Spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver'

Questions about spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver'

Does spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' need sun or shade?

Spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early May to late July. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' be planted?

18 in (45 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' plants do I need?

At 18 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 5 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 17 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

In the bed above, the planner used four in two groups.

Is spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver'?

Spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' comes from Europe and North Africa to West Asia. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Robin's plantain 'Lynnhaven Carpet': the same job in a bed; 6 in narrower, flowers early May to late May.
• Woodland strawberry: the same job in a bed; 6 in narrower, flowers early May to late August.
• Creeping woodland phlox: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 6 in narrower, flowers late April to late May.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Spreads by rooting stems, and can seed into green-leaved forms. Easy to pull back.

What flowers after spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver'?

Spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' is over by late July. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall.
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Garden phlox: from mid July to early September, 3½ ft tall.

What does spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' look like in winter?

Spotted dead nettle 'Beacon Silver' holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.