Lamium purpureum – Purple dead nettle

Purple dead nettle grows in sunny areas as a ground cover.

The plant can be identified by its square stem and opposite fuzzy leaves that are purplish at the top of the plant. Small, pinkish flowers appear in the spring.

 

The leaves and flowers of purple dead nettle can be eaten raw or used as an herb. The leaves have a grassy taste, while the flowers are mildly sweet.

Purple dead nettle can be turned into an anti-inflammatory tea or used topically for its wound healing properties.

 

Purple dead nettle is named for its resemblance to stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Stinging nettle differs by having painful, stinging hairs and greenish, inconspicuous flowers.

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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.