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Black Horehound

©Anne Tanne

Black horehound

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The pungent, rotten smell of Black Horehound makes this medium-sized plant of waste ground and roadside verges stand out from the crowd.

Scientific name

Ballota nigra

When to see

June to September

Top facts

Stats

Height: up to 50cm
Common.

About

Black horehound grows along hedgerows and roadside verges, and on waste grounds. It is a common, perhaps unremarkable, plant with one defining feature - its pungent, rotten smell. This smell, particularly apparent when the leaves are crushed, keeps herbivores away and gives it a local name of 'Stinking roger' in some places. It flowers between June and September.

What to look for

Black horehound has hairy, oval or heart-shaped leaves, with toothed edges, that may turn black after the plant has flowered. The pinky-purple, 'hooded' flowers are arranged in whorls around the top of its stems.

Where to find

Mainly found in England and parts of Wales.

Did you know?

Black horehound has a long tradition in herbal medicine and has been used to treat a range of issues from respiratory problems to travel sickness, depression to gout.