Lycopus amplectens aka Clasping Water Horehound

Lycopus amplectens is a perennial in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Its common name is clasping water horehound. Kew places its native range in north-central and eastern United States. It grows in a temperate climate. Plants For A Future links it with damp sand and peat. That source also notes a link with coastal sites. These habitat details point to a plant of wet ground.

The plant reaches about 4 feet (1.2 metres) in height. The supplied evidence gives no figure for its spread. It also gives no clear account of its overall shape. Leaf shape, stem features, and root form remain undescribed here. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees and flies pollinate the flowers. The sources give no flower colour or bloom season. They also provide no details about the fruit or seeds.

Plants For A Future lists sun and partial shade as suitable. It says the plant prefers soil that stays moist or wet. Its species account lists sand, loam, and clay as suitable soils. It also lists mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. A bog garden is a listed setting for this plant. The source gives no firm hardiness rating for Britain. Its longer care notes draw on the genus as a whole. Those notes should not count as tested care for this species.

Plants For A Future describes two ways to raise more plants. Sow seed in spring or autumn in a cold frame. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Keep them in a greenhouse through their first year. Set them in their final places in early summer. The source also lists division in spring or autumn. Large divisions can go straight into their final sites. Keep small divisions in pots until they root well. Then plant them out in spring.

The root is listed as edible, with a low food-use rating. No preparation method or serving guidance accompanies that entry. The source reports no known hazards, but this does not establish safety. It lists no known medicinal uses or other practical uses. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases. It gives no basis for claims about resistance to either.