Purple deadnettle

Description:

A member of the mint family introduced from Asia and Europe. This spotting is interesting to me for two reasons. First, the flowers are present in the middle of January. This alien invasive is a good source of protein for bees throughout the winter. Second, the purple in the common name refers not only to the color of the flowers, but to the color of the leaves closest to the flowers. This picture is a reminder that members of a plant species don't always follow all the rules.

Habitat:

Lawns, roadsides, fields.