Plant Relative Of The Week: Henbit

Bees love henbit and so do we!

It pops up unbidden in lawns and garden beds, but to treat this relative of mint as if it were a common weed is profane. Henbit has square, hollow stems that can be green to purplish. The plant is sparsely covered with fine hairs. It has distinctive "collars" of oppositely-placed petals up the stem. Lower leaves are attached to the main stem by a wee little stalk called a petiole, but upper leaves are directly attached to the stem. Leaves are broad and green, with deep veins and scalloped edges. Henbit has distinctive whorls of tiny, spotted, tubular pinkish to purple flowers. When the leaves are crushed, henbit releases a very complex beautiful smell.

Henbit has edible stems, leaves, and flowers. When fresh, add it to salads, sandwiches, and smoothies. Fresh leaves can also be used to make a tea! A poultice of fresh henbit can treat external bleeding, burns, bruises, stings, and wounds. 

Henbit is high in iron, fiber, and antioxidants. Henbit is also anti-rheumatic (relieves chronic pain and discomfort in joints and connective tissue), anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic (induces sweating), febrifuge & antipyretic (reduces fever), is a gentle laxative, is astringent, vulnerary (useful in healing of wounds) and henbit tea can be used to treat diarrhea!

Think twice about this helpful little plant relative as being a nuisance! Nature often gives us exactly what we need when we need it.

Keep an eye out for Henbit coming soon to our shop! We will have Henbit herbal vinegar, henbit and cleavers herbal vinegar, henbit salve, and henbit and cleavers salve coming soon!