Common name: Spotted Deadnettle
Family: Lamiaceae, Mint
Height x width: 8-12" x 24-36"
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: stoloniferous square stems, opposite ovate and bristly hairy leaves, wavy to toothed margin, usually variegated white, or with white midrib
Flowers: mauve-pink to white, hooded, ½-1" long, in whorls on short spikes above foliage, late spring to early summer
Hardiness: zones 3-8
Soil: moist, well-drained
Light: shade
Pests and Problems: leaf scorch from full sun and insufficient moisture, purplish fungal leaf spots, stem rots from excessive wetness
Landscape habit, uses: groundcover for shade
Other interest: native to Europe and N. America; genus name from the Latin name used by Pliny
Other culture: may become straggly in zones 7-9 or in dry shade, in which case cut back; in ideal situations may be quite vigorous
Propagation: cuttings, division
Species:
• galeobdolon (gal-ee-ob' do-lon)--Yellow Archangel, formerly known as Lamiastrum galeobdolon or Galeobdolon luteum, zones 4-8, 9-15" tall, native to Europe and W. Asia, yellow flowers, leaves slender pointed and serrate
• maculatum (ma-cue-laa' tum)--Spotted Nettle, flowers and leaves as described for genus, main species of cultivars
• orvala (or' va-lah)--upright clump to 18" tall similar to 'Herman's
Pride', red to purple axillary flowers
Those marked * are the most popular in U.S. commerce.
| Cultivar | species | foliage, habit, other |
| 'Album' | maculatum | silver mid stripe, white flowers |
| 'Album' | orvala | white mid stripe, white flowers |
| 'Ann Greenaway' | maculatum | chartreuse/green/silver, pink flowers |
| 'Aureum' | maculatum | soft yellow with white mid stripe, light pink flowers |
| *'Beacon Silver' | maculatum | silver with green margins, pink-purple flowers |
| *'Beedham's White' | maculatum | chartreuse foliage, white flowers |
| 'Chequers' | maculatum | silver with wide green margins, deep pink flowers |
| 'Compactum' | galeobdolon | compact, less vigorous than species |
| 'Elisabeth de Haas' | maculatum | silvery centers, pink |
| 'Florentinum' | galeobdolon | white variegated, green midrib and margins |
| 'Friday' | album | two shades of green with gold centers, white flowers |
| Golden Anniversary ('Dellam') PP11,783 | maculatum | golden with green and silver centers, pink flowers |
| *'Herman's Pride' | galeobdolon | silver between green veins, upright, less spreading |
| 'Pale Peril' | album | gold fading lime green, white flowers |
| *'Pink Chablis' | maculatum | silvery, pink flowers |
| *'Pink Pewter' | maculatum | silver with narrow green margins, pink flowers |
| 'Red Nancy' | maculatum | silvery, rose red flowers |
| 'Roseum' | maculatum | same as Chequers but wider, paler pink flowers |
| 'Shell Pink':'Roseum' | ||
| 'Silbergroshen':'Beacon Silver' | ||
| 'Variegatum':'Florentinum' | ||
| *'White Nancy' | maculatum | silver with green margins, white flowers, not for heat |
(cultivar photos courtesy Missouri botanical gardens plantfinder)
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