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Leonurus cardiaca

common motherwort

Lamiaceae

Central Asia and southeastern Europe

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Leonurus cardiaca is an upright perennial 2-5 feet (60-150 cm) tall with stiff, square, branching stems rising from a spreading rootstock. The lower leaves are broad and palmately cut into three to five toothed lobes, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, while the upper leaves narrow to three lobes, all dark green and roughly hairy. From early to late summer, dense whorls of small two-lipped flowers form in the axils of the upper leaves, the pink to pale-purple blooms hooded above and bearded with white hairs, set in a spiny five-toothed calyx that hardens and pricks as the seeds ripen. The flower spikes rise in tiers up the stem. L. cardiaca grows on roadsides, waste ground, hedge banks, and field edges, and has a long history of use in herbal medicine. It spreads by seed and short rhizomes and can self-sow into a broad patch. The prickly old calyces catch on clothing and the foliage carries a sharp, bitter scent.

Native Range

Leonurus cardiaca is native to central Asia and southeastern Europe and has naturalised across Europe, North America, and temperate Asia. It grows in disturbed, open ground such as roadsides, farmyards, and waste places, often on nitrogen-rich soils.

Suggested Uses

Planted in herb gardens, pollinator borders, and wildlife or cottage plantings on poor, dry ground. It is grown for its long use as a medicinal herb and as a nectar source for bees. The tiered flower spikes suit naturalistic and informal schemes.

How to Identify

Motherwort is known by its square stems, palmately lobed lower leaves, and tiered whorls of small pink-purple two-lipped flowers in the upper leaf axils. The five-toothed calyx is stiff and spine-tipped, pricking the fingers once the seeds set. L. cardiaca differs from related dead-nettles and woundworts in its deeply lobed lower leaves and the sharply spined calyx around each flower cluster.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 5'

Width/Spread1'6" - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

pink

purple

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Summer

Flowering runs from June to August in tiered whorls up the stem. Bees and other insects work the small hooded flowers through summer. The spiny calyces persist after the petals fall and hold the ripening nutlets into autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

pink to pale purple

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Leonurus cardiaca in full sun to partial shade on almost any well-drained soil, from sand to clay, at a neutral to alkaline pH. It is hardy through USDA zones 3 to 8, withstands drought once established, and needs no feeding on average ground. The plant self-seeds freely, so cutting the spikes before the seeds ripen keeps it from spreading. Clumps can be divided in spring or autumn to renew growth or limit their size. It tolerates poor, dry, and neglected sites where many border plants struggle. Plants grown in rich soil produce taller, floppier stems.

Pruning

Cut flowering stems back after bloom to limit self-seeding, or leave a few for the seed-eating birds. Shear the whole plant to the base in late autumn once growth dies down. Divide congested clumps every few years in spring.