Purple Dead-Nettle

(Lamium purpureum)

Other Names:
Red dead nettle, purple archangel

Range: Non-Native


Family:
Lamiaceae - Mint Family

Growth Type:
Annual herbaceous plant

Height:
Typically growing up to 8 inches tall.

Leaves:
The heart shaped leaves are arrainged opposite, are up to 1.5 inches wide, have a rough surface texture, serrated or wavy margins (edges), and are pubescent (covered in fine hairs). The short petiole (leaf stem) of L. purpureum allows it to be easily differentiated from the look-a-like henbit dead-nettle, Lamium amplexicaule.

Stem/Trunk:
Like all members of the mint family, L purpureum has square stems.

Root:
Shallow, fibrous, root mass

Flower Season:
Depending upon climate and weather, the flowers can be produced anytime throughout the year. This includes winters with mild weather.

Flower Appearance:
The zygomorphic flowers are bright red-purple. The flower is tube-like with a top hood-like petal, two lower lip petal lobes, and small tooth-like lobes between. The edges of the petals are covered in fine hairs. The scientific term for the flower shape is zygomorphic. This means it is shaped is such a manner that it can only be split in one way to leave two mirrored parts. For reference the human face is zygomorphic.

Seed/Fruit:
Not observed

Miscellaneous characteristics:
Henbit dead-nettle looks very similar to L purpureum.

Habitat:
The plant can be found along forest edges, meadows, the disturbed soils of lawns and gardens, and along roadsides.

Parts Used:
The entire flowering plant.

Culinary Uses:
The young tender plant tops can be eaten in salads. The whole Flowering Plant can be boiled and eaten as a cooked vegetable.

Energetics
Taste: Sweet/Bitter
Thermal: Warming
Humidity: Drying

Traditional Medicinal Uses:
Used for the treatment of hypertension, scrofula, paralysis, prostate, menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, uterine hemorrhage, leucorrhea, trauma, and fracture.

Traditionally a decoction of the entire flowering plant has been used to stop hemorrages. The leaves can also be applied to wounds and insect bites/stings. Taking internally, the plant has an affinity for the kidneys.

Medicinal Actions:
Anti-Inflammatory, Antiproliferant, Antispasmodic, Antiviral, Astringent