The leaves are opposite, rounded to kidney-shaped, 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) diameter, with a lobed margin, and often with long internodes.

The flowers are pink to purple, relatively large, 1.5–2 cm (1⁄2–3⁄4 in) long, and form a few-flowered terminal spike with axillary whorls.

[5] Henbit dead-nettle is native most of Europe, Asia and North Africa, and has since been spread around the world by human activity.

[2][4][6] It propagates freely by seed, where it becomes a key part of a meadow ecosystem; sometimes entire fields will be reddish-purple with its flowers before spring ploughing.

[citation needed] Its status in Great Britain and Ireland is disputed; some sources give it as native,[7][8] while others cite it as an archaeophyte.