Ballota nigra L.
Ballota nigra
Ballota nigra, commonly known as black horehound, is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean region and central Asia. It can be found throughout Europe and has naturalized in Argentina, New Zealand, and the Eastern United States. The plant is known for its strong, characteristic smell reminiscent of mold or humidity and can grow up to 3 feet in height. It has clusters of hairy, reddish-purple flowers and opposite, decussate leaves that are dark green and usually pubescent. The leaves range from oval-lanceolate to heart-shaped with a crenate or dentate border.
Details
Lamiales
Lamiaceae
Ballota
Black horehound contains diterpenoids such as marrubiin, ballonigrin, ballotinone, ballotenol, and 7-acetoxymarrubiin. Additionally, it contains phenylpropanoids.
Black horehound has been used in alternative medicine and is known for its medicinal properties. The plant is typically used dry and harvested when blooming to make syrups.
May to August
Up to 3 feet (approximately 1 meter)
Reddish-purple
Ballota nigra grows in ruins, fallows, and hedges at elevations up to 1300 meters. It prefers loose, calcareous (alkaline) soils and tolerates temperatures as low as -5°/-10°C.
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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