Cooley’s Hedge NettleStachys chamissonis var. cooleyae

What’s in a Name?

Stachys is a Greek word meaning spike or ear of grain

Some sources claim Carl Linnaeus, Swedish botanist, discovered the ‘cooleyae’ variety

Chamissonis is also known by the common name ‘coastal hedge nettle’

Hedge Nettle photo from http://www.chestofbooks.com/

Stachys chamissonis var. cooleyae

Plant Description

Fuzzy green dicot leaves Opposite leaves with jagged

edges While they appear similar to

stinging nettle, hedge nettle does not have stingers

Strong pungent scent Pink to purple tubular flowers

attract hummingbirds Open terminal cluster at the top

of plant Square fuzzy stem-5 feet tall Prolific ground cover

Hedge Nettle photo from http://www.cascaderamblings.com/

Plant Classification Stachys is a subfamily of Lamiaceae

(the mint or deadnettle family), a family of flowering plants

Perennial from rhizomes Flowers during summer months Pollination is done by hummingbirds Found in low elevations along

lakeshores or forest edges, marshes or swamps, road sides, open forest

Part sun, moist-muddy, nutrient rich, peaty soil

This species has also been called “Woundwort”

Fun Facts Medicinally, Indigenous people

used it in a tea tonic to cure boils and for rheumatism

Fishermen wiped their hands on this plant before handling their gear

This species has historically been used as medicine for injuries

The essence of this plant is used by herbalist when people want to let go of blame and judgement of others

Leaves and small flowers are edible

Susta

inability

The plant is edible and medicinal making it a multi functional plant

Reproduces easily and abundantly

Helps prevent erosion due to growth along waterbeds stabalizing the soil

Sustainable by nature being a native plant

'Meeting our needs while not compromising the ability of future generations to meet

theirs.'

Referenceshttp://www.treefrogfarm.com/store/flower-e

ssences-tree-essences/cooley-s-hedge-nettl

e-flower-essence.htmlhttp://www.wnps.org/landscaping/herbariu

m/pages/stachys-

cooleyae.htmlhttp://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/gor

ge/5petal/mint/stachys/

cooleyae.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stachys

http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationSe

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