Purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum, Sp. Pl.: 579 (1753))

Family: Lamiaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 579 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Lamium

Vegetable: False

Observations: Macaronesia, Medit., Europe to W. Siberia

Description

Purple dead-nettle, scientifically known as Lamium purpureum, is a remarkable and widespread herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. First documented in Carl Linnaeus’ seminal work “Species Plantarum” in 1753, this plant has intrigued botanists and herbalists for centuries.

This resilient species thrives in a variety of climates, found across Macaronesia, the Mediterranean region, and stretching from Europe to Western Siberia. Its adaptability has allowed it to colonize diverse environments, from moist woodland edges to roadside verges and garden beds.

The purple dead-nettle possesses distinctive characteristics that make it easily identifiable. It typically grows to a height of 10 to 30 centimeters and sports elegant, heart-shaped leaves that are soft and hairy. These leaves exhibit a delightful gradient, starting with a deep purple at the top and transitioning to a lush green further down the stem. Its flowers are small yet striking, arranged in whorls around the stem, and bloom in shades of pink to purple.

Despite its name, the purple dead-nettle is not related to the stinging nettle and does not sting. The term “dead-nettle” refers to its superficial resemblance to true nettles but without the painful sting, making it a harmless and often welcomed wildflower in many habitats.

This plant also holds a modest yet valuable place in traditional herbal medicine. It has been used historically to address a variety of ailments, thanks to its mild anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. While not widely studied in modern medicine, it remains a subject of interest for those exploring natural and homeopathic remedies.

In addition to its medicinal uses, purple dead-nettle is recognized for its ecological benefits. It serves as an early source of nectar for bees and other pollinators during the spring, providing sustenance when other flowers are yet to bloom. This makes it an important component of the ecosystem, supporting the health and survival of essential pollinator populations.

Overall, Lamium purpureum is a hardy and fascinating species, admired both for its aesthetic appeal and its ecological significance. Its presence across a broad geographical range underscores its adaptability and enduring charm in the plant world.

Common Names

Eng: purple dead-nettle, purple deadnettle, red archangel, red dead-nettle, red deadnettle, red henbit
Deu: purpurrote taubnessel, rote taubnessel
Dan: rød tvetand
Nor: dou næsle, doudaa, roudaa
Ces: hluchavka nachová
Fra: lamier pourpre, ortie rouge
Nld: paarse dovenetel
Swe: punapeippi, rödplister
Fin: punapeippi
Nno: raudtvitann
Nob: rødtvetann
Sme: ruksesčotteš
Cym: danadlen farw goch, danadlen goch, danhadlen farw goch, dryned marw coch, dynad, dynad coch, dynad cwsg, dynaid cochion, dynal coch, dyned, dynent, marddanadl cyffredin, marddanhadlen, marddanhadlen goch
En: Purple dead-nettle, Red archangel, Red dead-nettle, Purple deadnettle, Hybrid deadnettle, Purple archangel, Velikdenche, Red deadnettle, Red henbit
Ar: لاميون أرجواني
Be: Яснотка пурпуровая
Bg: Червена мъртва коприва
Ca: Lami purpuri, Ortiga morta roja
Kw: Koog linasen rudh
Cs: Hluchavka nachová
Da: Rød Tvetand, Rød Tvetkand
Nl: Paarse dovenetel, Purper Netel
Eo: Purpura lamio
Et: Verev iminõges
Fi: Punapeippi
Fr: Lamier pourpre, Ortie rouge, Pain-de-poulet
De: Rote Taubnessel, Purpurrote Taubnessel, Eingeschnittene Taubnessel, Lamium purpureum var. incisum, Purpurnessel, Purpurote Taubnessel, Acker-Taubnessel, Roter Bienensaug, Totenessel
He: נזמית ארגמנית
Hu: Piros árvacsalán
Ga: Caochneantóg dhearg
It: Falsa ortica purpurea, Falsa ortica porporina, Làmio porporino, Falsa-ortica purpurea
Lt: Raudonžiedė notrelė
Ml: ലാമിയം പർപൂറിയം
Gv: Ard-firryn jiarg
Se: Ruksesčotteš
No: Dou næsle, Doudaa, Roudaa
Nb: Rødtvetann
Nn: Raudtvitann
Fa: گزنه‌سای قرمز
Pl: Jasnota purpurowa
Pt: Urtiga-púrpura, Lâmio-roxo
Pt-br: Urtiga-púrpura
Ro: Pizda țigăncii
Ru: Яснотка пурпурная
Gd: Caoch-dheanntag Dhearg
Sk: Hluchavka nachová, Hluchavka purpurová
Es: Hortiguilla muerta, Lamio púrpura, Ortiga muerta purpúrea, Ortiga muerta roja, Ortiga muerta, Ortiga roja, Škrlatnordeča mrtva kopriva
Sv: Rödplister, Punapeippi
Zh-tw: 圓齒野芝麻
Tr: Eflatun çiçekli ballıbaba, Firfiri ballıbaba, Kırmızı ballıbaba
Uk: Глуха кропива пурпурова
Cy: Marddanhadlen goch, Danadlen Farw Goch, Danadlen Goch, Danhadlen Farw Goch, Dryned Marw Coch, Dynad, Dynad Coch, Dynad Cwsg, Dynaid Cochion, Dynal Coch, Dyned, Dynent, Marddanadl Cyffredin, Marddanhadlen

Synonyms

• Lamium purpureum f. albiflora (Gérard)
• Lamiopsis purpurea ((L.) Opiz)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Azores (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Canary Is. (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Føroyar (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Saudi Arabia (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alaska (introduced)
• Antipodean Is. (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Greenland (introduced)
• Iceland (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Kermadec Is. (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Prince Edward I. (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Taiwan (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Habit

Taken Mar 15, 2022 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 8, 2022 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 19, 2018 by Lluís Palacín (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 14, 2022 by Chris (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 19, 2020 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Mar 1, 2022 by Em Duck (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 24, 2021 by Daniel SOTTY (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 7, 2018 by Vera Mon (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 14, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 14, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Mar 20, 2018 by César Gonzalez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 2, 2019 by Jackie Sherwood (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 20, 2018 by César Gonzalez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 8, 2018 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 22, 2017 by roni (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Apr 14, 2022 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 27, 2022 by Giovanni Vannacci (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 14, 2021 by fabienne HUET (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 15, 2022 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 24, 2021 by Daniel SOTTY (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Apr 16, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 29, 2021 by Mar Llopis (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 22, 2017 by Jean-René Girardeau (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 10, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 10, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Apr 19, 2019 by Celina Schönrock (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 11, 2021 by Uros Stanojevic (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 11, 2017 by Jose Luis Romero (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 18, 2019 by Hans Jakob (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 15, 2022 by Day Hoyt (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2926682)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:448939-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Lamium purpureum L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Bloom months: [‘mar’, ‘apr’, ‘may’, ‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’]

Soil nutriments: 8