Latin Name: Lamium purpureum Nicknamed dead nettle because it has no sting! But is not technically a nettle. Also called Purple Archangel.
Family: Lamiaceae (the mint family)
Botanical Description and ecology: Purple dead nettle is easily identified by its square stem (as most mint family plants have), spade-shaped leaves, and purple tops. The color of the leaves are actually a quality indicator of the soil -lower leaves may be green, or all of the leaves may be purple. More purple leaves just means a phosphorus deficiency in the soil though that doesn’t affect its general medicinal benefits or edibility. It’s not a native species to the area but is considered “naturalized”. Look alike are henbit and creeping Charlie (aka ground ivy). A big indicator is that the leaves are different in shape, spacing on the stalk and lobe shape. Purple Dead Nettle has 5 irregular shaped lobes at the tip of heart shaped leaves that all tend to cluster towards the top of the stalk. All three are edible though. Introduced from Eurasia but not currently listed as a noxious weed in Washington State.
Harvesting Tips: Purple Dead Nettle likes to grow in wide open spaces and you'll often find it growing in yards, wide open meadows or even in the sandy soils leading up to beaches. We harvest it in the early to late spring.
Key Constituents: Vitamins A, C, E, and K, riboflavin, thiamine, and minerals (calcium, chromium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus depending on the soil quality, potassium, silica, iron, zinc) histamine, chlorophyll, flavonoids, tannins and amino acids.
Parts Used: Above ground parts
Energetics: warming and drying
Actions: Antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, immunostimulating, nutritive, styptic
Uses
Anti-inflammatory properties: Purple dead nettle contains quercetin, a flavonoid known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms associated with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, and swollen sinuses.
Antioxidant activity: Like many herbs, purple dead nettle contains antioxidants and it has an affinity for the cardiovascular system and supporting the gut. It can be used in digestive aids for this reason.
Nutrient-rich: Purple dead nettle is a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and calcium, making it a nutritious addition to the diet. When we’re making nutrient based medicine, we often turn to teas, infusions or vinegars over tinctures. These will pull the vitamins and minerals out of the plant better than an alcohol based product will.
Traditional use for menstrual issues: In Aryuvedic herbal traditions, purple dead nettle has been used to help regulate menstrual cycles and alleviate symptoms of menstruation, such as cramps and irregular bleeding.
Immune System Support: Herbalists use purple dead nettle in blends to support respiratory health and alleviate symptoms of respiratory conditions such as coughs, colds, and bronchitis due to its warming, anti-microbial and astringent properties.
Skin/Wound healing & anti-microbial: Purple dead nettle has astringent properties, which means it may help stop bleeding and promote wound healing when applied topically making it a styptic. It has been used traditionally to treat cuts, scrapes, and minor skin irritations. The volatile oil content also makes this little plant anti-microbial and it seems to lean particularly towards squashing candida overgrowth. It makes a great field poultice for bites and stings as well due to its volatile oils. Its anti-microbial actions make it beneficial to apply directly as a poultice to acne as it manages both bacterial and fungal induced acne.
Urinary tract health: Herbalists sometimes recommend purple dead nettle as a diuretic to help support urinary tract health and promote the elimination of toxins from the body however it’s not a first choice - something like dandelion would be better. You could combine the two though.
Environmental uses: Purple dead nettle can also have environmental benefits, as it attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies, helping to support biodiversity in gardens and natural habitats.
Recipes
Tincture: fill a jar ¾ full with freshly harvested purple dead nettle, chopped and cover it with the alcohol of your choice (100proof or 80 proof if the plants are a bit wilted). Let sit for at least 8 weeks in a dark, cool place shaking regularly. Tip: if you don’t want to or cannot chop your nettles, throw the whole mixture into the blender! This works for all liquid + nettles combos
Acetate: Same as the tincture, just replacing it with raw apple cider vinegar instead. I really enjoy using this in a general ACV salad dressing mix as it adds a really fresh, herby flavor to it.
Oil: You’ll combine wilted purple dead nettle leaves in an oil of your choice. Make sure they’re chopped up or you can throw the whole thing in the blender.
Poultice: Combine the fresh areal parts with clean water, mashing until you have a paste and applying directly to the skin. In an emergency, you can make it as a chew/spit poultice too.
Spring Edible: You can eat this plant straight out of the field but it also has a very field like taste so keep that in mind when you’re adding to salads. You could add it to your nettle pesto recipe, make a succus with it (blending it with water and adding it to an ice cube tray for addition to smoothies) or just munch it as you walk
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the magic
Purple dead nettle is primarily associated with joy, determination, vitality and the general renewal of spring. It could be added to an incense blend to bring joy, or dried and added to a sachet that one carries with them to remind them of their own inner strength.
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