Lamium galeobdolon (yellow archangel, "Kibanaodorikoso")

Japanese name: キバナオドリコソウ （黄花踊子草）
Scientific name: Lamium galeobdolon

[Overview]
A perennial 30–50 cm tall.
It spreads by stolons extending underground.
The stem is erect, square in cross section, and covered with short downward-pointing hairs.
The leaves are simple and opposite, ovate, 5–8 cm long, with coarse teeth.
The yellow flowers form verticillasters in the axils of the upper leaves.
The corolla is a lipped flower 1.5–2.5 cm long; the upper lip is hood-shaped and hairy along the margin.
The middle lobe of the lower lip opens widely, serves as a landing platform for insects, and has orange markings.
The fruit is a schizocarp.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by stem cuttings.
It prefers a well-drained site in sun to partial shade, out of the afternoon sun and strong direct summer sunlight.
It does well planted under a deciduous tree that gives partial shade in summer.
If the conditions suit it, it grows well even when left alone.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Take care that it does not become too wet in summer.
Fertilizer is hardly necessary, but for potted plants liquid fertilizer may be given in spring and autumn.
Remove spent flowers promptly once flowering is over.
Leaf spot and slugs are seen as pests and diseases.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)