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Common Hemp Nettle Wikimedia Commons
Lamiaceae

Common Hemp Nettle

Galeopsis tetrahit

Humble resilience.

Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Galeopsis
Native to
Europe, Northern Asia
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
annual
Height
1-3 ft
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
moist, fertile, disturbed
Water
moderate
Hardiness
3-8
Lifespan
annual

Did you know

  • Common hemp nettle is famous in evolutionary biology as one of the first plants proven to be an allopolyploid species formed by natural hybridization.
  • Swedish botanists recreated the species artificially by crossing its parent species, confirming its hybrid origin.
  • The stems have distinctive swollen nodes covered in bristly hairs that can irritate skin on contact.
  • The two-lipped flowers have a lower lip marked with a yellow blotch and purple lines that guide bees to the nectar.
  • Despite its name, it is neither a hemp nor a nettle, though the leaves superficially resemble both plants.

Color meanings

0

resilience

1

resourcefulness

2

humility

Uses

  • traditional herbal medicine
  • ecological study subject
  • wildlife habitat