Seasonal Wild Flowers

Black Horehound

Ballota nigra

Lamiaceae

June to September

It is found throughout the country except for parts of the

North and the far Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Black Horehound

It is an archaeophyte which has been in England since

the Iron age.

It grows in hedgerows, around fields, in wasteland and by

paths and roads.

Black Horehound is a smelly, hairy, rhizomatous, perennial

herb, growing up to 1m.

Flowers are pink-purple, hairy, up to 15mm long, in axiliary

whorls.

The petal markings shown in the pictures are typical.

Flowers are protandrous and pollinated mainly by bees.

Sepals are fused to form a tunnel and may be barren.

Leaves are softly toothed, pointed ovals.

Black Horehound. Abbotsbury, Dorset

Flowers in axiliary whorl

Flowers- 4 stamens and petal markingsl

Funnel-shaped sepal tubes

Leaf

Pollination