Hi Dr. Hill,
Shot this little wildflower today. In Richland County, in a ditch that stays pretty moist. I know it’s a hedgenettle and it looks like Carolina Hedgenettle but the plant ID site says “rare and only in the Santee area.” Can you tell me what variety of hedgenettle it is?
Thank you!
Hi Vickey,
I believe that this is Florida betony, Stachys floridana. It seems to be spreading in SC. It has unusual looking underground tubers that look like smooth white caterpillars – I don’t know how else to describe them. An interesting plant.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steven Hill, Botanist, SCNPS