If you were out pulling or spraying weeds this spring, you may have come across some Lamium amplexicaule, or henbit dead-nettle. Even if you aren’t familiar with the name, this weed is pretty hard to miss because of its unique purplish-pink flowers.
I’m sure I’ve seen some before this year, but this was the first time I’ve looked at it closely.
I think henbit dead-nettle could be the jester of plants – it just looks crazy and wild!
Although henbit is considered a weed, it’s a good-looking one and is also edible. I didn’t try eating it, and you shouldn’t either unless you know what you’re doing, but it’s something to check out if you want to become a weed farmer (as in actual weeds).
The flower is stunningly intricate, but also looks a little bit like a toilet – I wonder if henbit plants are rest areas for insects.
This is one of the flower buds, which is essentially a tiny pom-pom. It is about the size of the tip of a pencil.
Learning about henbit has resulted in some nagging questions for me:
Has a hen bit a henbit before?
Do eight henbits make a henbyte?
Am I the only one who’s reminded of the Yip Yip muppets?
If you have any answers, please let me know!
And now it’s time for the Macro Mystery #6 reveal:
The substance in the holes was earwax. I thought my earbuds were pretty clean until I saw that picture – maybe it’s a good thing we don’t see everything with macro vision! But it’s time for at least one more macro item, Macro Mystery #7!
Don’t overthink this one. The answer will be revealed next week! Until then, don’t let the henbit bite (don’t overthink that either).
Macro Mystery #7 has been revealed: https://themarkhorton.com/2017/06/26/a-leek-y-spider/
Love your sense of humor, Mark! The Henbit is gorgeous upclose. Wonder what other amazing things I’m missing????
[…] If you’re interested in seeing some more pictures, this was the same patch of henbit dead-nettle I photographed last year: https://themarkhorton.com/2017/06/19/henbit-dead-nettle/. […]
Henbit attracts enchanting moths feeding middle of day here in Ozark foothills of the southmidwest…I immediately second guessed whether I ought to have spent so many hours pulling by root here in our cedar woodland clearing for wee cottage…I think I’d miss the moth more…it doesn’t seem to take over too bad in that it grows upright…but then I’ve been pulling and burning it each year…til I saw the moths come through