While driving through Knox County looking at wheat fields last week, I noticed many, many “purple fields”. The purple plants are a combination of purple deadnettle and henbit. This time of year these plants (weeds) can be found in fields, roadsides, gardens, flowerbeds and landscaped areas.
These winter annuals begin to develop in fall, form a small rosette of leaves that overwinter, and complete their development in spring, forming flowers and seeds. They die in late spring and early summer after setting seed.
Purple Deadnettle vs. Henbit
Purple Deadnettle
Purple deadnettle and henbit belong to the mint family and thus have a square stem. Both have two-lipped tubular flowers, opposite leaves. The leaves of purple deadnettle at the apex of the stems are tinted purple and fade to green as they mature. The leaves have a short petiole (stem) and are heart- or triangular-shaped with rounded teeth on the leaf margin.
Henbit
The leaves of henbit are more rounded and scalloped and clasp the stem directly – they do not have a leaf petiole. Henbit flowers are pink to purple with darker purple spots than those of purple deadnettle. The flowers of henbit are longer and more slender than those of purple deadnettle.