Happy Earth Day! I thought today would be a nice day to introduce the first post in a (hopefully) monthly series about various common plants, their traits, and their gifts. Being Earth Day, I wanted to start with one of nature's little ecosystem healers that's currently in season. Read on to learn more about Purple Dead Nettle, how to identify it, and about its edible and medicinal uses.
One of the signs of Spring that I look for every year is the blossoming of Purple Dead Nettle. When you see these plant's tops begin to turn their characteristic reddish-purple color (just before they begin to flower), it's a pretty safe bet that warming days are here to stay. As they pop up in and around my garden here in Connecticut, they signal to me that it is time to prepare the garden for the growing season and that most danger of frost has passed. Purple Dead Nettle (aka Red Dead Nettle) is named as such because some seem to think it has a resemblance to young Stinging Nettle; yet it does not sting, hence the "dead" aspect. It's scientific name is Lamium Purpureum and it is a member of the Mint (Lamiaceae) family. I'm growing quite fond of it's other common name, though, Purple Archangel*, as this virtuous little plant inspires a reverence in me as I consider its many qualities.
Purple Dead Nettle begins to bloom in early Spring or towards the end of a mild Winter. Blooms can be found all Summer long and into early Fall; though I rarely see it in abundance after Spring. Purple Dead Nettle is low growing and can be fairly inconspicuous when young, but seeing a large patch of it's beautiful purple-red color is sure to catch your eye, especially in the brown foliage of late Winter and early Spring. It is a short lived annual herbaceous plant that is self seeding. Purple Dead Nettle is native to Europe and Asia, though it now has naturalized over large swaths of the United States.
Environmentally speaking, Purple Dead Nettle plays a special role. The little flowers of the Purple Dead Nettle plant are a very important early season food resource for pollinators who are just waking up from their winter slumber and burrowing. One of the volatile oils in the plant contains a high amount of a molecule that attracts insect pollinators to the plants and to their area. Purple Dead Nettle is also a "pioneer plant" that plays a notable role in the reemergence of a stable ecosystem. Pioneer species are the first to colonize disrupted or damaged ecosystems. They're hardy, resilient, and not too picky about soil conditions and this is why pioneer plants like Purple Dead Nettle are commonly found along roadsides, trails, in disturbed soils, or in areas previously sprayed with herbicides. They can also signal to gardeners and indicate that a soil is good for planting, as they prefer places with fair amounts of nitrogen. As they establish themselves in an area, they help set into motion a chain of ecological succession that helps to enhance or re-stabilize an area's biodiversity. This factor is one of the main reasons why I appreciate their name, Purple Archangel, as they help guide a landscape back to health, productivity, and balance.
Environmentally speaking, Purple Dead Nettle plays a special role. The little flowers of the Purple Dead Nettle plant are a very important early season food resource for pollinators who are just waking up from their winter slumber and burrowing. One of the volatile oils in the plant contains a high amount of a molecule that attracts insect pollinators to the plants and to their area. Purple Dead Nettle is also a "pioneer plant" that plays a notable role in the reemergence of a stable ecosystem. Pioneer species are the first to colonize disrupted or damaged ecosystems. They're hardy, resilient, and not too picky about soil conditions and this is why pioneer plants like Purple Dead Nettle are commonly found along roadsides, trails, in disturbed soils, or in areas previously sprayed with herbicides. They can also signal to gardeners and indicate that a soil is good for planting, as they prefer places with fair amounts of nitrogen. As they establish themselves in an area, they help set into motion a chain of ecological succession that helps to enhance or re-stabilize an area's biodiversity. This factor is one of the main reasons why I appreciate their name, Purple Archangel, as they help guide a landscape back to health, productivity, and balance.
Nature knows no plants as weeds.- Liberty Hyde Bailey
How to Identify Purple Dead Nettle & Key Characteristics:
Environment:
Sunny / partly shaded disturbed or loose soils, road, rail and trail sides, lawns, cultivated lands, grasslands, damaged ecosystems /waste places/ recently sprayed areas. Prefers rich soils, but is not very picky. Hardiness zones 4-8.
Season:
Early Spring - Fall; during mild temperatures
Identifying Characteristics of Purple Dead Nettle:
Environment:
Sunny / partly shaded disturbed or loose soils, road, rail and trail sides, lawns, cultivated lands, grasslands, damaged ecosystems /waste places/ recently sprayed areas. Prefers rich soils, but is not very picky. Hardiness zones 4-8.
Season:
Early Spring - Fall; during mild temperatures
Identifying Characteristics of Purple Dead Nettle:
- Often grows in patches. Crushed leaves typically smell quite earthy and somewhat grassy.
- Low growing ground cover, 2-8 inches tall on average.
