Leaf
Anny Raim, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Black horehound
Ballota nigra L.
Family: Lamiaceae
40 to 100 cm
Hedgerows, rubble, track edges
Flowering: June – October
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its strong, unpleasant smell when crushed is a good clue, to be used together with the plant's other characters.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate, toothed, strong unpleasant smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Small, pink-mauve, in dense whorls in the leaf axils
🍎 Fruits
Small brown achenes
🪵 Bark
Square, hairy herbaceous stem, which may blacken on drying.
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, North Africa, western Asia; common in France on banks, hedges and track edges
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich purple flowers visited by bees and bumblebees all summer
✂️ Horticultural uses
Little grown in ornamental gardens, sometimes used in traditional medicine
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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