# European water-horehound (*Lycopus europaeus*) The European water-horehound is a green plant that grows near water. It has small, pretty flowers and is loved by bees and butterflies! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![European water-horehound](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Illustration_Lycopus_europaeus0.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_Lycopus_europaeus0.jpg) ## Appearance The European water-horehound has upright, square stems and pairs of deeply toothed, dark green leaves. Its tiny, white or pale purple flowers grow in dense whorls around the stem joints, often with reddish-purple spots. This plant stands out with its clustered flowers directly on the stem, unlike many mint relatives. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Lycopus ## Interesting facts - Ancient healers once used this plant for its calming properties and as a dye! - It's a wild cousin of mint, but don't try chewing its bitter leaves! - Its scientific name, Lycopus, means 'wolf's foot' because of its jagged leaves! - You can sometimes spot its tiny flowers blooming even into late autumn! ## Special abilities - **Rhizome Runner:** European water-horehound can spread quickly using underground stems called rhizomes, helping it colonize new wet areas. - **Wetland Wonder:** This plant can thrive in very wet or even submerged soils, allowing it to grow where many other plants struggle. - **Floating Seeds:** Its tiny seeds are designed to float, allowing them to travel far on water currents to find new places to grow. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen from flowers - **Pollinates:** Marmalade hoverfly (*Episyrphus balteatus*) — feeds on nectar, aiding flower reproduction - **Shelter:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — finds cover and nesting sites in dense growth ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [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. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European water-horehound? 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 European water-horehound? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on European water-horehound? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does European water-horehound bloom? Summer ### Is European water-horehound edible? No ### Is European water-horehound toxic? None ### What is European water-horehound's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is European water-horehound pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Maheras-Gentry Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/maheras-gentry-park) — Michigan, US · 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*) --- Source: [European water-horehound: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-water-horehound)