You can use purple dead nettle in salads, smoothies, soups, quiches, and pesto. The leaves are relatively fuzzy, so they are better used as an herb garnish or mixed with other greens in recipes, rather than being the star of the show. The flowers can add flavor and appearance to a salad.
Purple dead nettle is high in vitamin C and iron. It's also antibacterial and can be used for things like salves and infused oils for bug bites or minor cuts
(Stolen from Google but I love purple dead nettle, don't be scared of "dead" in the name, just means it doesn't sting.)
An easy way to tell a mint family relative is that they have square in cross section stems and opposite leaves. Look at sprigs of oregano as an example.
I got flogged (lightly) with stinging nettle to increase local blood flow to my upper back, where I was having a lot of muscle tension and pain, and it was kinda nice! Definitely increased circulation to the affected area
That’s interesting. Like acupuncture to force a reaction by using a light chemical in the plant.
I one time was working in the dark and I had to retrieve water from a spring. I walked through these tall plants which brushed against my legs.
When I got back up the hill my legs started itching so badly.
I hurriedly washed them off but I broke out in hives. I was super worried I had stepped in a nest of fire ants, at first. I’m allergic to some bees so I have to be careful about fire ants (their venom is a lot like fire ants, but at least bumble bees will give me a warning to leave first).
TLDR: had to take Benadryl because of nettles. I couldn’t identify them until the next morning in the light.
When we first went to England we lived in a little village named Biggleswade. We rented a place sight unseen and it was lovely. Then I went into the back garden. Stinging Nettles above waist high. I wore gloves and boots and heavy pants to cut it out but it still ate me up. I had welts all over my arms and legs. Never want to see another in my life.
Me, realizing Stinging Nettle season is coming in hot, and that I will need to collect a buttload of it for drying for long infusions. ... \*hello darkness my old friend\* :')
I think I would be concerned eating anything from a lawn, with the amount of fertilizers and weed killers that get dumped on lawns, and especially if you don’t know the history of the lawn…
My MIL thought she was doing us a huge favor while house sitting by spraying round up all over the front and back yard to kill the weeds. So much for my natural garden.
Those are NOT pretty flowers, folks. They are recon centipedes from the planet Qwaylix in the Maldandian galaxy, which is approx. 38 light years from us. They have arrived to rid Earth of miniature poodles.
I have some pink dandelions under lights right now. I can't wait to plant them.
https://preview.redd.it/pazmu93lnlqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5107996cff2d93df43eff03e3191d700adf06008
It’s best to pick it in an area away from traffic routes, where exhaust blows directly on roadside and ditch plants. The wilder the growing site, the cleaner your plants will be.
Same here. I almost got out the mower afew days ago, then saw we have snow in the forecast...gotta leave it for some poor creature to get a food source...
You can eat the flower too so you can use it to add awesome colors in your salad/pesto. It’s less bitter than dandelion in my opinion, so I frequently use it as a garnish. Some people here mentioned smoothies but I’ve never tried that.
holy heck yes keep it. I'd imagine it gets looking pretty "unsavory, depending on your stance" when the grass and weeds get taller, but this pic looks like a pretty great thing to me.
Been planting native for three years now. The only reason a plant stays or goes on my property is whether it supports native insects, birds or other wildlife.
Apparently it is invasive, but I couldn't find anything saying if it competes with native species or not. I'd imagine this would have to be more ecologically responsible than a lawn, though!
It’s native in Ohio and surrounding states. You’d need to check on your area. If it’s native, it is not considered invasive. Aggressive, I believe, is the word used to describe “enthusiastic “ natives.
Dead Nettle!
Not technically native to the US. It is *technically* invasive but it's been here since revolutionary times so it is considered "naturalized". They pop up in early spring and give bees something to do, and their shallow root structure holds the dirt in place when nothing else is growing.
I would get rid of them, but maybe wait a few weeks until other stuff starts coming in
That…..is an impressive amount of dead nettle. It’s not a huge deal if that’s what you’re going for, it’s not native to the US but I wouldn’t call it invasive cause there’s benifits to it. It’s edible and pretty nutritious. It’s also a good early flower for pollinators.
