Dead Nettle Days

Getting to know Purple Dead Nettle

Dead Nettle in my yard

Today was one of those beautiful spring days when the sun finally came out after a week of steady rain. Everything outside felt a little more awake. I spotted new buds on the trees and bushes and couldn’t help but pause to take it all in. I really love this part of spring, when everything starts to stir back to life.

As I wandered into my yard, I noticed the purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) had absolutely taken over, like a purple blanket on the ground. Woohoo! I’ve been meaning to work with dead nettle but hadn’t done so yet. Today was the day!

At the start of spring, this plant is wildly abundant where I live. But all I know about it at the moment is that it's not actually related to nettle, though it has many of the same medicinal properties. I believe it's known to help with spring allergies and it's highly nutritive.

So today, I’m not just harvesting, I’m learning. And you’re invited to explore this plant alongside me.

First Impressions

Purple dead nettle is part of the mint family, which you can tell by its square stems and opposite leaves. However, it does not have the same menthol flavor you'll find in peppermint or spearmint. I don't think I'll be making this into a tea. The upper leaves have a purplish hue and tiny pink flowers. It smells... musty, but not unpleasant. Maybe just earthy. Even though this plant has "nettle" in it's name it does not have the stinging quality, so you can touch it all you want.

A Note on Taste & Energetics

As I munch on a few leaves, I’m trying to get a sense of its energetics. The leaves are a little hairy, not a great mouth-feel as a raw food. So far, the taste is earthy, a little grassy, and slightly bitter. Nothing overwhelming. I’m not clearly feeling whether it’s cooling or warming, but if I had to guess, I’d say it leans a bit more cooling. It does feel a little drying, slightly astringent. That said, I’ll need to spend more time with it to be sure. If you’ve worked with it before, I’d love to hear how you describe its energetics.

Since this is a nutritive plant, I’m planning to harvest some for dinner. I’ll sauté a bit and also make an herbal-infused vinegar that will be ready in a few weeks. That way, I can draw out some of the nutritious minerals tucked inside its leaves.

Purple Dead Nettle Monograph

Here's more about Purple Dead Nettle that I have gathered from my herbal resources. I couldn't find anything from my herbal books, but found some info from Maud Grieve's A Modern Herbal and a couple foraging sites, here, here, and here.

Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum)

Botanical Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Common Names: Purple dead nettle, red dead nettle

Parts Used: Aerial parts (leaf, flower, stem)

Energetics: Cooling, slightly drying -- This matches what I thought, too!

Taste: Mild, earthy, slightly bitter

Actions: Anti-inflammatory, alterative, diaphoretic, diuretic

Uses: Styptic, Nutritive

Harvest Tips: Gather in early spring before the plant becomes too fibrous. Choose vibrant, healthy tops.

Preparations: Infusion (tea), decoction, tincture, vinegar, salve (infused oil), food

Contraindications: Nothing found (does not mean there aren't any)

First off, I'm surprised to read that this herb is a styptic, which means it can stop bleeding. I always think of yarrow as the go-to plant for this action and now I have another to try!

I couldn't find much about this being used for allergies. Though it was confirmed as being a nutritive, which could be part of what offers support for someone who is having histamine reaction. I did find a reference to a book that I think I need to add to my repertoire which may have more extensive info about this plant: Weeds of the West by Tom Whitson and Larry Burrill.

Recipe time!!

Purple Dead Nettle Vinegar

A simple herbal vinegar is one of my favorite ways to preserve and draw out the minerals from nutrient-rich spring herbs. Purple dead nettle seems like a perfect fit.

You’ll need:

• Fresh purple dead nettle (enough to loosely fill a jar)

• Raw apple cider vinegar

• A clean glass jar with a plastic lid (or use parchment between a metal lid and the jar)

Instructions:

1. Let your dead nettle wilt for a few hours to a day to reduce excess moisture.

2. Loosely pack the jar with plant material.

3. Cover completely with vinegar, leaving about a half inch at the top.

4. Seal, label, and let it infuse in a cool, dark place for 2 to 4 weeks.

5. Strain and store in a clean jar.

You can use this vinegar in salad dressings, splashed into soups or broths, or diluted in water as a mineral tonic.

I'll see how mine turns out in a few weeks.

Sautéed Dead Nettle (like spinach!)

Prep the Purple Dead Nettle

1. Harvest the flowering tops: Avoid plants that are past their prime. Gather plants that are flowering or in the pre-flower stage, as those will be the most tender.

2. Clean gently: Swish in cool water to remove dirt or bugs. Let it dry or pat dry with a towel.

3. Destem: The lower stems can be fibrous, so pinch off just the top few inches unless the stem is still very soft.

Basic Sauté Method

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh purple dead nettle tops

• 2 tsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 cloves garlic, minced or garlic powder

• Pinch of salt

• Squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.

2. Add fresh garlic, if using, and sauté just until fragrant. (if using garlic powder, add after nettle heads are in the pan)

3. Add dead nettle and stir gently. Add garlic powder, if using.

4. Cook 2–3 minutes until just wilted—don't overcook

5. Finish with salt and a brightening splash of acid, if desired.

My reaction: I found these to be quite pleasant. It was a similar experience to other leafy greens, they got a lot smaller as they wilted in the pan. The hairy leaves softened and became unnoticeable - a much better experience than when I was tasting it raw. I could see how others might prefer these as part of a medley of leafy green as opposed to being the main green.

I can definitely see these being a recurring spring time food for me.

Are you ready to try Purple Dead Nettle?