Wood Betony Betonica officinalis

Purple betony is an herbaceous perennial wildflower in the Lamiaceae (mint) family.  Its native habitat includes meadows, gardens, parks,  pastures, hedge banks, and open forest woodlands.  Grows in matted clumps it slowly reaches 1 to 2 feet in height  and width.

Plant in full sun to parital shade in well drained moist neutral to acidc soils.  Once established, this plant is resistant to drought.  Propagate this plant by seeding in the late summer, fall or early spring and it also self-seeds readily.

It has large, heart shaped leaves on long stems that arise from the root.  These are the majority of the leaves.  Smaller leaves grow from the slender, squared stems.  These alternate leaves are stalkless and appear in pairs at wide intervals along the stem.  Both types of foliage have a rough texture, a fringe of short hairs.  The surface has glands that emit a bitter oil that is quite aromatic.  

The showy purple red flowers are arranged in a whorl.  Above the whorl is bare stem, followed by the stalkless leaves described above, then additional flowers.  This pattern repeats, resulting in a spike of alternating flowers and leaves.  The lipped flowers are a magnet for bees and other pollinators.

Mass plant them or use them in the front of a border or let the naturalize in a meadow setting.  They are often used as an edging plant but they grow well in containers or near hardscapes like patios, walkways or poolside plantings.  Its diminutive size make it ideal for small spaces, cottage gardens or rock gardens.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious issues, however, snails and slugs may damage the plant.