Horehound (Marrubium vulgare, Sp. Pl.: 583 (1753))

Family: Lamiaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 583 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Marrubium

Vegetable: False

Observations: Macaronesia, Europe, Medit. to W. Himalaya.

Description

Horehound, also known by its scientific name Marrubium vulgare, is a hardy perennial herb native to a wide region spanning Macaronesia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and extending to the western Himalayas. First documented by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal work Species Plantarum in 1753, this plant belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae.

Horehound is well-adapted to various climates and soil types, often thriving in dry, barren landscapes where other plants struggle to survive. Its physical characteristics include woolly, gray-green leaves that are deeply veined and wrinkled, giving them a distinctive appearance. The plant produces clusters of small, white to pale pink flowers that attract a variety of pollinators, including bees.

Traditionally, horehound has been used for its medicinal properties, particularly in treating respiratory ailments such as coughs and bronchitis. The leaves and flowering tops of the plant are often brewed into a bitter tea or used to make syrups and lozenges. Its active compounds are believed to have expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects, which help in soothing irritated throats and clearing mucus from the airways.

In addition to its medicinal uses, horehound has culinary applications as well. It can be used to flavor candies, beers, and other beverages, lending a distinctive, slightly bitter taste that complements a variety of recipes.

Ecologically, horehound serves as a valuable ground cover, preventing soil erosion and promoting biodiversity in the ecosystems where it is found. It is particularly famous for its ability to colonize open, disturbed ground quickly, making it an important plant for habitat restoration projects.

In summary, Marrubium vulgare—or horehound—is a versatile and resilient herb celebrated both for its historical medicinal applications and its ecological benefits. Its ability to thrive in harsh conditions and its multifaceted uses make it a plant of significant interest and utility.

Common Names

Swe: (valko)hurtanminttu, kransborre
Fin: (valko)hurtanminttu
Dan: almindelig kransburre, kransburre
Deu: andorn, echter andorn, gewöhnlicher andorn
Eng: horehound, white horehound, common horehound
Lit: paprastoji šantra
Pol: szanta zwyczajna
Por: bom-homem, erva-virgem, hortelã-de-folha-grossa, hortelã-do-maranhão, hortelã-grande, malvão, marroio, marroio-branco, marroio-comum, marrolo
Nob: borremynte
Nno: borremynte
Nor: hviit marrou
Ces: jabl, jable
Nld: malrove
Fra: marrube, marrube blanc, marrube vulgaire, marrube commun
Spa: marrubio común
Lav: parast
Ara: roubiya, zekom
Est: ürt-penimünt
Cym: llwyd y cŵn, marddanadl pêr, marddanadlen wen, marddanhadlen bêr, marddanhadlen wen, marddynad pêr, morddanadl gwyn, morddynad bêr, perchwerwyn, perwherwyn
En: Horehound, White horehound, Common white horehound, Common horehound, Wild Horehound
Af: Koorsbossie, Marvel
Ar: Zekom, Roubiya, ربيه (رُبيه), فراسيون شائع
Hy: Մեղրածուծ
Az: Adi itotu
Eu: Lekugi
Be: Шандра звычайная
Bs: Očajnica
Ca: Marrubí, Malrubí blanc
Zh: Ou xia zhi cao, 欧夏至草
Kw: Les loos
Cs: Jablečník obecný, Jabl, Jable
Da: Almindelig kransburre, Kransburre
Nl: Malrove
Et: Ürt-penimünt
Fi: Hurtanminttu, Valkohurtanminttu, (valko)hurtanminttu
Fr: Marrube blanc, Marrube vulgaire, Marrube, Marrube commun
Gl: Marroio
De: Andorn, Gewöhnlicher Andorn, Echter Andorn, Gemeiner Andorn, Weißer Dorant
He: מרמר מצוי
Hu: Orvosi pemetefű
Is: Vallarhélukrans
It: Marrubio comune, Mentastro, Robbio, Marrubio
Lv: Parast
Lt: Paprastoji šantra
Mk: Горчица
Nv: Azeeʼ ndootʼeezhí łibáhígíí
No: Hviit marrou
Nb: Borremynte
Nn: Borremynte
Fa: گندنای کوهی
Pl: Szanta zwyczajna
Pt: Marroio, Marrolo, Bom-homem, Erva-virgem, Hortelã-de-folha-grossa, Hortelã-do-maranhão, Hortelã-grande, Malvão, Marroio-branco, Marroio-comum
Qu: Yuraq itapallu
Ro: Unguraș
Ru: Šandra obyknovennaja, Шандра обыкновенная
Sr: Очајница
Sk: Jablčník obyčajný
Es: Marrubio común, Marrubio, Macapaqui
Sv: Kransborre, (valko)hurtanminttu
Tr: Köpek otu
Uk: Шандра звичайна
Cy: Llwyd y cŵn, Marddanadl Pêr, Marddanadlen Wen, Marddanhadlen Bêr, Marddanhadlen Wen, Marddynad Pêr, Morddanadl Gwyn, Morddynad Bêr, Perchwerwyn, Perwherwyn

