
Rough Hedge Nettle, Woodmint
Stachys rigida var. rigida
NATIVE
Description (Jepson, PlantID.net)
- Eudicotyledon
- Eudicots are a major lineage of flowering plants; see family for general characteristics
- Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
- Perennial upright herb
- Whole plant can be hairy and glandular (sticky)
- Stems are square in cross-section
- Leaves
- Opposite (2 leaves at each junction with stem)
- Rounded shape (ovate to lanceolate) with toothed margins
- Leaf venation is prominent on upper surface, appearing cobbled
- Flowers
- Inflorescence (flower arrangement) is spike-like, with flower clusters arranged in whorls (3 or more flowers at each junction with stem) at the leaf axils (branching points)
- Bilaterally-symmetric flowers with 5 fused petals, in 2 distinct lips
- Rounded upper lip of 2 fused, pink petals
- Large, lower lip of 3 fused petals, pale pink-purple, with darker dots and lines
- Ovary superior (above the attachment of other flower parts)
- Height to 16 in.
Distribution
- Native to California
- Grows in shady, dry places in the understory of oak woodlands
- See Calflora for statewide observations of this plant
- Outside California, grows in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada
- Grows at elevations to 7,670 ft.
Uses (San Mateo County Parks prohibits removal of any natural material)
- Wildlife
- Source of nectar for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Native people
- Made a tea from the leaves to treat headaches and sore throats
Name Derivation
- Stachys (STAY-kis) – from the Greek stachus, “ear of grain” or “a spike,” referring to the spike-like arrangement of the flowers
- rigida (RIJ-i-da) – from the Latin for “rigid,” referring to the stiff leaves or hairs
- Hedge nettle – refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of stinging nettles (Urtica species) in the Nettle family
- Woodmint – used for several members of the genus Stachys, most commonly California hedge nettle (S. bullata), which does not grow at Edgewood
Notes
- Unlike most members of the Mint family, rigid hedge nettle is not aromatic
- The genus Stachys includes the common, non-native garden plants lamb’s ears (S. byzantina) and big betony (S. macrantha)
- Edgewood’s rigid hedge nettle is classified as a variety
- Subspecies rank is used to recognize geographic distinctiveness, whereas variety rank is appropriate for variants seen throughout the geographic range of the species; in practice, these two ranks are not distinct
ID Tips
- May be confused with short-spiked hedge nettle (S. pycnantha)
Rigid Hedge Nettle | Short-spiked Hedge Nettle | |
Growth Habit | ≤ 16 in. | ≤ 20 in. |
Stems | green | green |
Leaves | rounded (ovate to lanceolate) ⋯ toothed ⋯ ≤ 2 in. | generally lanceolate ⋯ finely toothed ⋯ ≤ 5 in. |
Flowers | in whorls at intervals (like a pagoda) | in stout, tIghtly clustered whorls |
Habitat | common in oak woodlands | uncommon trailside; in seeps along Clarkia trail |

- When not blooming, may be confused with emerging bee plant (Scrophularia californica), which has similar leaves
- Rigid hedge nettle
- Leaves are rounded (ovate to lanceolate)
- Leaf stems are green
- Bee plant
- Leaves are triangular
- Leaf stems are purplish-red, maturing to green
- Rigid hedge nettle
At Edgewood
- Found in woodlands and grasslands
- See iNaturalist for observations of Stachys rigida
- Flowers April – May