Brittlestem Hempnettle
Galeopsis tetrahit
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Krym, Labrador, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
Ivar Leidus
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Galeopsis
- Species:
- Galeopsis tetrahit
- USDA Symbol:
- GATE2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
alchemilla carpet (Perizoma alchemillata), Baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, bumblebees
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, nutrient-rich loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in disturbed areas and forest edges
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in spring after cold stratification or natural overwintering.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI