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Lamium purpureum
Purple Dead Nettle is a member of the mint family it has a square stem, no basal leaves and the lower leaves are dark green and have short petioles, all leaves are hairy, and are circular in outline with 'scalloped' margins, becoming more purple-red and smaller in the upper leaves. The flowers grow in whorls of 3-6 in the upper leaves. Purple-red in color the flowers are tubular blooming year round. Purple Dead Nettle is a favorite for bees and butterflies, who find abundance of honey in its blossoms.
An annual herb believed to be a native of Europe, now found world-wide and growing in most any situation or soil, mainly in the temperate regions.
Considered a weed to be disposed of by some and the edible food plant of the future by others. Edible and medicinal, the leaves and upper plants are cooked as pot herbs or added to salads. The plant is very nutritious, high in iron, vitamins and fiber. The whole plant is medicinal, used as an astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, purgative, styptic and tonic. Lab tests show that Lamium purpureum seed oil possess high antioxidant activities, and might be used as a future food-additive.
3 Comments
I am trying to hybridize this was its white flowered cousin with variegated leaves
It took me years to figure it out too, yet it is so common. Glad I could help!
You've solved a great mystery for me by identifying this. I see this around all the time, but had no idea where to start trying to figure out what it is!