Wood betony

Betonica officinalis

Upright native meadow and woodland-edge perennial with short purple-red flower spikes above a rosette of crinkled leaves. Among the most useful all-round wildlife plants for the British garden.

Hardiness ratings

Wood betony hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 4–8 −34.4 °C to −6.7 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 4–8 −29 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 1–5 −15 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Forage plant for long-tongued bumblebees and a recorded host plant for several moth species
  • One of the most reliable native perennials for the wildlife garden — long flowering, adaptable, and tough
  • Traditional headache and nervine herb in British herbal medicine
  • Always consult a qualified medical or herbal practitioner before using any plant medicinally

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Wood betony against your zones

Reference

Wood betony on Wikipedia