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genus Lamium maculatum ( LAY - mee - um mak - yuh - LAH - breadbasket ) is a stoloniferous perennial that ’s one of the fifty species of Lamium in the Lamiaceae or mint family .
These cousins of mint are mostly native to western Asia , Europe , and North Africa .
The plant ’s genus name , Lamium , is Grecian and means “ throat . ” Moreover , the specific name , maculatum , means “ spotted . ”
This perennial works is commonly advert to as Dead Nettle because it resemble prick nettle plants but lacks the stinging haircloth that other nettles have .
Other common names of this plant include :
In this clause , we will focus on how to care for and grow Lamium maculatum in your garden .
Lamium Maculatum Care
Lamium For Your Shade Garden
Size and Growth
spot Dead Nettle has a sprawling growth habit and does not usually make a acme of more than 9″ inches tall but spreads about 3′ base wide .
The squared , empty stems subdivision at the nucleotide of the works and ramble enthusiastically to form a ground natural covering quickly . And this flatness - form recurrent undercoat cover spreads indefinitely over time .
genus Lamium maculums boast heart - shaped or ovate - triangular , stunning silver leaves that are sometimes slightly fuzzy , spot , or toothed with long petioles .
The aromatic fleeceable leaves have silvery or blank variegation , which may be limited to a white-hot or silver stripe along the midvein or spread to cover almost the entire leafage , bet on the cultivar .
Flowering and Fragrance
descry Dead Nettle give rise pretty violet - pinkish or white flowers that bloom from former springtime through early summertime and off and on until autumn .
The flora ’s blossom are helmet - shaped and are formed in the foliage axil of the upper leaf pairs , declare oneself a lengthy flowered exhibit .
The sweet hooded or helmet - like blooms are very attractive to bee and other pollinator .
In plus , each bloom transitions into a cluster of four lilliputian brown seed or nutlet .
Light and Temperature
Lamium maculatum is of course a timberland plant , so it does good in full or partial ghost . It will also do fine in ironical shade as long as you provide even watering .
However , it can stick out unmediated dayspring sunniness . Although , check that to keep off picture to too much Dominicus because it will cause leaf scorch .
The Spotted dead nettle also dislike high humidity level and heat . You may notice bare patches appearing in the heat of the summertime , peculiarly in humid and live climates .
This cheerful , hardy plant is winter hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 - 8 .
Watering and Feeding
Although this member of the mint family prefer slightly moist grunge , the Spotted dead nettle is middling drought tolerant . Like most plants , it is far unspoiled to underwater than to overwater .
Once established , Spotted Dead Nettle may do just o.k. with natural rainfall . During times of drought , a deep weekly tearing should suffice .
fecundate two time a year ( other spring and June 21 ) using a practiced quality fertilizer product with an NPK ratio of 5 - 10 - 5 to help oneself promote blooms .
You may also expend an all - purpose fertilizer or balanced fertilizer in saltation to ameliorate it .
Also , remember to avoid fecundate the Lamium works in late summer because the first hoarfrost will winterkill the newfangled growth .
Soil and Transplanting
This congener of sight thrives in moist , well - drained land or light , Laputan , well - draining , hoummos - copious ground that is more or less acid and consistently moist .
However , the Spotted dead nettle can also allow a broad reach of land condition but uprise most quickly in a moist , slightly acid , well - drained , loamy dirt .
recall , this plant does n’t care ill drained or compacted soils . If you have clayey soil , you’re able to add compost to amend drainage .
These audacious plant life are very easy to transpose . seat raw plants or class in light , airy soil in a partly shaded setting . Keep the dirt evenly moist until the plants are established .
Grooming and Maintenance
Prune as needed to move out dead and damage stems and maintain the shape and height you desire .
If your plant ’ performance begins to decline during the summer , you could lop them ( or mow them ) dramatically to boost novel increment .
How To Propagate Lamium Maculatum
It is very prosperous to propagate Spotted Dead Nettle through crown segmentation and non - flowering stem cuttings .
The plant will also ego - seed with wild abandon , but the resulting offspring will not necessarily resemble the parent works .
Lamium Maculatum Main Pest Or Diseases
Heavy , press grease or excessive watering will chair to trouble with peak , stem turn , or root rot and other fungal disease .
Leaf spot that show as black spots , ringed dark spots , or browned spots are also common flora disease that may strike your patched dead nettle .
To control this problem , it ’s best to use an all - purpose fungicide to the entire flora . Just ensure you ’re follow the recording label instruction properly .
Moreover , excessive heat and humidity will make the plant to die back .
gadfly are not normally a problem for this redolent works , and lapin and deer tend to avoid them .
Is the plant considered toxic or poisonous to people, kids, and pets?
Spotted Dead Nettle has a routine of uses in phratry medicament . It can be comestible if right harvested at the right clip ; however , it can also be toxic .
All - in - all , this somewhat smelly , deer and rabbit - tolerant plant is safe to have around the yard and garden , but it ’s best to void treating it as an edible plant unless you really know what you are doing .
Is the plant considered invasive?
Lamium maculatum is highly invasive and ( per the US Forest Service ) can rightly be blame for nearly half the decline of threatened and endangered plant species in the United States .
you could control its scatter by trim or mow before the plant goes to seed . The plants ’ stem are shallow , so it is easy to control the spread by pluck plants that roam into undesirable area .
Suggested Lamium Maculatum Uses
discern Dead Nettle make an attractive ground cover for partially shaded and very shady preferences . It make a overnice filler in between taller subtlety plant .
Plant Lamium maculatum alongside spring bulbs . When the lightbulb have complete blooming , Spotted Dead Nettle will jump to the occasion and cover the bulbs ’ dying foliage .
In small garden scope , this plant can make a skillful margin or edger ; however , it will take a bit of maintenance to keep it under ascendence .
It is also possible to grow the Lamium plants in container or as hanging basket plant .
