There are two early spring weeds that honey bees really like! One is henbit deadnettle, or henbit for short. The other is purple deadnettle.
Both weeds are in the Mint Family and in the genus of Lamium. Henbit can be found in all states in the United States. Purple deadnettle can be found in most states in the United States. Their flowers look similar and the flowers bloom at the same time. These two weeds often occur side by side and can be a little challenge to tell apart. In this short video, I will show you a tip that can be used to identify these two weeds instantly.
They look very different if look down from the above. Leaves of henbit form a circle. Leaves of purple deadnettle are triangular and come in pairs.
While these two plants are commonly regarded as weeds. They are pretty. They are edible. So please leave some of these harbingers of spring in your backyard. Honey bees and other pollinators will thank you from the bottom of their tiny hearts!
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