Henbits, harbingers of Spring and U.S. invaders

Source: Backyard Nature Google Group
For more information about invasive species in general, see this Wikipedia article.

Henbit
 
 
For this installment of Species of the Week I have reprinted a portion of the newsletter from my local chapter of the Native Plant Society:
 
 
South Carolina Native Plant Society
Pause for Plants, March 2007
 
Patches of Purple
 
Blooming now in lawns, fields, and along roadsides are the “Henbits,” two species of the mint family which have pinkish purple flowers, square stems and opposite leaves. Their common name comes from the notion (maybe fact) that free-range chickens find them tasty. One species is called “purple henbit” or “purple dead nettle.” Its scientific name is Lamium purpureum, “Lamium” from Greek for “thread” referring to the flowers tubular shape, and “purpureum” for purple flower petals and purple young leaves. The other henbit is Lamium amplexicaule with a species name describing its green leaves that “clasp the stem.” This henbit is also known as, “Giraffe head.” With a little stretch of the imagination, the fully mature flowers can be said to look like liliputian purple giraffe heads! Many online search references tell you how to eradicate these really attractive Eurasian transplants, and they are described as aggressive annual weeds! Both henbits have wide distributions over North America. They grow well in light shade to full sun.
 
Below is a vigorous patch of henbit:
 

 
[Image from Texas A&M University http://uvalde.tamu.edu/herbarium/laam.htm]
 
Folks sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between these “cousins” of the same genus. Their flowers are similar pink/purple tubular with two-lobed spotted lips. But their leaves are more distinctive, and a closer look reveals that the stem-clasping leaves of Lamium amplexicaule are round shaped with rounded teeth along their edge, and only the lower most leaves have stalks (petioles). Lamium purpureum leaves are more triangular shaped, less deeply lobed, and youngest leaves are often purple.
 
For more information and some great images check out
 
http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Lamium+amplexicaule&guide=Lawn
 
Henbits are edible and healthful. Young fresh leaves can be used as pot herbs or in salads. Perhaps some of you would like to gather up henbit and other wild edible weeds to try the following recipe!
 
 
Wild Weed Salad*
 
1/2 cup young henbit leaves
1/2 cup young dandelion leaves
1 cup lamb’s quarter new leaves
1 small head of butter lettuce, torn (optional)
1/2 cup tender nasturtium and violet leaves, torn
1/4 cup chive blossoms
1/4 cup rose or tulip petals
1/2 cup nasturtium and violet flowers
2 tsp. fresh mint chopped fine and bruised
2 Tablespoons chopped basal
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon honey
3 ounces apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil
 
*This recipe can be changed to suit what is in season at the time. Carefully wash all the flowers and greens, let dry on paper towels. Mix gently in a salad bowl. Combine honey and apple cider vinegar, whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add dressing to salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve.
 
Medicinal uses are also reported for henbits, and some examples are:
 
Whole plants of purple deadnettle, (Lamium purpureum) are soaked in hot water producing an decoction to check bleeding ( astringent ), and whole plant teas are used as a diaphoretic to induce sweating.
 
Decoctions and teas of henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) are used to relieve rheumatism, as a laxitive, a stimulant and also to induce sweating.
 
 
 
Mark
 
_________________
“Let us save at least part of our lives for enjoyment of this wonderful world which still exists. Leave your dens, abandon your cars, and walk out into the mountains, the deserts, the forests, the seashores.”
- - Edward Abbey