Red Deadnettle

Biological Name:

Lamium purpureum (Red-Deadnettle)

Natural Habitat:

Red-Deadnettle is a plant with small, red or pink flowers and leaves that resemble those of the stinging nettle. It is often found in disturbed areas and is considered a weed.

Description:

Red-Deadnettle is a small annual weed with hairy square stems and small reddish-purple flowers. It is commonly found in gardens fields and other areas with disturbed soil.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is red dead-nettle good for?
A: In terms of traditional medicinal uses, dried leaves have been used as a poultice to stem hemorrhaging whilst fresh bruised leaves have been applied to external wounds and cuts. The leaves are also made into a tea and drunk to promote perspiration and discharge from the kidneys in treating chills.
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Q: Does nettle cleanse the blood?
A: The stinging nettle is the best blood cleansing herb known to herbalists. and recommended strongly in the treatment of acne and eczema. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is high in iron and is also the best blood building herb and very beneficial in cases of anaemia and other blood disorders.
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Q: Are purple and red dead nettle the same?
A: Purple dead nettle, also known as red deadnettle, purple archangel, and Lamium purpureum, is a member of the mint family. Like other well-known species in this group, this plant has a square stem and triangular-shaped leaves. Unlike common mint, however, deadnettle doesn’t have that telltale minty flavor or smell.
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Q: Is nettle good for liver?
A: Packed with a variety of polyphenolic compounds and pigments, nettle leaf detox drinks reduce liver inflammation. A regular cleanse with nettle leaf detox drinks can help lower blood pressure and improve the heart’s antioxidant defenses.
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Q: Does nettle increase testosterone?
A: Stinging NettleStinging Nettleurzică f (plural urzici) nettle.en.wiktionary.org › wiki › urzicăurzică – Wiktionary is quite a nasty plant to touch, but oral ingestion of pills without spikes results in a moderately potent anti-inflammatory that can reduce the sniffles. Does not boost testosterone despite being claims to, although it can help Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and urine abnormalities.
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Q: When should you eat nettle?
A: Nettles are best eaten when tender so early to mid spring is when they’re at their seasonal best.
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Q: Are red dead nettles weeds?
A: Red dead-nettle is common in cereals where it has benefited from the control of more competitive weeds. It is a weed of gardens as well as arable land.
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Q: Are red dead nettles poisonous?
A: Photo: Paul Kirtley. Red Dead-nettle is edible (as are the similar species mentioned above). You can use Red Dead-nettle as per White Dead-nettle, Lamium album and the leaves and flowering tops are great in salads. Unlike White Dead-nettle, there doesn’t seem to be the tendency for the leaves to become bitter with age.
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Q: What happens if you touch nettles?
A: Nettles are plants with sharp hairs on their leaves. If you touch them, these hairs inject irritants into the skin, making it itchy, red and swollen.
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Q: Are dead nettles medicinal?
A: Medicinal Uses As a medicinal herb, purple dead nettle has astringent, purgative, diuretic, and diaphoretic properties. It’s also anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Fresh leaves can be applied to wounds as a poultice. You can also enjoy fresh or dry leaves as a tea.
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Q: How does red deadnettle spread?
A: Their stems root where they touch the soil, allowing the plants to spread. Eventually, they will form a mat. Spotted dead nettles will naturalize in some areas.
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Q: Is Red Deadnettle invasive?
A: red deadnettle (Invasive Species of Southeast New Hampshire) · iNaturalist.
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Q: Should I pull purple deadnettle?
A: A common strategy for purple dead nettle control in lawns is to pull the weeds up by the roots and dispose of them. This option works well if you only have a few of the weeds on your lawn. Be sure to remove all pieces of the plant, as they can regerminate if given the chance.
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Q: When should you not pick nettles?
A: 1. Don’t pick Stinging Nettles when in Flower. The flowers on Stinging Nettles are like catkins; little tendrils of flowers dropping down from the stems, they tend to be green or yellowy-green in colour, so not always obvious to spot.
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Q: What eats red deadnettle?
A: Lots of different species of long-tongued insects visit the flowers of red dead-nettle, including the red mason bee and bumblebees. The caterpillars of garden tiger, white ermine and angle shades moths feed on the leaves.
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Q: How do you control red deadnettle?
A: Chemical control is often the best approach if the deadnettle has spread throughout your entire lawn. While there are many herbicide options available, they will typically fall under one of the following categories: pre-emergent herbicides and post-emergent herbicides.
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Q: Do bees like deadnettle?
A: Pollinators like these flowering weeds The nectar of purple deadnettle is attractive to bumble bees, honey bees and digger bees, a group of large bees that nest in the ground. They are also attractive to a bee mimic called the giant bee fly (Bombylius major).
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Q: Do butterflies like deadnettle?
A: This is a bee plant rather than a butterfly plant because of the shape of the flowers: bees can use it, but butterflies cannot. They are easy to grow and pretty – try some.
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Q: Can you eat Deadnettle?
A: Purple deadnettle is not only a wild edible green, but a highly nutritious superfood. The leaves are edible, with the purple tops being even a little sweet. Since the leaves are relatively fuzzy, they are better used as an herb garnish or mixed with other greens in recipes, rather than being the star of the show.
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Q: How do you eat dead nettle?
A: Its leaves and tops can be eaten both raw and cooked, although to be honest, I’m not a fan of eating it raw since its leaves are hairy. I am not a fan of hairy foods! I have found that I like purple dead nettle as a pesto, dried for use in tea or tea blends, or cooked as you would spinach or kale.
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Q: Does Purple Deadnettle sting?
A: Purple dead nettle is a bit of a mixed-up plant. It earned its name, dead nettle, because the leaves are similar to stinging nettle. However, because there are no stings on the leaves, it’s considered ‘dead’. To top it all off, it’s not even a true nettle – it’s a mint.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.