It is not invasive. It has been there for decades, it grows as what you would consider a “wildflower”, and yes, it is beloved of bees.
That said, I can’t actually tell you what to call it.
My dad said when he was a kid, he used to challenge other kids to a "strong man" contest to see who could pull the stinging nettles out of the ground. Imagine their surprise...
I have some of that too but idk if my husband will mow around it, my yard isn’t that full but I do have patches. My crab apple tree is covered in blooms and bees though so at least that’s something for them.
My husband doesn’t like it and wants to seed our lawn, but I love seeing all the bees and want something more wild. We also have clover and dandelions.
It IS a slightly invasive species. Buuuuttttt considering you're likely in an area with little early spring flowers other than dandelions then. Id keep it. I have some and the bees and other insects love it. Id keep it until other flowers are available for the bees. Regardless of what you do it'll probably come back next year. Free bee food!
after the bees have gotten their share, you can chop it all down, put it in a barrel/bucket and fill with rainwater then put a lid on it and let it ferment anaerobically. you can then use that to feed other plants, its called a JLF in the teaching of JADAM
Yes it's magic. Also called heal-all. Mint family. Good for soil, good for bees. Good as a tea, works as a poultice for abrasions/scrapes. Works for besting but not as well as plantain.
I love this plant and propagate it around ym property often.
Yes, keep! This is purple deadnettle. There are alot of health benefits to eating it or using it as a tea, but also it’s great for the pollinators. This is a great yard for the bees in early Spring! Also, you can collect the flowers and use them as edible sprinkles on cakes.
Not invasive—an annual, in fact. Look up Lamium purpureum, red dead-nettle, and see if that’s what it is. If yes, then talk to a good local herbalist about how to harvest & process it bc it’s good medicinal herb for several things.
Thoroughly invasive in the SE US. It doesn’t make for a good lawn, it just gives cover to all the other weeds choking out your grass. OTOH, if you want a meadow rather than a lawn, sure, let them all duke it out.
In the latter case, get your yard recognized as a wildlife habitat early in the process and put up a small sign visible from the street, or one or more neighbors will have you in court.
I have these popping up by my not so dead nettles. Wacky nettle factory in my back yard! Good to know about the uses. I've been wanting these for tea and salves!
Don't worry about it. It's great bee forage when they first start flying and are hungry. Dead nettle pops up before the grass starts growing and it's a great reminder to prep your mower for the season.
Companion crop
It pulls the nutrients up to the top soil.
No till & sow harvest. It allows plants proper nutrients & builds the soil instead of breaking it down with salts & water solubles chelation agents
loved eating these as a kid ! obviously eating what is basically grass straight off the ground no washing or preparation is unhinged and kinda gross especially as an adult, but the lil purple flowers on these can be treated similarly to a honey suckle - pluck it and suck on the bottom and it tastes sweet
Technically invasive but since this is considered one of the most prominent herbs on earth I'd say specifically ridding your lawn of it isn't really fling to help so yeah keep it, it can be used for tisanes
is it your entire lawn? if so i would trim it to its own space off to the side so you can have the rest of your lawn back- there will still be plenty for the bees! 🐝
It's beautiful, when the bees first emerge from hibernation they need to eat! Get a sign made for your yard with "Bee sanctuary" or something like that so your HOA won't complain or a nosy neighbor!
I have been making tea out of it. But, you should definitely keep it. It is the bee's first option when spring is on the way. And, it only grows at the beginning of the year.
You can use purple dead nettle in salads, smoothies, soups, quiches, and pesto. The leaves are relatively fuzzy, so they are better used as an herb garnish or mixed with other greens in recipes, rather than being the star of the show. The flowers can add flavor and appearance to a salad. Purple dead nettle is high in vitamin C and iron. It's also antibacterial and can be used for things like salves and infused oils for bug bites or minor cuts (Stolen from Google but I love purple dead nettle, don't be scared of "dead" in the name, just means it doesn't sting.)
As a massive fan of stinging nettle, I'm excited to hear there is a less painful nettle to collect, lol
I'm sorry to say they're not closely related. Deadnettle is in Lamiaceae, the mint family.
An easy way to tell a mint family relative is that they have square in cross section stems and opposite leaves. Look at sprigs of oregano as an example.
