Lamium album (white dead-nettle)

Lamium album leaves

White dead-nettle or simply white nettle (Lamium album) is a perennial plant that needs evenly moist and nutrient-rich soil to survive. It grows in partially sunny to semi-shady locations, along roadsides, in parks, gardens or meadows and in front of bushes and hedges.

Bumblebee pollinating white dead nettle
A bumblebee pollinates the flowers of the white dead-nettle.

The flowering period can last from April to October. The flowers are favoured by bumblebees and other wild bees.

White dead nettle at a sunny spot
At sunny spots, the leaves of the white dead-nettle can turn its colour red.

When they are not in flower, white dead-nettle and stinging nettles look similar. They can be easily distinguished by their flowers. These plants are not related to each other.

Lamium album and Urtica dioica
Lamium album and Urtica dioica (stinging nettle)

Another feature that distinguishes them from stinging nettles is that Lamium album has no stinging hairs.

Lamium album by the roadside
Lamium album by the roadside.

The natural distribution area reaches from Europe to Asia. In North America, the white dead-nettle was introduced as an ornamental plant and can also be found growing wild there. Unlike the spotted dead-nettle (Lamium maculatum), cultivars are not available.

Lamium album and Lamium purpureum in a meadow
Lamium album and Lamium purpureum in a meadow.
Lamium album in the snow
Lamium album in the snow.
white dead nettle and red dead nettle in my garden
White dead-nettle and red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) in my garden.
garden bumblebee Bombus hortorum
Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)

white dead nettle Lamium album