White dead-nettle
Lamium album
Botanical family: Lamiaceae
Lamium album, the 'white nettle', looks deceptively like a nettle… but does not sting. Its white helmet-shaped flowers are full of nectar, and its young shoots are cooked like spinach.
Partial shade
Cool, rich in nitrogen
Moist soil
Very hardy perennial
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
A first-rate nectar plant for long-tongued bumblebees, which its tubular corolla rewards with abundant nectar over a long flowering. A woodland-edge perennial that tolerates partial shade and covers the ground. Not to be confused with the true nettle: the dead-nettle does not sting.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Seasons & availability
Young shoots in spring; white flowers from April to October, picked for infusions or for cooking.
Available: April, May, June, July, August, September, October.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Lamium album » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lamium+album)
- Tela Botanica, « Lamium album L. » (tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-37472-description)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Mainly food use; few solid medicinal claims can be put forward. Identify it well before any gathering.
Family behaviour: Lamiaceae
In general, Lamiaceae are aromatics (basil, mint, thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender, lemon balm, savory). Their essential oils are reputed to bother some insects, but in a trial cited by Parker et al. (2013), sage, thyme and mint planted near cabbages did not reduce their pests. Their flowers are much visited by pollinators.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Before you forage
This plant is often gathered from the wild. Only pick what is abundant, never a protected species, and never uproot a whole plant (roots) without the landowner's permission. Rules vary by country and region, check locally.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: cool, rich in nitrogen.