- Leaves: Opposite, heart or spade shaped, with wavy or serrated (dentate) edges covered in small fine hairs, especially near the tops. Purple Dead Nettle's leaves display a color gradient hue as it matures- green towards the bottom and turning purple-red towards the top. Veins are distinctly sunken on top of the leaf and appear raised underneath. They measure less than 2 inches on a mature plant. Leaves attach to the stem with long stalks that are gradually shorter towards the tops. Leaves also cluster more densely at the tops.
- Stem: 4 sided, square, hollow stem- a characteristic of the mint family. Green to reddish in color. Grows upright. Small, sparse hairs can be seen along leaf stems. Multiple stalks grow off a single root system.
- Flower: Small bright purple-pink flowers. Blossoms form from clusters around the upper leaf axils. Top petal of each flower is hood-like and finely haired, with 2 lower lip petals that are spotted a darker shade of purple-red.
Look- Alikes:
L. amplexicaule ( Henbit / Common Dead Nettle), Veronica persica (Persian Speedwell), & Glechoma hederacea (Ground Ivy). All of which are similarly edible.
Stachys arvensis ( Field Woundwort/Staggerweed) is another potential look alike. This plant can cause a health condition known as staggers in grazing animals. While this plant may hold medicinal properties, I personally can not recommend internal consumption of it until more research is done concerning its effect in humans.
L. amplexicaule ( Henbit / Common Dead Nettle), Veronica persica (Persian Speedwell), & Glechoma hederacea (Ground Ivy). All of which are similarly edible.
Stachys arvensis ( Field Woundwort/Staggerweed) is another potential look alike. This plant can cause a health condition known as staggers in grazing animals. While this plant may hold medicinal properties, I personally can not recommend internal consumption of it until more research is done concerning its effect in humans.
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***** Please note - Do not consume any wild plant without ensuring proper identification and educating yourself about its potentials or interactions with medications. Consult a local expert whenever possible. *****
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What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have yet to be discovered." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Purple Dead Nettle as Wild Edible:
Wildcrafters and foragers can enjoy a nibble of Purple Dead Nettle, as the young aerial tops, leaves, flowers, and seeds are edible both raw and cooked. It is more of a survival food than it is an extremely tasty plant. Its taste, to me, is green, very earthy, and a tad bitter. Purple Dead Nettle / Archangel can be prepared as you would any other green- as an addition to salads, stir-frys, soups, smoothies, teas, pestos, or it can used as a pot herb. The hairiness of the leaves makes it quite mealy, so it's better as a minor recipe additive rather than as a main component of dishes. Bitterness can be reduced by drying it. Dried and powdered, it could make a nutritive addition to thick soups or smoothies.
Nutrition:
This plant most notably contains flavinoids / antioxidents / anti-inflammatories, vitamin C, iron, fiber, and the omega fatty acids. Antioxident levels are particularly high in the seeds.
Purple Dead Nettle Traditional Medicinal Uses & Qualities:
The aerial portions of the Purple Dead Nettle plant have been traditionally used by herbalists and apothecaries as an astringent (contracts tissues), diuretic (stimulates urine production), styptic (stops bleeding), diaphoretic (induces perspiration), and for its purgative (laxative) effects at higher doses. Thus, herbalists have historically used a decoction of the plant to stop bleeding and internal hemorrhaging, as a cleansing tonic, and to promote sweating and kidney activation in cases of chills. A poultice of crushed or bruised leaves can be applied topically to staunch bleeding and promote healing.
The volatile essential oil of the plant (germacrene D) contains a potent antimicrobial that combats bacteria, fungi, and some viruses, giving it an additional benefit for keeping wounds or cuts clean. The flavinoids and phenylethanoids of the plant give it neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-oxident, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer/mutagenic properties. A diet rich in greens supports a preventative approach to health and disease, as many plants contain such chemicals which help to combat inflammation and damage from free-radicals. It's worth noting that inflammation plays a major role in a majority of diseases and chronic pain conditions. A number of other chemical constituents in the plant have been suggested by research to have pain relieving and swelling-reducing properties too, which gives credence to Purple Dead Nettle's topical use for joint pain, arthritis, and gout. I recently heard about people infusing Purple Dead Nettle into raw apple cider vinegar in a jar for 6 weeks, then taking a spoon full of it daily and using it as a salad dressing to combat muscle pain and stiffness, as well. Those folks swear by it and it's something i'd like to to put to the test, too. At the very least, it would enhance the mineral and nutrient content of my homemade salad dressings. =)
The aerial portions of the Purple Dead Nettle plant have been traditionally used by herbalists and apothecaries as an astringent (contracts tissues), diuretic (stimulates urine production), styptic (stops bleeding), diaphoretic (induces perspiration), and for its purgative (laxative) effects at higher doses. Thus, herbalists have historically used a decoction of the plant to stop bleeding and internal hemorrhaging, as a cleansing tonic, and to promote sweating and kidney activation in cases of chills. A poultice of crushed or bruised leaves can be applied topically to staunch bleeding and promote healing.
