Practical
Plants

Lamium galeobdolon

Yellow Archangel

a perennial member of the Lamium genus in the family Labiatae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Lamium
Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
0.3 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves and shoots - cooked[3]. Young flowering tips - cooked.

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The herb is antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, styptic and vasoconstrictor[10].

Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Styptic
Product or use
Vasoconstrictor

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A good ground cover plant, spreading rapidly by means of its rooting stems and succeeding even in dense shade. It is very vigorous, however, and can smother small plants[9][6][7]. It does very well in woodlands[K].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Sweden south and east to Spain and Iran.
Habitat
Woods and shady hedgerows[11][9], usually on heavier soils. Sometimes becoming locally dominant, especially after coppicing[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - usually self sows freely and should not require human intervention. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. The seed can also be sown in situ as soon as it is ripe. Division in spring. Succeeds at almost any time in the growing season. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A very easily grown plant, it tolerates most soils and conditions[7]. It grows well in heavy clay soils[2], though it prefers a light calcareous soil[1]. Dislikes dry soils[9]. This species succeeds even in dense shade, growing well under trees[9][7]. Once established, it can also succeed in drought conditions under the shade of trees, providing there is plenty of humus in the soil[5]. There are at least four sub-species, L. galeobdolon montanum is the form generally found wild in Britain and it is a triploid. L. galeobdolon luteum and L. galeobdolon flavidum are both diploids[4]. L. galeobdolon argentatum is the more rampant form, its clone 'Variegatum' is a commonly used ground cover plant for shady places[4]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8]. A very invasive plant, sending out long prostrate shoots that root at intervals along the stems[9][7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  4. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  5. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩

  6. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  9. Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  10. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  11. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩

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