Lycopus americanus (Water Horehound, American Bugleweed)
Lycopus americanus (Water Horehound, American Bugleweed)
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Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) expresses the viable seed content of a seed lot using its purity and germination or viability test results. It helps you compare seed lots and calculate how much bulk seed is needed to meet a specified PLS planting rate.
PLS weight and bag weight
PLS weight is not the same as the total weight of seed in a bag. For example, a lot with 80% purity and 75% viability contains 60% PLS: 80 × 75 ÷ 100 = 60. Supplying 10 lb PLS from that lot requires about 16.67 lb of bulk seed.
Use the current seed test and the stated basis of the mix specification. Germination calculations may include applicable hard or dormant seed. Seed-count estimates also require the number of seeds per pound; PLS alone does not provide a seed count.
What to check when buying a mix
Check whether each rate is stated in PLS pounds, bulk pounds, or a combination. A mix with both bases should not be described as having an all-PLS total.
PLS does not remove weed seeds or guarantee establishment. Review the seed label and analysis for weed content, and match site preparation, planting conditions and follow-up management to your project.
Sources: USDA NRCS, Understanding Pure Live Seed and The Importance of Seed Quality for Natural Resource Conservation.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
American water horehound flowers through part of summer and fall on flood-prone ground. Wet or moist soil and partial to full sunlight suit its upright growth.
For Lycopus americanus, choose full to partial sun and wet to moist soil. Recorded habitats include moist to wet lakeshores; Marsh and pond margins; Fens and spring-fed areas; Swales; Streambanks; Swamps; Sedge meadows; Shrub carrs. Reported height: about 1-3 ft.
Growth habit: rhizomes often form clonal colonies. Allow space for this growth between neighboring plants over several seasons, rather than spacing only for the size of a young plant.
Plant specifications
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full to partial sun |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Wet to moist |
| Height | About 1-3 ft |
| Bloom season | Mid-summer to fall |
Native landscape companions
For partial sun / light shade and moist soil, consider these native plants alongside Lycopus americanus:
| Companion plant | Height |
|---|---|
| Common Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) | Up to 3 ft |
| Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) | 1½–3 ft |
| Broad-leaved Woolly Sedge (Carex pellita) | About 1–2½ ft |
| Hairy sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) | 1 to 3 feet |
These landscape suggestions combine overlapping growing needs with documented plant associations. Match soil, seasonal wetness and mature spread to your site. Remnant records are described separately under Plant communities & associates.
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Rhizomes often form clonal colonies |
|---|---|
| Root form | Rhizomes; Tubers |
| Soil pH | 5.2–7.8 |
| Drought tolerance | Low |
| Salt tolerance | Low |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Lycopus americanus |
|---|---|
| Other common names | common water horehound |
| Seed germination | USDA lists cold stratification as not required; seed-lot response may vary. |
| Plant family | Lamiaceae |
| Seeds per pound — reference estimate | 3025308 |
Plant characteristics
Lycopus americanus (Water Horehound) is a common wetland plant found in a multitude of wetland types including marshes, fens, sedge meadows, wet prairies, flood plains, and even ditches. It has an upright growth pattern and uniquely lobed leaves that have a very variable shape but often lanceolate. It produces small, white flowers in leaf nodes during late summer. It is a member of the mint family.
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associatesNo verified list yet
Chicago-region plant communities
Sand Ridge Savanna, Will County (2007–2009 study). Recorded in: sedge meadow; wet sand prairie.
Sedge meadow — selected native associates: Carex buxbaumii, Calamagrostis canadensis, Verbena hastata.
Wet sand prairie — selected native associates: Spartina pectinata, Carex scoparia, Onoclea sensibilis.
These records come from sampled communities within the preserve.
Illinois woodland and stream communities
Middle Fork Woods, Vermilion County (1999–2002 survey). Recorded in: perennial stream corridor.
Perennial stream corridor — selected native associates: Phlox divaricata, Sorghastrum nutans, Acer saccharinum.
These plants share a recorded habitat; they were not necessarily found in the same small plot.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.
| Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest | OBL |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 4 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Alabama; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlifeNo verified list yet
No additional named relationships have been verified for this listing.
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Water Horehound, American Bugleweed?
Light: Full to partial sun. Soil moisture: Wet to moist.
How do I germinate and establish Water Horehound, American Bugleweed from seed?
USDA lists cold stratification as not required; seed-lot response may vary.
Is Water Horehound, American Bugleweed deer and herbivore resistant?
Species-specific deer resistance has not been verified here. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.
When should I expect Water Horehound, American Bugleweed to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Mid-summer to fall. Timing varies with location and weather.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Landscape companion selection: Natural Communities compared the growing requirements shown on these species pages with selected source records: Sedge meadow — Chicago region — Will County, Illinois; Perennial stream corridor — East-central Illinois. The shortlist is a planting-design inference. A shared record does not establish adjacency, identical soil requirements, local seed origin, or a tested planting combination. Regional synthesis records retain their documented focal-to-associate scope.
Will County community records: Phillippe, Marcum & Ebinger (2012), Sand Ridge Savanna vegetation, Tables 1–5. Selected species and habitat facts independently organized; no open license is asserted for the article. Sampled communities are kept separate from the preserve’s seeded field.
Illinois woodland records: Larimore, Phillippe & Ebinger (2008), Middle Fork Woods flora, Appendix I. © 2008 University of Illinois Board of Trustees, CC BY 4.0. Habitat records transcribed, selected and linked to catalog names by Natural Communities. Survey: 1999–2002.
Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online; USACE National Wetland Plant List.
Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; USDA NRCS PLANTS; Patrick Goggin: Wisconsin native plant guide, p. 75.
Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.
Research notes & credits
USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Retained for comparison; the displayed C-value follows Flora database 80.
Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.
Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
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Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
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Where We Ship
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
- Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
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