Thursday, December 24, 2009

Weeds--Henbit

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule L., a member of the mint family) is an annual weed with spreading or weakly erect, square stems, and a much-branched base. Flowers are pink to purple and white, 1/2" to 3/4" long, and are borne in compact whorls in the axils of the upper leaves. The stems droop, turning upward, growing to as tall as 16 inches. Stems are square, green to purplish and can be smooth or hairy. Leaves are up to 1-inch long, dark green and hairy above, lighter below.

This is another edible weed, and it has no mint flavor. The tops of young plants can be used in salads or can be stir-fried as a spring vegetable. The flavor is best when the plant is in flower. The young shoots, leaves and flowers of this plant are edible and, once washed, can be simply cooked by adding to frying pan with a knob of butter some spring onions and plenty of seasoning.

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