Lamium orvala aka Balm Leaved Archangel

Lamium orvala belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is a herbaceous perennial: a plant with soft stems that lives for years. Its common names include balm-leaved archangel and Hungary deadnettle. Some gardeners call it dragon flower or orvala deadnettle. Its native range runs from southwestern Hungary to northeastern Italy. This range includes Mount Gargano. It grows in temperate regions, but is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The plant forms leafy clumps with a low, spreading shape. The RHS gives a garden height of 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. It lists the same range for its spread. Plants take about two to five years to reach full size. The oval leaves fall off as the seasons change. Clumps can grow into a mat of leaves. This makes the plant useful where a planting needs low leaf cover.

Flowers range from pink to pinkish-purple. They grow in whorls, or rings, along flower spikes. Each flower can reach about 1.6 inches long. The RHS gives late spring and summer as the bloom season. Chicago Botanic Garden lists March through August, a longer span. The two sources thus differ on how long flowering lasts. Chicago also says the plant draws birds and butterflies. Both its flowers and leaves suit beds and borders.

Grow it in partial or deep shade, in a sheltered spot. Both garden sources call for shade and moist soil. The RHS says the soil must also drain well. It lists chalk, clay, loam and sand as suitable soils. The stated range includes acid, neutral and alkaline soils. Sites that face north, east or west suit its listed needs. The RHS gives it a hardiness rating of H7. This is the RHS's coldest outdoor group. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 4–8.

Use it as ground cover or beneath roses and shrubs. Its leaves can fill low gaps in shaded beds. Cutting plants back after bloom can help new leaves grow. Divide clumps in autumn or at the start of spring. The RHS reports few routine problems with pests or disease. Neither source names a pest or disease to watch for. The supplied evidence does not show edible uses or health benefits from medicinal use. It also gives no firm basis to judge toxicity to humans or pets.