# White deadnettle (*Lamium album*) White deadnettle is a lovely plant with soft, green leaves and pretty white flowers. It grows in many places and is often found in gardens and along paths. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![White deadnettle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lamium_album_Sturm39.jpg&width=800) Photo: Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lamium_album_Sturm39.jpg) ## Appearance The White deadnettle has square stems and opposite, heart-shaped, toothed leaves that strikingly resemble stinging nettles but are soft. Its characteristic pure white, hooded flowers grow in distinct rings around the stem, often revealing a subtle yellow tint inside. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Lamium ## Interesting facts - Ancient Romans and Vikings might have eaten its leaves in their meals! - Its flowers are shaped like tiny helmets, perfectly sized for a bumblebee's head! - The plant's scientific name, Lamium, comes from a Greek word meaning 'jaws' or 'throat' because of its flower shape! - Unlike its look-alike, the White deadnettle offers tasty leaves that are surprisingly good in salads! ## Special abilities - **Sting-Free Disguise:** White deadnettle can look like stinging nettles to deter hungry animals, helping it avoid being eaten. - **Nectar Lanterns:** White deadnettle has bright white, tubular flowers that act like beacons, guiding nighttime pollinators to its sweet nectar. - **Underground Traveler:** White deadnettle can spread rapidly using creeping underground stems, helping it quickly colonize new patches of ground. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-60 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Autumn - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Western honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Feeds on its foliage - **Eaten by:** Grey field slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Grazes on its leaves ## 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. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [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. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [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. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before touching or tasting plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White deadnettle? 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 White deadnettle? 20-60 cm ### How wide does White deadnettle spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on White deadnettle? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does White deadnettle bloom? Spring to Autumn ### Is White deadnettle edible? Yes ### Is White deadnettle toxic? None ### What is White deadnettle's lifecycle? Perennial ## 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: [White deadnettle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-deadnettle)