Leaf
John De Vos, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Hedge woundwort
Stachys sylvatica L.
Family: Lamiaceae
40 to 100 cm
Cool woodland, shaded hedgerows
Flowering: June – August
Part shade
Shade
Very hardy, to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Distinctly unpleasant smell when the leaves are crushed, unlike most aromatic members of the mint family.
🍃 Leaves
Heart-shaped, toothed, unpleasant smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Small pinkish-violet to purple flowers, arranged in whorls around the stem and forming a long inflorescence.
🍎 Fruits
Small brown achenes
🪵 Bark
Perennial herbaceous plant with erect, often hairy stems, forming clumps.
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; common in France in cool woodland and hedgerows
🐝 Value for pollinators
Purple nectar-rich flowers visited by bumblebees and solitary bees
✂️ Horticultural uses
Rarely grown in ornamental gardens, tolerated in natural woodland
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity; unpleasant smell when crushed
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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