictopurpureum Lamium stoloniferum Lamium villosifolium Lamium vulgatum var. rubrum Lamium maculatum f. glabratum Lamium maculatum var. crenatum Lamium maculatum var. parvifolium Lamium maculatum var. inflatum Lamium maculatum var. alpinum Lamium maculatum f. alpinum Lamium maculatum f. echinatum Lamium cupreum var. dilatatum Lamium maculatum lus. lacteum