Synonyms

• Marrubium uncinatum (Stokes)
• Marrubium vaillantii (Coss. & Germ.)
• Marrubium vulgare var. caucasicum (K.Koch)
• Marrubium vulgare var. oligodon (Barratte)
• Prasium marrubium (E.H.L.Krause)
• Marrubium hyperleucum var. comosum (Candargy)
• Marrubium vulgare subsp. apulum ((Ten.) H.Lindb.)
• Marrubium hyperleucum (Candargy)
• Marrubium vulgare var. apulum ((Ten.) Trevir.)
• Marrubium hyperleucum var. brevidens (Candargy)
• Marrubium vulgare var. lanatum (Benth.)
• Marrubium vulgare var. gossypinum (Nábelek)
• Marrubium vulgare var. microphyllum (Baguet)
• Marrubium vulgare var. vaillantii ((Coss. & Germ.) P.Fourn.)
• Marrubium hamatum (Kunth)
• Marrubium album (Garsault)
• Marrubium apulum (Ten.)
• Marrubium ballotoides (Boiss. & Balansa)
• Marrubium germanicum (Schrank ex Steud.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Austria (native)
• Azores (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Canary Is. (native)
• Cape Verde (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Libya (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Saudi Arabia (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Sinai (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alaska (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile North (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Easter Is. (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Free State (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Ireland (introduced)
• Juan Fernández Is. (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Gulf (introduced)
• Mexico Northeast (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Mexico Southeast (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Norfolk Is. (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Apr 18, 2021 by jimenez miguel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 11, 2020 by Kremer Rita (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 9, 2018 by Sandy Rowley (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 30, 2019 by Payá Zoila (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 4, 2018 by Marcos Rivas Campoamor (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Nov 25, 2020 by zaki Beldji (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 23, 2020 by Felfoul Boualem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 28, 2018 by Eva Witzgall (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 4, 2018 by Marcos Rivas Campoamor (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 22, 2019 by Uwe Scheibner (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jun 28, 2020 by Stephan T (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 26, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 26, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 3, 2021 by Ludovic Lavigne (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 22, 2022 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (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.

Bark

Taken Jan 22, 2022 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 4, 2016 by EOL − James Bailey (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jan 22, 2022 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 15, 2020 by CaTAstrophie CaTAstrophie 22 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 9, 2018 by Sandy Rowley (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Feb 2, 2021 by Aranda José Javier (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 28, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 12, 2021 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 1, 2022 by Acosta García Isabel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 6, 2020 by Vica (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Apr 11, 2021 by janakova monika (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2021 by Manuel Barón (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2021 by Manuel Barón (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 30, 2020 by Palo Rapos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 28, 2017 by César Gonzalez (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2927069)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:449990-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Marrubium vulgare L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Subshrub, Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 8.0

Ph minimum: 7.5

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 4

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

Soil nutriments: 8