Take me to your leader.

I am what is called a Henbit. But that is only a nickname you can understand. In the language where I come from, my real name, referred to as a technical name, is Lamium amplexicaule. I come from a family called Mint (in my language: Lamiaceae). My enemies call me “Dead Nettle,” my friends refer to me as “Greater Henbit.” I come from a land called Europe, but me and my fellows have invaded the United States and set up home in various lawns and fields. Your kind are not always welcoming, but there are species among you who love our nectar. You call them bees and other small insects.

Sometimes I am observed standing upright as in this photo, and sometimes you may find me sprawling. In Texas I thrive in the winter-time between November and May

As you can see, my colors can be quite vibrant, something which is attractive to your eyes. Honeybees love us and use us to make food called honey.

This is my profile shot.

I’m edible to human beings. Yes, that’s right. My leaves, stems and flowers can be eaten – either raw, in tea or otherwise cooked. I contain vitamins, iron and antioxidants. But please, have mercy on me.

Resources consulted in researching Henbit were:

Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamium_amplexicaule

Merriwether’s Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Texas and the Southwest:
www.foragingtexas.com/2009/12/henbit.html

And a very nice field guide I recently purchased from Amazon:
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=F5F5EF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=anacinte-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=tf_til&asins=0940672731