# Bifid Hemp-nettle (*Galeopsis bifida*)

Bifid Hemp-nettle is a small plant with pretty purple flowers. It grows in fields and along roadsides, bringing color to nature. This plant is loved by bees and butterflies!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Bifid Hemp-nettle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Galeopsis_bifida_533695194.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Galeopsis_bifida_533695194.jpg)

## Appearance

The Bifid Hemp-nettle has square, often reddish-tinged stems covered in fine hairs and broad, oval, toothed leaves resembling stinging nettles. Its tubular flowers, typically pinkish-purple with white markings, feature a unique two-lobed lower lip, making them visually distinct.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Lamiaceae
- **Genus:** Galeopsis

## Interesting facts

- Bifid Hemp-nettle is a champion seed producer, ensuring new plants pop up year after year!
- Its name 'Bifid' means two-cleft, just like the distinctive lower lip of its beautiful flower!
- Some people say its leaves, when crushed, have a faintly minty or earthy smell!
- This plant is often mistaken for a stinging nettle, but don't worry, its leaves won't sting you!

## Special abilities

- **Fuzzy Defender:** Bifid Hemp-nettle has stems covered in soft hairs that can deter small insects and grazing animals, helping it survive.
- **Pollinator Beacon:** Its flowers have a unique two-cleft lower lip, guiding pollinators like bees directly to its nectar and pollen.
- **Seed Spreader:** Each flower can produce many seeds that easily disperse, helping the plant colonize new areas quickly.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-80 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its flowers.
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits the flowers for their sweet nectar.
- **Eaten by:** Grey field slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Feeds on the leaves and stems of young plants.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Bifid Hemp-nettle?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Bifid Hemp-nettle?

30-80 cm

### How big are the flowers on Bifid Hemp-nettle?

1-2.5 cm

### When does Bifid Hemp-nettle bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is Bifid Hemp-nettle edible?

Yes

### Is Bifid Hemp-nettle toxic?

None

### What is Bifid Hemp-nettle's lifecycle?

Annual

### How is Bifid Hemp-nettle pollinated?

Insect

## Where to spot

- [Coquihalla River Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coquihalla-river-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Bifid Hemp-nettle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bifid-hemp-nettle)