# common motherwort (*Leonurus cardiaca*) Common motherwort is a leafy plant with pretty pink flowers. It grows in gardens and fields, and it has a special smell that many people love! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Motherwort ![common motherwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Leonurus_cardiaca_001.jpg&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Valérie75 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonurus_cardiaca_001.jpg) ## Appearance The common motherwort is a tall, upright plant with a square, hairy stem. Its deeply lobed, dark green leaves resemble a hand. Small, fuzzy, pinkish-purple flowers grow in spiky clusters around the stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Leonurus ## Interesting facts - Ancient people carried motherwort for good luck and to ward off bad spirits! - Its scientific name means 'lion's tail' due to its furry, bushy flower stalks! - Some Native American tribes used motherwort to dye fabrics a dark green color! - The tiny flowers are so fuzzy, they feel like velvet to the touch! ## Special abilities - **Seed Spikes:** common motherwort has sharp, spiky calyces that protect its developing seeds from hungry animals. (15 words) - **Herbal Helper:** common motherwort contains special compounds that deter some pests and attract beneficial insects. (15 words) - **Resilient Roots:** common motherwort has strong roots and spreads easily, helping it thrive in disturbed soil. (15 words) ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.8-1.2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Major pollinator, collecting its nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — A frequent visitor to the flowers for nectar. - **Pollinates:** [Cabbage White](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cabbage-white) (*Pieris rapae*) — Sometimes visits flowers for nectar. ## Traits - [Herbaceous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbaceous): Herbaceous plants are non-woody plants with soft stems that typically die back to the ground at the end of the growing season. - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [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. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [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. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or picking plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common motherwort? 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 common motherwort? 60-150 cm ### How wide does common motherwort spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on common motherwort? 0.8-1.2 cm ### When does common motherwort bloom? Summer ### Is common motherwort edible? Yes ### Is common motherwort toxic? Mild ### What is common motherwort's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Brandon Road Lock and Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandon-road-lock-and-dam) — Illinois, US · Historic Site - [Cedarmere-Clayton Estates](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarmere-clayton-estates) — New York, US · Historic District - [Falls Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/falls-park) — South Dakota, US · Park - [Hickory Hill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hickory-hill-park) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see common motherwort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-motherwort) ## 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*) --- Source: [Common Motherwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-motherwort)