# White Horehound (*Marrubium vulgare*) White Horehound is a fuzzy, green plant with small white flowers. It has a strong smell and has been used for many years in herbal remedies. It's often found in gardens and wild areas. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Horehound ![White Horehound](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Marrubium_vulgare_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-224.jpg&width=800) Photo: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marrubium_vulgare_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-224.jpg) ## Appearance The White Horehound has distinctive fuzzy, wrinkled grey-green leaves with square stems. Its tiny, two-lipped white flowers grow in dense, woolly clusters around the stem at the leaf bases. This plant stands out with its overall soft, woolly appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Marrubium ## Interesting facts - Ancient Egyptians used White Horehound for medicine thousands of years ago! - Despite being related to mint, its taste is famously bitter, not refreshing! - Its name 'horehound' might come from 'hoar,' meaning old or grey, for its fuzzy, white look! - This plant can grow a super-long taproot, reaching deep into the soil for water! ## Special abilities - **Bitter Defender:** White Horehound has bitter-tasting compounds in its leaves that help it defend against many hungry herbivores. - **Hitchhiker Seeds:** White Horehound produces spiky seed clusters that easily hook onto animal fur to spread its seeds far. - **Drought Survivor:** White Horehound can thrive in dry, poor soils thanks to its deep taproot and fuzzy leaves that reduce water loss. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Eats:** Domestic Sheep (*Ovis aries*) — grazes its leaves - **Parasitizes:** Black Bean Aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — sucks sap from stems - **Pollinates:** [Common Drone Fly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-drone-fly) (*Syrphus ribesii*) — visits its flowers ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [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 any plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White 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 White Horehound? 30-90 cm ### How wide does White Horehound spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on White Horehound? 0.5-1 cm ### When does White Horehound bloom? Summer ### Is White Horehound edible? Yes ### Is White Horehound toxic? Mild ### What is White Horehound's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Facilities](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/childs-irving-hydroelectric-facilities) — Arizona, US · Historic District - [Clayton Public Schools Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clayton-public-schools-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/navajo-nation-zoological-and-botanical-park) — Arizona, US · Zoo - [Sierra Safari Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sierra-safari-zoo) — Nevada, US · Zoo - [Campo de Cahuenga](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/campo-de-cahuenga) — California, US · Historic District - [Old Town Pasadena](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-town-pasadena) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see White Horehound](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-horehound) ## 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 Horehound: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-horehound)