# White Hedge-nettle (*Prasium majus*)

White Hedge-nettle is a lovely plant with soft, green leaves and tiny white flowers. It grows in sunny spots and is great for attracting butterflies and bees!

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

![White Hedge-nettle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Prasium_majus_Sardinia_LM_100407_066.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Laura Morelli, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prasium_majus_Sardinia_LM_100407_066.jpg)

## Appearance

The White Hedge-nettle has distinctive square stems and dark green, crinkled leaves that visually mimic stinging nettles but are completely harmless. Its small, hooded flowers are typically white to pale pink or purplish, growing in circular clusters around the stem where leaves join.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Despite its name, this 'nettle' cannot sting you at all!
- It belongs to the mint family, even without a strong minty smell!
- Its fresh young leaves were historically eaten in salads or cooked.
- Look closely for tiny hairs covering its stems and leaves!

## Special abilities

- **Stingless Disguise:** White Hedge-nettle has leaves shaped like stinging nettles, potentially deterring some herbivores from nibbling.
- **Nectar Beacon:** Its uniquely shaped flowers provide a perfect landing platform and abundant nectar, attracting many busy pollinators.
- **Rhizome Rambler:** This plant can spread underground using special stems called rhizomes, helping it colonize new areas quickly.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 20-50 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Eats:** [garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — grazes on its tender leaves
- **Depends on:** [black garden ant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-garden-ant) (*Lasius niger*) — disperses seeds with elaiosomes

## 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.
- [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.
- [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.
- [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 ask an adult before touching or tasting any plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify White Hedge-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 White Hedge-nettle?

30-100 cm

### How wide does White Hedge-nettle spread?

20-50 cm

### How big are the flowers on White Hedge-nettle?

1-2 cm

### When does White Hedge-nettle bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is White Hedge-nettle edible?

Yes

### Is White Hedge-nettle toxic?

None

### What is White Hedge-nettle'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*)

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Source: [White Hedge-nettle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-hedge-nettle)