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I found this growing behind my house, but I'm not sure what it is. It looks a lot like mint; however, it isn't minty smelling but more sweet smelling. Is it dangerous?Plant

Taitum
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  • Where do you live? What do you mean for "dangerous"? (to touch? to eat? for your cats?). Do it have flowers? could you add a photo of stem/flowers (so from a lower angle)? – Giacomo Catenazzi Apr 30 '18 at 08:14
  • Please add some scale. It matters the size of these leaves and stems to ID. Henbit, Nettles, Catnip...they look similar, almost identical. Except for the size. Have you even seen flowers? What color? – stormy May 01 '18 at 05:59
  • Does it produce purple round flowers too? Each flower made up of tiny ones. – Judy bernes Aug 12 '23 at 16:21

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I can't comment on the 'sweet smelling' aspect, but this looks remarkably like stinging nettle (Urticaria dioica) https://northedinburghgrows.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/nettles-a-very-useful-plant/. It's easy to tell if that's what it is, either by just watching how they develop over time, or touching the leaves, if you don't mind nettle rash afterwards. If you do touch it and it stings, leave the stinging area alone - you will be tempted to rub it or scratch it, but if you resist that temptation, the stinging wears off within 10 minutes, whereas if you touch or rub the area, it will continue to sting on and off for some hours. Apart from discomfort from nettle stings, the plant is not dangerous at all, in fact it's edible.

Here's another link describing culinary and garden uses for nettles https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/10-uses-for-nettles/

Bamboo
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  • I agree that it looks like a stinging nettle, so be careful with this plant. The sting is very painful. – benn Apr 30 '18 at 09:59
  • As long as one doesn't touch the underside of the leaves, this plant is not dangerous at all. Excellent to eat raw, believe it or not, if you take a leaf by the top and squish it and then wad it up you can eat it raw. Honest. Incredible for a spinach when steamed. But I am confused by the scale...I was relying on that straw... – stormy Apr 30 '18 at 11:23
  • There is no way nettles could ever be some kind of a fertilizer. Please explain why they would make that statement? – stormy Apr 30 '18 at 11:26
  • @stormy - loads of people make nettle fertilizer liquid from nettles in the UK, if they've got the space, its rich in nitrogen, see here (you'll need to scroll down) https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/10-uses-for-nettles/ – Bamboo Apr 30 '18 at 12:36
  • Fresh cut nettles are also ideal for getting your compost heap started, like an ignition. – benn Apr 30 '18 at 13:08
  • But sorry everyone, NETTLES, nor nettle tea is FERTILIZER. Not happening. The bit of nitrogen some plants have left after they die is sucked up by the decomposers. Seriously. Nitrogen is not a balanced fertilizer. The only decomposed organic matter that comes with a bit of extra nitrogen is human poop decomposed with sawdust. No other mulches come with nitrogen. Sorry. I add nitrogen to my compost, to feed the decomposers so they are able to do their job. Compost is NOT fertilizer. Needs to be considered. Soil test is best. But by golly, we have to add the proper amount and – stormy May 01 '18 at 05:38
  • FULL of Iron, Magnesium, calcium and nitrogen...not happening. Maybe for nutrition for humans but plants do not need nutrition. Alfalfa is the only plant I know that when made into pellets makes a cool nitrogen FERTILIZER. This nitrogen is NOT a balanced fertilizer. Just because stuff has N2 or Ca or Mg or Fe does not make it a fertilizer at all! Articles that mix human needs with plant needs are suspect. Compost teas, nettle tea, nettles themselves should only be used by those who know what they are doing. We are able to SEE the chemistry of the soil looking at the plants. Fads...grrrr – stormy May 01 '18 at 05:49
  • @b.nota Alfalfa pellets work far better. Nettles are great but I have never seen a list of chemicals that are different from most other vegetables, carbohydrates, herbaceous plants. Decomposers use NITROGEN for energy, adding alfalfa pellets or ammonia or high nitrogen fertilizer is what the engine is all about. Nettles? Not so much. Fresh cut nettles will lose most if not all their 'stored' nitrogen to the decomposers. – stormy May 01 '18 at 05:53
  • I see @stormy has a strong opinion about nettle fertilizer, well everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. For people who are interested in nettle manure, on the web there is a lot of information about how to use nettles as compost activator or as fertilizer, for example [here](https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/nettle/nettle-as-fertilizer.htm). – benn May 01 '18 at 07:22
  • Yes we all are...check out the facts, NETTLE manure? Sigh. We as a team need to be on the same dang page. Opinions? Worthless. – stormy May 01 '18 at 07:39
  • Don't think I haven't gone out and researched this claim. Nettle tea is for HUMANS. Good grief. Sure there is a tiny bit of chemistry...but it isn't that different from Kale, Marijuana...another 'opinion' or another 'fad'? I've made horsetail into a great addition for my plants. The silica is fabulous for adding hardiness to a plant's life. I'd never tell others to go out and use this for fertilizer. – stormy May 01 '18 at 07:56
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    @stormy, can you please keep it polite. Remarks like "good grief", "sigh", and "worthless" are not very polite in discussions, at least not where I come from. Like I said you are entitled to your own opinion, but please don't become nasty if not everyone shares your opinion. Thank you. – benn May 01 '18 at 08:33
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    @stormy no need to get your knickers in a twist, really - people have been using both comfrey and nettle as liquid manures for over a hundred years here, so its not a 'fad', which is a temporary,, fashionable and passing passion of sorts. And if people want to use nettles in this way, there's no harm, its not like its causing problems to you or the planet. So chill - each to his own, no need to be offensive,the question merely asked for an ID after all. And I'd add, the leaves in the photo could not be mistaken for your so called 'henbit' ... – Bamboo May 01 '18 at 10:28
  • b.nota...I have taken notas! I'll be nicer...I just get frustrated with disseminating stuff that is just not true or a little true but mixed with erroneous stuff. So I'll chill! I'll get my knickers out of a twist, grins. I am on a mission to get not only my information correct but to stop these FADS. This is rampant in our field...and only getting worse. My so called 'Henbit'? Now now now...whose knickers are in a twist? I just must be terrible with ID...grins. Let's all work as a team? Got a problem let us go to chat. These OPs are confused enough as it is! – stormy May 01 '18 at 23:16
  • @stormy no problem here,but I did just read that comment I made again and I see what you mean, it sounds like I'm irritated. But its not that, I was poking fun at the fact you used the common name Henbit and added a link to a plant that isn't Henbit, but Lamium purpureum. Henbit is Lamium amplexicaule and its leaves are quite different.... – Bamboo May 01 '18 at 23:29
  • Well, I do feel a bit better! Or I've got to get prescription glasses and quit using these readers...I change the magnification by wearing two pairs, ugh. Thanks, Bamboo. – stormy May 02 '18 at 05:25
  • What needs to be done to get a firm ID? Stems? Catnip I have everywhere and certainly looks like this...acuminate tip is correct for netttles is what I've read, a pointed tip. – stormy May 02 '18 at 05:29
  • Because of the small size and rounded leaves it also could be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urtica_urens. (Stinging) If it is not stinging at all, it is most likely https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamium_album which without flowers is hard to distinguish from Urtica dioica. The smaller sprouts in the background and to the left looks like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegopodium_podagraria – Gyrfalcon Jul 17 '22 at 22:23
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Although I don't really think what you have is catnip (due to the gleam on the leaves), because it looks so similar, I thought I'd post an answer for it, in case it helps.

