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black horehound

Scientific Name: Ballota nigra var. nigra

Family: Lamiaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra)

Black Horehound, also known as Black Stinking Horehound or Stinking Roger, is a perennial herb with a distinctive aroma.

Considerations for Pets

  • Black Horehound has a strong, unpleasant odor.
  • This plant is described as hairy and growing in areas where it may come in contact with animals.

Considerations for Children

  • Black Horehound has a strong, unpleasant odor.
  • This plant is described as hairy and growing in areas where it may come in contact with children.

Scientific Classification

  • Scientific Name: Ballota nigra
  • Common Names: Black Horehound, Black Stinking Horehound, Stinking Roger, Fetid Hoarhound, Stinking Horehound, Black Archangel
  • Family: Lamiaceae (also known as Labiatae or Mint family)
  • Synonyms: Marrubium nigrum, ballotta

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to the Mediterranean region and central Asia.
  • Introduced to scattered locations in North America.
  • Found in Europe.
  • Grows in hedgerows, roadside verges, waste grounds, woods, open areas, pavement cracks, and near human habitation.

Ecological Role

  • Considered a weed in Europe.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Perennial herb growing from 30 to 100 cm high and up to 80 cm wide.
  • Medium to tall, often straggling, almost hairless plant.
  • Leaves are ovate, arranged oppositely on leaf-stalks.
  • Leaves are dented at the edges, dark green on the top, paler underneath, and netted with veins.
  • Flowers are pink to purple with two lips.
  • Flowers are lilac, 12 to 14 mm, and grow in dense whorls along the leafy stem.
  • Calyx is funnel-shaped.
  • Green parts often turn a dirty purplish-black.

Traditional Uses

  • Has a long history of herbal use.
  • Traditionally used for heavy periods.

Quirky Facts

  • Black Horehound is described as having a "fetid odor."
  • It is sometimes used as an adulterant of other herbs.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The roots can be fed on by insects and other organisms during the winter, including those that also feed on dock, dandelion, burdock, white dead nettle, and hop.

Further Information

  • WebMD
  • Wiktionary
  • Wikipedia
  • Collins English Dictionary