The Gardeners Almanac

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Lamium

Common name: Dead Nettle

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Week Numbers

Baskets

Coldframe

Containers

Division

Planting out

Whitefly

Overview:

Top view showing bicolored leaves and white flowers

maculatum
in flower

View of flower buds

maculatum
in bud

Lamium maculatum is a hardy herbaceous perennial suitable for ground cover and shady sites with poor soil.

They tend to be invasive, therefore should be constrained.

This invasive habit and decorative foliage makes it a useful plant for containers and baskets.

If they become too rampant and require removing, ensure that every piece of root is removed or else it will grow again.

They grow to a height of 200-250mm (8"-10") high and can spread to 500mm (18").


Cultivation:

Week 4:

Divide established pot plants, pot up the divisions into individual pots and grow on in a coldframe until planting out time.


Week 27:

After flowering, plants being used for ground cover should be sheared to maintain dense leaf cover.


Week 40:

Plant out 300mm (12") apart in ordinary garden soil, in sun to full shade.

Established plants can be divided and replanted now.