Purple Deadnettle

About

Purple deadnettle is a cool-season mint relative with purple-tinged top leaves that blooms in lawns and beds in early spring. Despite the name it doesn't sting, and it dies out by late spring after seeding.

Also called red deadnettle, purple dead-nettle, purple archangel, dead nettle

How to identify it

Look for

Stems are square. Leaves come in pairs, are triangular to heart-shaped with toothed edges and hairy, and they crowd toward the top of the stem, where they are often purple or reddish. All the leaves have stalks, and small pinkish-purple two-lipped flowers peek out from the top leaves.

Look-alikes

Henbit's upper leaves have no stalks and wrap around the stem, and they are green rather than purple-tinged.

Where it grows

Thin lawns (especially mowed too short), gardens, fallow fields, ditches and moist ground.

When

Seeds sprout in fall or early spring; it blooms in early spring, seeds, and dies out by late spring.

How it spreads

By seed; it can form dense colonies from reseeding.

Most common in

What to do, gentlest first

Start at the top. Weed killers are a last step; always read and follow the label.

1. Mow higher and keep turf dense Prevent

   Short mowing lets it in; keep grass thick through fall, when seeds sprout.

2. Pull before seed By hand

   Pull or hoe young plants in late winter and early spring, before they seed.

3. Mulch beds Barrier

   Keep 2 to 3 inches of mulch on beds going into fall.

4. Vinegar on young plants Organic spray

   Horticultural vinegar works on small plants with only a few leaves.

   Strong vinegar (over about 11% acetic acid) can burn skin and eyes, so wear gloves and eye protection. It browns any leaves it touches, grass included.

5. Pre-emergent or spot spray Conventional spray

   A pre-emergent in early fall blocks seedlings. For plants already up, spot-treat with a lawn product containing 2,4-D, MCPP (mecoprop), dicamba or triclopyr.

   Read and follow the label. Many lawn weed killers also harm vegetables, flowers and shrubs, so don't let spray drift into beds, and keep dicamba products off the root zones of trees and shrubs.

Uses, wildlife and pets

Edible?

NC State notes the young tops and leaves are eaten in salads or stir-fries. Harvest only from unsprayed ground and be sure of the ID.

Not 100% sure? Don't eat it. Never pick from ground that may have been sprayed, or along roads and railways.

For wildlife

Bees visit its long-lasting flowers, which offer nectar very early in the year.

Pets

Not listed by the ASPCA.