Catnip usually has leaves with somewhat smoother edges, but sometimes ours gets edges more like your plant's (except they're rounded and yours look sharp).

If the stems aren't square, you probably don't have catnip. Although I don't think the smell is sweeter than mint, it's possible that you might. It definitely has a smell.

Here's a picture I just took of some of ours. Our catnip usually has had flatter leaves with a more triangular shape, but a lot more of it looks like this, lately. It's furrier than the plant in your picture (when it's grown with more sun catnip looks even furrier), which accounts for the less shiny look.

enter image description here

Here's a shot of the stem of a different catnip plant in our yard (if your stem is rounded, it's probably not catnip):

enter image description here

Lemon balm also looks similar.

Both catnip and lemon balm are edible, unless you're allergic.

If your plant doesn't have squarish or blocky stems, it's probably not lemon balm, either. Both catnip and lemon balm are in the mint family, and things in the mint family tend to have blocky stems.

I do agree with others that it looks like a nettle, though, and I think a nettle is definitely the more likely answer. I don't have experience growing nettles.

Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
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It does look exactly like my mint.It grows and spreads like crazy this time of year. It is like a weed and is happy in a variety of lighting conditions. If you crush the leaf it will have a strong mint smell. If it does not you probably have something else.

Carol
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I don't believe it is purple dead nettle or henbit. (We have a lot of that where I live and it doesn't really look like this.

I'm going with nettles, catnip or catmint (not the same as catnip), OR, if it's sweet smelling, there is a stevia that looks like this, I believe. The are many varieties of stevia, though.

https://commonsensehome.com/stevia-plant/

https://www.soonerplantfarm.com/plant/catmint-picture-purrfect/

Cindi Beck
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I am guessing HENBIT, Purple Dead Nettle. Check out these pictures... purple dead or ground nettle

stormy
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  • "sweet smelling" should rule out the Lamium purpureum (according my nose, but some people could think different). In any case, I think we are not so far on identification. – Giacomo Catenazzi Apr 30 '18 at 08:12