Foraging & Uses for Purple Dead Nettle (2024)

FAQs

Foraging & Uses for Purple Dead Nettle? ›

Medicinal Uses

As a medicinal herb, purple dead nettle has astringent, purgative, diuretic, and diaphoretic properties. It's also anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Fresh leaves can be applied to wounds as a poultice. You can also enjoy fresh or dry leaves as a tea.

Medicinal Uses

As a medicinal herb, purple dead nettle has astringent, purgative, diuretic, and diaphoretic properties. It's also anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Fresh leaves can be applied to wounds as a poultice. You can also enjoy fresh or dry leaves as a tea.

The leaves and flowers can be eaten sparingly in salads or as a garnish, or cooked in soups, stir-fries etc. It's quite pubescent (obtusely worded for hairy) so I like to mix it with other greens or cook it to mask its texture. Plants make hairs for many reasons, one of the primary ones being to deter herbivory.

Most plants are not readily available during all seasons so one way we can utilize purple dead nettle all year is by dehydrating its leaves and flowers . First remove the stems and then dehydrate the leaves and flowers at 115 degrees for roughly 11 hrs or until completely dry.

Dead nettle can be made as a tea for a detox or cleanse since it's a diaphoretic, diuretic, and laxative.

Purple dead nettle tincture is known for helping with seasonal allergies. It is an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory and helps reduce swelling in lungs. A typical dosage of purple dead nettle to help treat seasonal allergies is 1-2 ml three times a day.

Purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) might seem a benign wildflower, but for some, it's a trigger for allergic reactions. Individuals with a sensitivity to plant pollen are particularly at risk when this invasive weed pollinates in spring. Symptoms like itchy eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose can be troublesome.

here's a easy peasy tincture . you're just gonna fill your jar halfway full of your dried nettle. and cover it with at least 80 proof liquor. let it sit for six weeks.

While often mistaken for stinging nettle, purple dead nettle lacks the stinging hairs associated with its counterpart. This flowering plant thrives in cool, damp environments, and its vibrant purple flowers make it visually striking.

Consider substituting plain oil with Purple Dead Nettle-infused oil in any lotion or cream recipe. This addition not only moisturizes and harmonizes various skin types but may also provide relief for conditions like eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, or damaged skin.

What are the medicinal uses of deadnettle? ›

People use white dead nettle flower for conditions such as eczema, sore throat (pharyngitis), abnormally heavy bleeding during menstrual periods (menorrhagia), and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Don't confuse white dead nettle flower with stinging nettle.

🐶 Purple Deadnettle is non-toxic to dogs, posing no serious health threat. Mild GI upset possible with large quantities; monitor for vomiting or diarrhea. Prevent ingestion with training and dog-proofing your garden.

Purple dead nettle is anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial. It can be used on cuts and wounds to help stop the bleeding. Historically, it was used to alleviate joint pain. The first step in making a salve is to allow the plants to dry out.

Purple Dead-nettle may be confused easily with Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), another weedy member of the Mint family. Perhaps the most observable characteristics that differentiate these look-alike plants are the leaves and the position of the flowers.

Taking a saucepan fill half way up with water, and set mason jar of oil and nettles into the center of pan, creating a double boiler. Simmer on medium low for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Remove from stove, let cool, place lid on and store in cool dry place.

Purple Deadnettle Control for the Lawn

In lawns, the purple deadnettle and henbit can compete for space with desired grass species. Bare spots left behind may allow summer annuals, such as crabgrass, to take over. The options include hand-weeding or mowing small areas and chemical treatment for larger areas.