table of contents
- Appearance
- Heyday
- height
- Location
- Substrate
- Propagation & Spread
- Annual
- frequently asked Questions
The purple dead nettle is called Lamium purpureum in botanical terms and is an interesting, fast-growing plant. The following profile shows what it is and how it can be used.
In a nutshell
- up to four generations per year possible
- serves as food for bees
- annual
- edible
- early flowering period
Appearance
The purple dead nettle is visually reminiscent of Nettles. However, the leaves are not covered with stinging hairs, so they can be touched without any problems and without risk. The leaf color varies between a rich green and a dark purple. The purple leaves are found mainly on the tips of the shoots. Therefore, at first glance, they are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the similarly colored flowers.
Heyday
The flowering shows a peculiarity, because it occurs between March and October and can occur up to four times a year. As a result, they serve as food for bees, bumblebees and other useful insects very early in the year. Although the dead nettle is often viewed as a weed, its flowers make it both decorative and a useful addition to the garden.
Note: Flowering is possible even in winter. This is especially true for warm regions and mild climates.
height
Here the purple dead nettle shows itself to be very variable. The height ranges from five to 40 centimeters. With regard to growth, the following points also apply:
- narrow
- fast growing
- often occurs in groups
Location
Dead nettles are so-called pointer plants. If they spread, this indicates various criteria. This includes:
- fresh substrate
- Half light
- moderate warmth
- nitrogen-rich locations
Tip: Since the nettle has similar requirements, both plants can occur in the same location. The distinction is possible, however.
Substrate
The purple deadnettle prefers soil that fulfills the following points:
- permeable
- slightly damp
- nutritious
They are therefore mainly found in large numbers near compost heaps, in fertilized areas and around bodies of water. Gardens, parks and forest edges can also be used.
Propagation & Spread
With up to four flowering times a year and a comparatively long flowering time, plenty of seeds are formed. In addition, the purple dead nettle is designed so that cross-pollination is very easy.
After the seed bodies are formed, when they open they will self-seed. If you want to prevent or at least limit this, you can cut off dried flowers.
Annual
The purple dead nettle is a plant that grows as an annual. This means that the adult plants die in autumn or, at the latest, in winter. The seeds are hardy, however, so that new shoots appear as early as February or March. Due to the rapid germination and rapid growth, flowering also begins very early.
As a result, the dead nettle is also wonderfully suitable for culture in the bucket. Because wintering is not necessary and the balcony or terrace can be greened very early in the year.
frequently asked Questions
The plants are edible for both humans and animals and are completely harmless. So even in gardens where children and pets play, they pose no danger. In fact, they are also used in naturopathy. So the supposed weed has more than one use.
Remove the plants before they can sow. Keep in mind, however, that the flowers are a valuable source of food for many animals. As long as the plants do not interfere, they can remain standing without hesitation.
Purple dead nettles are comparatively easy to distinguish from one another, especially during the flowering period. Because the flowers of the dead nettle are significantly larger and clearly stand out from the leaves in terms of color. This is not the case with nettles. In addition, nettles tend to grow taller and are consistently green.