white dead nettle

Picking stinging nettles, even with a really good set of gloves always leaves a sting, but there is a lookalike growing among them without a sting and decorated with beautiful hooded white flowers, the white dead nettle, also known as white archangel. Like its relative yellow archangel, and other members of the dead-nettle family, it doesn't have stinging leaves, in fact their not closely related to stinging nettles at all, they part of a family of plants that include Mint, Basil, Thyme and Marjoram. Having leaves grow to look remarkably similar to stinging nettles likely affords them some protection from grazers.

By River Six Photo by Pixabay