Description
Lamium orvala is an unusual and underappreciated perennial that defies expectations of the genus. Unlike its rampant cousin Lamium maculatum, which tends to spread aggressively and dominate shady beds, L. orvala grows in well-behaved clumps with a stately presence. Native to the woodlands of Central and Eastern Europe, it features bold, serrated foliage and curious hooded flowers in shades of dusky rose to mauve, which emerge in late spring and resemble tiny dragons peeking from leafy bracts. The plant thrives in moist, humus-rich soil and partial shade, making it a distinctive choice for woodland gardens or shaded borders where its architectural form and eccentric blooms can shine. “Albiflorum” is the rarer white form of the species.
