Spotted Dead Nettle is a fast growing, flowering, herbaceous perennial in the mint family. It is a good ground cover for moist, shady areas, forming a mat and rising to 3 to 9 inches high and 2 feet wide. Clusters of tiny flowers appear in spring into summer and the opposite leaves are silvery green with large silver blotches on the upper surface, lightening up a dark shady area. The genus name comes from the Greek laimos or lamos meaning throat in reference to the throat-like appearance of the corolla. The species name means spotted. Spotted Dead Nettle does best in shaded areas, including heavy shade, average soil, and evenly moist, but well drained, sites. It will tolerate dry soil. However, it will not do well in compacted or wet soils or in high heat and humidity. In areas where the winters are mild, the plant can be evergreen. Hot summers in humid climates can cause bare patches in mass plantings of Spotted Dead Nettle, but the plants can be cut back to stimulate new foliage growth. When grown as a ground cover, starter plants may be spaced 6 to 10 inches apart for quick coverage. The plant will spread indefinitely with sprawling stems that root in the ground. Plants grow vigorously, but are easy to control and not considered aggressive. However, you should site the ground cover in areas that do not get a lot of foot traffic. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Leaf scorch can occur if soils are allowed to dry out or if grown in too much sun. Aphids and slugs are occasional problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 9 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Erect; Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green; Variegated
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Lobed; Sinuate
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Variegated, spotted, foliage with 1 to 4 inch, crinkled leaves with rounded teeth. Can have an unpleasant scent when crushed. The opposite leaves are silvery green with large silver blotches on the upper surface.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Cup; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Clusters of tiny, somewhat inconspicuous, two-lipped, red-purple (sometimes white or pink) flowers appear at the stem ends in late spring to early summer into fall.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Fruit detail
Triangular fruit.
Stem detail
Erect, hollow and pubescent stems, branched at the base.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe and North Africa to West Asia
Distribution
Introduced into eastern United States from New England to the Carolinas, Colorado, Washington and Oregon, Britain, Ireland, Newfoundland.