Useful Weeds: Purple Dead Nettle
I love this time of year, all the great things are coming up in my yard – including Purple Dead Nettle.
Purple Dead Nettle is a prolific weed that seems to be the bane of gardeners everywhere – except me. I gleefully look forward to this plant coming up each year so I can harvest and use its beneficial properties in teas and salves – and even sneak a few small leaves into a salad.
Purple dead nettle (Lamium Purpureum) is common on west coast, eastern and Southern US – and pretty much everywhere else. It’s called a ‘Dead’ Nettle because there are no stinging nettles. It is a member of the mint family and if you look at the stems you’ll find they are square.
It are high in Vitamin C, minerals, flavinoids, iron, and fiber, although you should ingest it sparingly as it can be a mild laxative. The herb is very beneficial for kidney and liver function.
I start harvesting and drying them as soon in the spring when they come up for use later in teas and salves, saving the tender petals for salad. Be sure to give them a light rinse and pat dry before hanging – or use a salad spinner for a quick and easy dry-off.
Because I have polycystic kidney disease, I consider the use of purple dead nettle as a must in my regimen to keep my kidneys healthy.
Kathy is an herbalist/naturopathy practitioner who is constantly researching to expand her knowledge. She came to herbalism after her migraine medicine was suddenly removed from the market and she had to find something new. After discovering the magic of herbs she’s never looked back. She is accredited by the International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine (IPHM) and is an Associate Member of the American Herbalist Guild.
Have this growing in my yard. My neighbor just recently mentioned it to me. I can use this or personally so I will do that today. Thank you for this valuable information.
Thanks for your comment Lisa and I’m glad you found the information helpful!
This is great news, for I have learned something new today. Good info on the Purple Dead-nettle. I am just your average person who has plenty of wild Dead-nettle showing itself right now in my yard. I did not know what this plant/weed was that was taking over my lawn. I did notice the Bees last year liking them, especially the Bumble Bees. A pretty flower indeed, but until today I did not know of it’s other uses, and finding out that it is a Nettle, I had to research further, so thank you Kathy McCabe.