Stachys floridana Shuttlew. ex Benth.

Florida Hedge Nettle; Florida Betony; Chinese Artichoke

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Florida Betony is a native herbaceous perennial in the Mint family (Lamiaceae). It can be found primarily in southeast Alabama. Florida Betony grows on floodplains, in roadside ditches, in lawns, and in flower beds. It is often a troublesome weed in the landscape. Florida Betony is an herbaceous perennial growing from 1-2 feet in height. It is colonial from thin stolons and deep-set rhizomes. It produces abundant white tubers from 1 inch to 1 meter in length. The tubers are constricted and resemble a rattlesnake rattle. The stems are erect, square in cross section, pubescent or glabrous, and green or purplish in color. The leaves are petiolate, opposite, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, with crenate or serrate margins. The leaf surface is glabrous or sparsely pubescent. The leaf base is cordate or truncate and the apex is rounded. Flowers are produced in a terminal thyrse with 3-9 flowered cymes. Individual flowers are white or pinkish in color and two lipped. The upper lip is hooded and the lower lip is 3-lobed and spotted with purple. The fruit is a nutlet. Florida Betony is a showy species when in flower. It is sometimes available from nurseries, but spreads aggressively and is difficult to control. It is thought to be native to Florida and perhaps the extreme southern portions of Alabama. It has spread widely in the Southeastern United States as a contaminant in nursery stock. The tubers are edible. They are crisp in texture and have a flavor similar to a mild radish.—A. Diamond.

**

Native FAC (NWPL)

**