The volatile essential oil of the plant (germacrene D) contains a potent antimicrobial that combats bacteria, fungi, and some viruses, giving it an additional benefit for keeping wounds or cuts clean. The flavinoids and phenylethanoids of the plant give it neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-oxident, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer/mutagenic properties. A diet rich in greens supports a preventative approach to health and disease, as many plants contain such chemicals which help to combat inflammation and damage from free-radicals. It's worth noting that inflammation plays a major role in a majority of diseases and chronic pain conditions. A number of other chemical constituents in the plant have been suggested by research to have pain relieving and swelling-reducing properties too, which gives credence to Purple Dead Nettle's topical use for joint pain, arthritis, and gout. I recently heard about people infusing Purple Dead Nettle into raw apple cider vinegar in a jar for 6 weeks, then taking a spoon full of it daily and using it as a salad dressing to combat muscle pain and stiffness, as well. Those folks swear by it and it's something i'd like to to put to the test, too. At the very least, it would enhance the mineral and nutrient content of my homemade salad dressings. =)
Isn't it such a pretty little plant? While some may see this herb as a weed or a nuisance, it's clear that there's more than meets the eye going on with these guys, what with all their potential environmental, medicinal, and nutritional benefits. Instead of looking over lawns and natural spaces and seeing just a bunch of indiscriminate "green stuff", I invite you to join me, going forward, in learning more about the unique plant allies that surround us and of their remarkable qualities.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more plant talks, videos, and recipes!
Happy Earth Day everyone!
- Leah
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more plant talks, videos, and recipes!
Happy Earth Day everyone!
- Leah
*The name Archangel comes from the time of year Purple Dead Nettle tends to bloom in Great Britain, which historically was near a day dedicated to Michael the Archangel in late April.
Additional Reading and Resources:
http://www.genome.jp/db/pcidb/kna_species/8173 (Lamium purpureum L. Bioinformatics )
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/nettle03.html#pur ( "A Modern Herbal" 1931)
https://books.google.com/books?id=uSRzCwAAQBAJ&dq=The_Western_Herbal_Tradition ("The Western Herbal Tradition: 2000 Years of Medicinal Plant Knowledge" 2016)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18486371 (In vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive actions of some Lamium species - 2008)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814604004467 (Composition of the essential oils and in vivo emission of volatiles of four Lamium species from Italy: L. purpureum, L. hybridum, L. bifidum and L. amplexicaule - 2004)
https://ayurvedicoils.com/tag/general-uses-of-germacrene-d (General uses of Germacrene-D - 2016)
https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/25/2/141/366314/The-Plant-Sesquiterpene-Germacrene-D-Specifically (The Plant Sesquiterpene Germacrene D Specifically Activates a Major Type of Antennal Receptor Neuron..)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18855681 (Naturally occurring phenylethanoid glycosides: potential leads for new therapeutics. - 2008)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27483229 (Phenylethanoid Glycosides: Research Advances in Their Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activity and Pharmacokinetics. - 2016)
http://www.communitas-bg.org/downloads/58/PHARMACOLOGICAL%20EFFECTS%20OF%20PHENYLETHANOID%20GLYCOSIDES.pdf (Direct download PDF link - Pharmacological Effects of Phenylethanoid Glycosides)
Additional Reading and Resources:
http://www.genome.jp/db/pcidb/kna_species/8173 (Lamium purpureum L. Bioinformatics )
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/n/nettle03.html#pur ( "A Modern Herbal" 1931)
https://books.google.com/books?id=uSRzCwAAQBAJ&dq=The_Western_Herbal_Tradition ("The Western Herbal Tradition: 2000 Years of Medicinal Plant Knowledge" 2016)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18486371 (In vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive actions of some Lamium species - 2008)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814604004467 (Composition of the essential oils and in vivo emission of volatiles of four Lamium species from Italy: L. purpureum, L. hybridum, L. bifidum and L. amplexicaule - 2004)
https://ayurvedicoils.com/tag/general-uses-of-germacrene-d (General uses of Germacrene-D - 2016)
https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/25/2/141/366314/The-Plant-Sesquiterpene-Germacrene-D-Specifically (The Plant Sesquiterpene Germacrene D Specifically Activates a Major Type of Antennal Receptor Neuron..)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18855681 (Naturally occurring phenylethanoid glycosides: potential leads for new therapeutics. - 2008)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27483229 (Phenylethanoid Glycosides: Research Advances in Their Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activity and Pharmacokinetics. - 2016)
http://www.communitas-bg.org/downloads/58/PHARMACOLOGICAL%20EFFECTS%20OF%20PHENYLETHANOID%20GLYCOSIDES.pdf (Direct download PDF link - Pharmacological Effects of Phenylethanoid Glycosides)