Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule) is a common, sprawling annual plant that often appears in lawns, gardens, and agricultural fields across North America and Europe. As a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, it is recognized by its distinctive square stem and the small, purplish flowers that emerge early in the spring season. Henbit is a winter annual, meaning its seeds germinate in the fall, it overwinters as a small plant, and then flowers and sets seed the following spring before dying back in the heat of summer.
The Direct Answer: Toxicity Status of Henbit
Henbit Deadnettle is widely regarded as non-toxic and safe for human consumption. It is a wild edible, and all of its above-ground parts—the leaves, stems, and flowers—can be eaten. The plant’s classification within the Lamiaceae family is important, as this family includes many well-known edible herbs.
While safe, Henbit is not recognized by modern medicine as a treatment for any specific condition. Reports exist of Henbit causing staggers and tremors in grazing livestock, such as sheep and cattle, particularly when consuming large quantities. This reported toxicity in animals is not transferable to humans consuming small amounts of the plant as food.
Identifying Henbit Deadnettle
Accurate identification of Lamium amplexicaule relies on several specific physical characteristics. The most defining feature, common to the mint family, is the four-sided, or square, stem. This stem can range in height from four to sixteen inches and is typically green, sometimes taking on a reddish or purplish hue.
The leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem and are generally rounded, scalloped, or heart-shaped with rounded teeth. A crucial identification marker is the difference in leaf attachment: lower leaves have small stalks (petioles) connecting them to the main stem.
Upper leaves lack these stalks and are “sessile,” appearing to wrap around and clasp the main stem, forming a collar-like structure beneath the flower clusters. The small, tubular, pink-to-purple flowers emerge in whorls from the axils of these upper leaves. These two-lipped flowers are one of the earliest food sources for pollinators in the spring.
Culinary and Traditional Uses
Since Henbit is safe to consume, it is often utilized as an early spring green. All parts of the young plant, including the flowers, leaves, and tender stems, can be harvested and used. The taste is frequently described as mild and green, similar to raw spinach or baby kale, sometimes with a slightly peppery undertone.
The leaves and stems can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like any other potherb, such as in soups, stir-fries, or blended into pesto. Younger plants are considered more palatable, as the stems of older plants can become tougher.
Henbit offers a notable nutritional profile, containing high levels of iron, vitamins A, C, and K, and dietary fiber. Historically, the plant has been used in folk practices as a mild stimulant or as a tea to help reduce fevers and alleviate joint aches.
Distinguishing Henbit from Toxic Look-Alikes
The most common plant mistaken for Henbit is Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum), which is also a non-toxic edible wild green. The primary difference lies in the leaves: Purple Deadnettle’s leaves, including the upper ones, are all attached to the stem by a short stalk (petiole), and the upper leaves are often distinctly purplish. Conversely, Henbit’s upper leaves are stalkless and completely clasp the stem.
A more serious potential confusion is with the young, non-flowering stages of the highly toxic Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Once Henbit has flowered, its small, tubular, two-lipped flowers generally eliminate confusion with similar poisonous plants. Foxglove leaves are much hairier and lack the scalloped, clasping leaf structure of Henbit.
Another plant sometimes confused with Henbit is Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea), also known as Creeping Charlie. Ground Ivy is not highly toxic but is generally considered less palatable. It has rounded, kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges, but all of its leaves are on distinct, long stalks. Ground Ivy also has a strong, medicinal odor when crushed, which Henbit lacks.