Henbit
1 min read
Henbit, not to be confused with purple dead nettle, have similar flowers and similar leaves. Henbit, part of the mint family, has scalloped-edged leaves that make a little umbrella along the stem. They have a tiny purple-pink flower that blossoms around early-mid March and last until sometime in late April, but will usually be gone by June.
The henbit leaves do not have the petioles as the dead nettle does. The petiole is the small stem coming off the leaf.
If you want to get rid of this wonderful weed, you will have to do so before it begins to flower. Each flower holds 4 seeds, and each plant will produce approximately 2,000 seeds. The stems, flowers, and leaves of henbit are all edible. Make sure the henbit you use hasn’t been treated with the chemicals of your yard treatments. Even though it is part of the mint family it does not taste like mint, but more like and dandelion or other yard greens.
Henbit is an anti-rhuematic, diaphoretic (sweat inducer), excitant (stimulant), febrifuge (fever reducer), laxative and stimulant.
Henbit is high in iron, vitamins, and fiber. It can be eaten fresh, cooked, or made into a tea, and it is a chickens favorite grazing food.
Honey, you have been misinformed on the purple dead nettle. It is used medicinally, so before declaring something as a killer do your homework, dead for this nettle means it does not sting as in the great or stinging nettle.
Thank you for that correction. 🙂