Leaf
Genevieve Botti, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
White horehound
Marrubium vulgare L.
Also known as: Horehound
Family: Lamiaceae
30 to 60 cm tall
Banks, wasteland, gardens, dry soils even poor ones
Flowering: June – September
Full sun
Hardy to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Used since antiquity for its virtues against coughs, it is still found in some cough sweets and syrups.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate, crinkled, covered in a felted white-grey down
🌸 Flowers
Small white flowers grouped in tight whorls along the stem
🍎 Fruits
Small dry achenes
🪵 Bark
Upright four-angled stems, felted white
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; found on wasteland and dry path edges in France, especially in the south.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Small white flowers in whorls, rich in nectar, visited by bees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Herb borders, medicinal plant gardens; decorative downy whitish foliage.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known at usual doses; strong bitterness discouraging ingestion in large quantity.
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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