Red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)
Red dead-nettle is a small, purple-tinged wild flower that pops up on paths, field edges and flower beds, often when little else is in bloom. It does not sting, it feeds early bees and it is worth knowing.
A humble plant worth a second look
Red dead-nettle is one of the commonest wild flowers in Britain, and most people walk straight past it. It is an annual herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to Europe and Asia. It is usually a low plant, about 5 to 20 cm tall, though occasionally taller, with square stems and soft, hairy, heart-shaped leaves. Towards the top of each stem the leaves turn purplish, and clusters of pinkish-purple, hooded flowers grow in the angles between them.
The name is a little misleading. It is not red, and it is not dead. "Dead-nettle" simply means that the plant looks like a stinging nettle but lacks the stinging hairs. It is not related to the true nettles (Urtica), which belong to a different family.
Why it matters
- It flowers when little else does. It can flower throughout the year, including in mild winter weather, and so offers nectar and pollen for bees when other sources are scarce. In the UK it is an important early-spring pollen source.
- It is easy to find. It grows in meadows, woodland edges, roadsides, field margins, allotments and gardens.
- It is edible, with caution. The young tops and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, though you must identify it correctly and avoid polluted places. See foraging and eating.
- It has a long history. It appears in an Anglo-Saxon medical charm. See folklore and related species.
What is on this site
- Identification: leaves, stems, flowers and seeds, month by month.
- Lookalikes: how to tell red dead-nettle from henbit, white dead-nettle and stinging nettle.
- Habitat and flowering: where it grows and when.
- Bees and wildlife: why a "weed" is a useful early food source.
- Foraging and eating: careful advice on edibility.
- Garden management: how to live with it, or remove it.
- Folklore and related species: the wider dead-nettle family.
Quick identification
If you only remember three things, remember these. First, it has a square stem and paired leaves, typical of the mint family. Second, the upper leaves are purplish and crowded together, with flowers tucked among them. Third, nothing stings. For a careful comparison, read how to identify red dead-nettle. Always confirm with a good flora or a local botanist before eating a wild plant.
Through the year
In winter, look for small purplish plants in sheltered corners, such as the foot of a south-facing wall, where a few flowers may open on mild days. Spring is the main season: patches thicken, flowers multiply and the first bumblebees arrive. By summer many plants have set seed and faded, but new seedlings usually appear in autumn, and the cycle begins again. Because the plant is so adaptable, you can practise identification on it nearly all year, which makes it a good first wild flower for beginners and children.
Using this guide
If you have found a plant and want to know what it is, go to identification first, then check lookalikes. If you want to know whether it is safe to eat, go straight to the foraging cautions.
A note on "weeds"
Gardeners often pull it up, and farmers treat it as an arable weed. But a wild plant is only a weed in the wrong place. A small patch left in a corner, or allowed to flower before you tidy it, feeds insects when they most need it. If you want to remove it, there are simple ways.
About this site
This site is an independent plant guide. Sources are listed at the bottom of each page, and we say plainly where a point needs checking in a printed flora or with an expert. Nothing here is medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is red dead-nettle?
Red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) is an annual herb in the mint family, native to Europe and Asia. It has square stems, hairy leaves that turn purplish towards the top, and pinkish-purple hooded flowers.
Does red dead-nettle sting?
No. It looks like a stinging nettle, but it is unrelated and has no stinging hairs, which is why it is called a dead-nettle.
Is red dead-nettle good for bees?
Yes. Its flowers provide nectar and pollen early in the year when few other flowers are open, and it is an important early-spring pollen source in the UK.
Can you eat red dead-nettle?
The young tops and leaves are edible raw or cooked, but only forage if you are certain of the identification and avoid polluted or sprayed places.