Betony

Betonica officinalis

Plant Data

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Lamiaceae (Dead-nettle)

Type:

Flower

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Flower:

Pink, 5 petals

Dense pink to purple flower spike.

Fruit:

After the flowers have died off, each flower leaves behind four 3-sided, smooth, brown nutlets at the bottom of the calyx.

Leaves:

Bluntly toothed, oval, stalked leaves, mostly in basal rosettes. Some paired leaves along the stem.

Maximum Size:

50 centimetres tall

Foraging Notes:

The seeds are edible and tea can be made from the dried leaves.
Never consume a wild plant unless you are 100% certain that it is safe to eat and you know that you have identified it correctly.

Aroma:

Unpleasant smelling.

Other Names:

Bishopswort, Purple Betony, Wood Betony, Woundwort.

Frequency (UK):

Occasionally seen

Habitats:

Farmland, grassland, heathland, woodland.