Marihuanilla/ Yi Mu Cao/ Siberian motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus) - Legal and bee-friendly

Don't panic, this isn't a drug raid! If you have this plant in your garden, your neighbors might do a double-take at first, as the deeply incised leaves bear a striking resemblance to cannabis. However, Marihuanilla is completely legal, entirely free of hallucinogens, and is instead a traditional medicinal plant from Asia as well as a massive magnet for bees and butterflies!

Scope of delivery: Young plant in a 7cm pot.

Available and shipping from 05.05.26

Growth & Appearance

• Lifespan & Hardiness: Annual to biennial herbaceous plant. It is completely frost-hardy. If it grows as a biennial, the flat leaf rosette easily overwinters outdoors in the first year.

• Height: A real giant in the herb bed! It grows strictly upright and reaches an impressive 1 to 2 meters in height.

• Habit: Typical for Lamiaceae (mint family), it has square stems. The dark green leaves are heavily pinnate and hemp-like (hence the name).

• Flowering: From July to September, it pushes out numerous small, pink to violet labiate flowers from the leaf axils, which sit on the stem in tiered layers.

Origin The plant originally comes from Asia (Siberia, China, Mongolia). However, because it is so undemanding, it has spread worldwide – especially in Central and South America, where it also received its Spanish nickname "Marihuanilla" (little marijuana) from the locals.

Ingredients & IMPORTANT WARNING! To clarify the most important point right away: The plant contains absolutely no THC and is not subject to the Narcotics Act! It is 100% legal. Instead, it scores with a complex mix of secondary plant compounds. These primarily include the alkaloid leonurine, as well as stachydrine, leosibirin, diterpenes, valuable flavonoids (such as rutin), tannins, and essential oils. * Explicit warning: Even though Marihuanilla has a long tradition in other cultures, we strictly advise against any ingestion, consumption, or medicinal self-treatment! The dosage and effect of the alkaloids are complex. The plant is sold here as a purely decorative and fascinating plant for the garden. Pregnant women in particular must never consume this plant, as the ingredients can have strong labor-inducing effects!

Traditional Use (Historical & Global)

• In Far Eastern herbalism: In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the plant is known as "Yi Mu Cao" (translated: "mother's medicinal herb") and has been used there for thousands of years for menstrual discomfort, to promote blood circulation, and for general relaxation.

• As a South American smoking herb: In Mexico and South America, the dried flowers and leaves are traditionally smoked by locals because of their mild taste, often as a nicotine-free tobacco substitute or for gentle relaxation.

• In the garden (A magnet for insects!): There is a reason it is called "Honeyweed" in English. When it blooms in midsummer, the entire stem is buzzing with activity. The tiered labiate flowers are an extremely valuable and rich nectar station. They primarily attract long-tongued bumblebee species (such as the buff-tailed and common carder bumblebee) as well as endangered wild bees (such as fur bees and mason bees), which can easily crawl deep into the flower calyxes. But colorful butterflies (like the peacock or the small tortoiseshell), hoverflies, and in the evening even moths (like the hummingbird hawk-moth) are among the daily regulars at this blooming high-rise. An absolute feast for any natural garden!

Curiosities The name "Marihuanilla" originated in Mexico. Locals used the herb at traditional festivals as a legal substitute when the "real" herb was unavailable or prohibited. The visual similarity of the leaves made the nickname perfect. A brilliant and absolutely legal prank for your own front yard to make your neighbors break a sweat!

Location, Care & Hardiness

• Location: Full sun! The warmer and sunnier, the happier it is.

• Soil: Extremely undemanding. Normal, well-draining garden soil is perfectly sufficient. It also copes wonderfully with drier phases.

• Hardiness (The Siberian Factor): The epithet "Siberian" motherwort already gives it away: this plant laughs at our local winters! If it grows as a biennial, the flat leaf rosette easily survives even the harshest frosts in the first year without any protection. If it grows as an annual and dies after seeding, its seeds overwinter completely unharmed in the frozen ground and reliably germinate again in the spring.

• Care: It grows practically on its own. If you want to prevent it from seeding throughout the entire garden, you should cut off the flower stalks after they fade in early autumn. If left standing, they provide food for birds in winter and plenty of offspring the following year.