Dead Nettles: A Field Guide

Dead nettles, which are fast-growing perennials to use as ground covers or as container plants, can brighten partly sunny spots with produce charming flowers. But beware: This hardy opportunist, if left unchecked, can become unsightly and sometimes invasive.

Depending on the variety, you can expect this ground cover to behave as a creeper, or a low-mounded perennial, with small flowers that resemble snapdragons blooming in summer. The most commonly sold varieties are spotted dead nettles (Lamium maculatum), which are useful in rocky soil, woodland garden beds, and under trees where shade prevents other plants from taking hold. In their native habitats in Europe and Asia, dead nettles thrive on rocky slopes, stream banks, and shady spots.

Choose companions wisely for dead nettles to create a colorful, textural tapestry; interplant Lamium with Coral Bells, Cyclamen, or Bulbs & Tubers.