BALLOTA nigra

Black Horehound

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Type:

Perennial
Height: 1-2' (30-60 cm)
Flowering Time: Summer
Flower Colour: Pink
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Botanical Classification:

Class:

Angiospermae (Angiosperms)
Subclass: Dicotyledonae (Dicotyledons)
Superorder: Asteridae (Daisy Superorder)
Order: Lamiales (Nettle Order)
Family: Lamiaceae (Nettle Family)
Genus: Ballota
Species: nigra (dark)
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Ballota nigra

Ballota nigra is a coarse, scrambling, bushy member of the Nettle Family, found in open woods, on roadsides, waste ground and hedges. It has dense whorls of pinky lilac flowers and hairy, crinkled, scalloped leaves with an unpleasant smell, and the whole plant has a greyish look.

Ballota nigra was formerly used as a medicinal herb, to calm spasms, control nausea and for bronchial complaints.

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Harvesting and Growing from Seed:

Germination:

Seed sown ouside in summer germinated in a few days.

Seed Pod There is no seed pod. The seeds are at the bottom of the calyx.

Seed The seeds are tiny dark brown nuts. There are four seeds from each flower.

Seedling The seedling has crinkled rounded leaves.

(You can check the meaning of any technical terms new to you in the Botany section of the site)
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