Crop Protection Online > Pests - Weed biology<br> <sub>Agro-region: Denmark</sub> - Galeopsis spp.

Crop Protection Online

9.6 2026

Weed biology
_{Agro-region: Denmark}

Galeopsis spp.

Can be mistaken for

Lamium spp., which has somewhat smaller dicotyledon leaves and true leaves.

Characteristics

Cotyledons
Broad inverted egg-shaped with entire leaf margins. Two characteristic projections at the leaf basis. Stalked. Smooth surface (stalk very hairy). Length approx. 9 mm.

True leaves
Egg-shaped with saw-toothed leaf margins. Stalked. Densely hairy surface. Length approx. 20-30 mm.

Mature plant
2 Hemp-nettle species are found in fields: large-flowered Hemp-nettle with yellow flowers and Common Hemp-nettle with red flowers. The two species cannot be distinguished at the early stages of development. Both species are vigorous plants with 30-100 cm high, erect, square stems. Below the attachments the stem is very swollen in both species. Length of flower: large-flowered Hemp-nettle approx. 20-30 mm and Common Hemp-nettle approx. 10 mm. Seed production: Common Hemp-nettle up to approx. 600 seeds per plant and Large-flowered Hemp-nettle up to approx. 450 seeds per plant.

Seed
Compressed egg-shaped with a somewhat sharp-edged periphery. The lower part of the ventral side is shaped like a round roof. The surface is slightly warty. Dark speckled. Thousand grain weight approx. 5 g.

Biology

Propagation and dispersal
Only through weeds.

Habit
Summer annual.

Importance

The Hemp-Nettle species are frequently found in both autumn- and spring-sown crops throughout Denmark. The species can be particularly frequent in humus soil or in “wet hollows” in the field. In spring-sown crops both species are an injurious weed causing quite heavy losses, even at small densities. The damage in autumn-sown crops depends on crop development during the growing season.

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Taxonomy

Labiatae.

Names in different languages

Danish :	Hanekro
German :	Hohlzahn
English :	Hemp-nettle
Latin :	Galeopsis spp.
Norwegian :	Då-arter
Swedish :	Dån

Seedling

Early stage

Galeopsis spp.: Flower <br><i>(Galeopsis speciosa Mill.)</i>

Flower
(Galeopsis speciosa Mill.)

Galeopsis spp.: Mature plant <br><i>(Galeopsis tetrahit)</i>

Mature plant
(Galeopsis tetrahit)

Seeds

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Weed biology Agro-region: Denmark