Hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica, Sp. Pl.: 580 (1753))

Family: Lamiaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 580 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Stachys

Vegetable: False

Observations: Macaronesia, Europe to C. Siberia and W. Himalaya

Description

Hedge woundwort, known scientifically as Stachys sylvatica, is a fascinating perennial herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. First described in detail in 1753 by renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus (referred to simply as L.), this plant has intrigued botanists and herbalists for centuries.

Distributed across Macaronesia, Europe extending to Central Siberia and the Western Himalayas, hedge woundwort thrives in a variety of habitats. It’s commonly found in woodlands, hedgerows, and shaded areas, where it often forms dense colonies that can dominate the understory.

Characterized by its nettle-like appearance, hedge woundwort can grow up to 1 meter in height. Its sturdy, square stems are covered in fine hairs, which adds to its robust yet somewhat coarse texture. The leaves are deeply veined, typically heart-shaped to ovate, and exude a distinct, somewhat pungent aroma when crushed.

One of the most striking features of Stachys sylvatica is its flowers, which bloom from June to September. The flowers, arranged in whorls, are a rich magenta or deep purple with a white center, creating a visually appealing contrast against the plant’s green foliage. These blossoms are not only eye-catching but also serve as a valuable nectar source for pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Hedge woundwort has a long-standing reputation in herbal medicine, largely due to its purported wound-healing properties, a characteristic that inspires its common name. Traditionally, it has been used in poultices and infusions to treat cuts and wounds, believed to speed up healing and prevent infection.

Overall, Stachys sylvatica is more than just a resilient wildflower. Its ecological contributions, striking appearance, and historical medicinal uses make it an important species within its native range, continuing to pique the interest of scientists and nature enthusiasts alike.

Common Names

Dan: skov-galtetand
Deu: wald-ziest
Eng: whitespot, hedge woundwort, woodland hedge-nettle
Nld: bosandoorn
Nor: dull, stoor galte-tand, stoor holnuttu
Fra: epiaire des bois, épiaire des bois, épiaire des forêts
Swe: lehtopähkämö, stinksyska, stinksyssla, luktsyska, lundsyska
Fin: lehtopähkämö
Nob: skogsvinerot
Nno: skogsvinerot
Sme: rohtospiinneruohtas
Cym: briwlys y goedwig, briwlys y gwrych
En: Hedge woundwort, Whitespot, Hedge nettle, Woodland hedge-nettle, Wood Betony, Wood Woundwort
Hy: Աբեղախոտ անտառային, Ծծռնուկ
Az: Meşə poruğu, Mərcanotuçiçək poruq
Ba: Ирен сәскә
Be: Чысцік лясны
Bg: Горски чистец
Zh: 林地水苏
Hr: Šumski čistac
Cs: Čistec lesní
Da: Skov-Galtetand
Nl: Bosandoorn
Et: Mets-nõianõges
Fi: Lehtopähkämö
Fr: Epiaire des bois, Ortie puante, Épiaire des bois, Épiaire des forêts, Fétide des bois, Ortie à crapauds, Panacée des laboureurs
Ka: Ყვანჩალა
De: Wald-Ziest, Waldziest
Hu: Erdei tisztesfű
Ga: Créachtlus
It: Matricale, Stachys dei bosci, Stregona dei boschi
Lt: Miškinė notra
Se: Rohtospiinneruohtas
No: Skogsvinerot, Dull, Stoor galte-tand, Stoor holnuttu
Nb: Skogsvinerot
Nn: Skogsvinerot
Os: Цъирæнгæрдæг
Fa: سنبله‌ای جنگلی
Pl: Czyściec leśny
Ru: Чистец лесной
Gd: Lus nan Sgor
Sk: Čistec lesný
Es: Hortiga de zorro, Hortiga hedionda, Hortiga muerta, Ortiga hedionda, Ortiga muerta hedionda
Sv: Stinksyssla, Stinksyska, Lehtopähkämö, Luktsyska, Lundsyska
Uk: Чистець лісовий
Cy: Briwlys y gwrych, Briwlys y Goedwig

Synonyms

• Stachys glaucescens (Muss.Puschk. ex Spreng.)
• Stachys cordatifolia (Gilib.)
• Stachys canariensis (Jacq.)
• Stachys foetida (Gueldenst. ex Ledeb.)
• Stachys trapezuntea (Boiss.)
• Stachys sylvatica var. minus (Gray)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iran (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Krym (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Jun 18, 2018 by groen65 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 7, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 7, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 27, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Bertrand BUI (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken May 19, 2020 by Pour Demos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 7, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 25, 2022 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2019 by Galina Schacke (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jun 2, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 21, 2021 by cscoq (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 30, 2021 by 🐞Hélène🐦 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 5, 2021 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 19, 2020 by Pour Demos (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Sep 19, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 13, 2022 by Werner Rom (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 23, 2022 by Myriam Garcia (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 23, 2019 by Michel Cosme (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 25, 2022 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken May 29, 2022 by John Sycorax (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 5, 2016 by Eduard Jendek (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 7, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 4, 2021 by Francois ROBIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Other

Taken May 31, 2020 by tony dufour (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 6, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 5, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 5, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 29, 2021 by Gaël Herve (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:460020-1)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2927282)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Stachys sylvatica L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 4

Atmospheric humidity: 8

Bloom months: [‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’]

Soil nutriments: 7