Lamium amplexicaule
Henbit, Henbit
(c) Kostas Zontanos, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Lamium amplexicaule (Henbit) is a non-native California herb in the Lamiaceae family.
Henbit is a naturalized annual herb found in California's Central Valley and coastal regions in disturbed sites and abandoned fields at elevations below 2,070 meters. Flowering from March to September, this plant produces red-purple flowers 16 to 20 millimeters long with an extended corolla tube. Growing with sprawling stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it spreads across the ground with a somewhat weak, branching habit. Its leaves are broadly ovate to round, clasping the stem, with scalloped or lobed edges and a truncate to heart-shaped base, typically measuring 1 to 2.5 centimeters wide. The distinctive red-purple flowers and clasping leaves make this introduced plant easily recognizable in disturbed landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key differentiators: clasping leaves, larger exserted corolla vs. petiolate leaves and smaller concealed corolla in L. purpureum
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites, abandoned fields
Elevation: < 2070 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Lassen, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Ventura, Riverside, Mariposa, Los Angeles, Napa, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, Butte, Mendocino, Modoc, Tuolumne, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Joaquin, Fresno, Orange, Siskiyou, San Francisco, Trinity, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Madera, Yolo, San Diego, Nevada, Merced, Placer, El Dorado, Calaveras, Amador, Colusa, Sutter, Lake, Solano, Humboldt, Tehama, Glenn, Shasta, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Plumas, Sierra, Yuba, Mono, Inyo, San Benito
Outside California: widespread North America, native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Lamium amplexicaule blooms Mar-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Stachys: Hedge-nettle is perennial returning yearly; Lamium is annual, dying completely each season.; vs Glechoma: Ground ivy has creeping stems and blue flowers; Lamium grows upright with pink-purple flowers.; vs Geranium: Geranium has five separate petals in a star; Lamium has a two-lipped tubular mint flower.; vs Urtica: Nettle has stinging hairs and tiny green flowers; Lamium is non-stinging with showy pink flowers.; vs Marrubium: Horehound has white flowers and extremely fuzzy leaves; Lamium has pink flowers and less hairy foliage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lamium amplexicaule native to California?
No. Lamium amplexicaule is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Lamium amplexicaule bloom?
Lamium amplexicaule blooms Mar-Sep.
Where in California does Lamium amplexicaule grow?
Lamium amplexicaule occurs in San Bernardino, Lassen, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Ventura, Riverside, Mariposa, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 2070 m.
What plant family does Lamium amplexicaule belong to?
Lamium amplexicaule is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Lamium.
What habitat does Lamium amplexicaule grow in?
Lamium amplexicaule grows in Disturbed sites, abandoned fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.