American Water Horehound

Plant Info

Also known as:	American Bugleweed
Scientific name:	Lycopus americanus
Family:	Mint (Lamiaceae)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun to part shade; moist soil, along shores
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	6 to 30 inches
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park Rice Creek Trail Corridor Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park

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Detailed Information

Flower:

A small dense cluster of 1/8-inch white flowers surrounds each leaf axis; usually not all are open at the same time. Individual flowers are tubular; the upper lip is notched into 2 parts, the lower lip has 3 lobes. There are often tiny pinkish purple spots on the inside of the petals.

Leaves and stem:

The lower leaves are deeply lobed, up to 3½ inches long and 1½ inches wide. They are progressively smaller as they go up the stem and become coarsely toothed but unlobed at the top of the plant. The stem is square and slightly rough from scattered short hairs.

Notes:

American Water Horehound, Wild Mint and Northern Bugleweed are all similar, with clusters of tubular flowers around the leaf axils, growing in the same type of habitat at the same time. American Water Horehound is most easily distinguished by its deeply lobed lower leaves; Northern Bugleweed by its hairless stem and coarsely toothed but unlobed leaves; Wild Mint by its hairy stem and leaves, serrated leaf edges, and usually pinkish flowers.

More photos

• full size plant, about 2 feet tall

More white wildflowers. Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, July 2007

Comments

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