Pink Chablis Dead Nettle

Pink Chablis® dead nettle is the cultivar Lamium maculatum 'Checkin', valued for silver-and-green variegated leaves and cotton-candy pink flowers. It forms a low, spreading mat and can be grown in containers or as a perennial groundcover in USDA zones 4–8. ## Foliage and flowers The softly patterned foliage brightens shaded beds, while small pink flowers add color from mid-spring into summer; flowering may continue later in favorable conditions. The plant reaches about 8–12 inches tall and spreads 14–24 inches, with stems that can trail farther in baskets or over a wall. Leaves may persist through mild winters, though cold conditions can reduce winter foliage. ## Growing conditions and placement Pink Chablis is adaptable to sun or shade, but performs best in partial to full shade in hot-summer regions. Average garden soil with even moisture and good drainage supports steady growth. It tolerates heat, and the breeder also lists drought tolerance, though prolonged dry soil or excessive sun can scorch spotted dead nettles. Use it near the front of a shaded border, beneath shrubs, as a groundcover, or to spill from a container. Its spreading stems root where they touch soil, so edge or lift them when they move beyond the intended area. ## Maintenance This cultivar is self-cleaning, so routine deadheading is unnecessary. Water while new plantings establish and during extended dry spells, then trim runners as needed to keep the mat in bounds. Deer generally avoid the foliage.