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The purple flower spikes of betony growing in a grassland

Betony © Vaughn Matthews

Betony

The bright purple flowers of this perennial herb can be seen in a range of grassy places.

Scientific name

Betonica officinalis (formerly Stachys officinalis)

When to see

June to October

Species information

Category

Statistics

Height: typically up to 60 cm

Conservation status

GB Red List: Least Concern

Habitats

About

Betony is a perennial herb, which grows in grasslands, hedgebanks, heathlands and woodland rides and edges. It is also widely planted by gardeners. The spikes of bright purple, tubular flowers can be seen in summer and early autumn. The flowers are popular with bees and other pollinators and betony can be a foodplant for caterpillars of the grey pug.

Betony is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. It has many other nicknames including common hedgenettle, wood betony and bishop's wort.

How to identify

Betony has a basal rosette of leaves and a slightly hairy, square stem. A few pairs of smaller leaves grow from the stem, on opposite sides. They are unstalked and slightly hairy, with blunt teeth and rounded tips. The flowers are bright purple tubes with a flared opening, which grow in a dense, oblong spike.

Distribution

Common and widespread in England and Wales, more patchily distributed in Scotland. It is rare in Northern Ireland.

Did you know?

Betony can be an indicator that a site is an ancient grassland.