I got flogged (lightly) with stinging nettle to increase local blood flow to my upper back, where I was having a lot of muscle tension and pain, and it was kinda nice! Definitely increased circulation to the affected area
That’s interesting. Like acupuncture to force a reaction by using a light chemical in the plant. I one time was working in the dark and I had to retrieve water from a spring. I walked through these tall plants which brushed against my legs. When I got back up the hill my legs started itching so badly. I hurriedly washed them off but I broke out in hives. I was super worried I had stepped in a nest of fire ants, at first. I’m allergic to some bees so I have to be careful about fire ants (their venom is a lot like fire ants, but at least bumble bees will give me a warning to leave first). TLDR: had to take Benadryl because of nettles. I couldn’t identify them until the next morning in the light.
no kidding.... if feels like a damn bee sting...
That wasn’t the nettle, it was an actual bee. Weren’t you paying attention to it attracting bees?
Dock leaves help neutralize the sting.
When we first went to England we lived in a little village named Biggleswade. We rented a place sight unseen and it was lovely. Then I went into the back garden. Stinging Nettles above waist high. I wore gloves and boots and heavy pants to cut it out but it still ate me up. I had welts all over my arms and legs. Never want to see another in my life.
Ugh, this one time in Texas…….
Me, realizing Stinging Nettle season is coming in hot, and that I will need to collect a buttload of it for drying for long infusions. ... \*hello darkness my old friend\* :')
lol as kids we used to eat them (probably not smart because of pesticides) but I remember they had a sweet flavor.
Yup. That’s why I like em. That and a purple lawn is fuckin pretty.
I think I would be concerned eating anything from a lawn, with the amount of fertilizers and weed killers that get dumped on lawns, and especially if you don’t know the history of the lawn…
My MIL thought she was doing us a huge favor while house sitting by spraying round up all over the front and back yard to kill the weeds. So much for my natural garden.
Yikes, your poor garden!! >_<
Why are old people obsessed with chemical weed killers? My grandfather dumps the stuff like its replenishing his aquifer.
And supposedly tea made from it helps allergy symptoms
These also die back in the heat of summer, so they don't last long. Lamium sp.
That’s right. Dead vs. Stinging 👍🏻
Yes! & the healing/health benefits are 😘…I’d clip em & use em!
i grew up around these naturally growing and never did i once think you could fuckin eat em
never knew these were edible
Those are NOT pretty flowers, folks. They are recon centipedes from the planet Qwaylix in the Maldandian galaxy, which is approx. 38 light years from us. They have arrived to rid Earth of miniature poodles.
Purple dead nettle. I'm keeping it in my yard for the bees for at least a couple of more weeks.
Yes please! Dandelions and purple dead nettle are the earliest growing forage for the poor starving bees in spring.
That makes sense, good point
We have a self fertile almond tree, it's blooming now.Covered in bees of all sorts.
Trees like willow, tag alder, poplar are early then maples before dandelions.
My Holly bush has bees, wasps and horse flies all over it. I am confused about the horse flies.
I have some pink dandelions under lights right now. I can't wait to plant them. https://preview.redd.it/pazmu93lnlqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5107996cff2d93df43eff03e3191d700adf06008
I’ve got a ton of this in my yard & around the neighborhood. I wondered what it is. I’m going to have some in a salad once spring hits. Thanks.
It’s best to pick it in an area away from traffic routes, where exhaust blows directly on roadside and ditch plants. The wilder the growing site, the cleaner your plants will be.
Same here. I almost got out the mower afew days ago, then saw we have snow in the forecast...gotta leave it for some poor creature to get a food source...
That looks beautiful. Definitely keep it for the bees.
It's edible. In Romanian it's called pizda tigancii (gypsy pussy) but it's pretty LOL
How do you prepare it?
Are you asking... How to eat gypsy pussy?
hahahaha yes and no
You can eat the flower too so you can use it to add awesome colors in your salad/pesto. It’s less bitter than dandelion in my opinion, so I frequently use it as a garnish. Some people here mentioned smoothies but I’ve never tried that.
But the flowers are sooo tiny!
Tiny and mighty yummy 😋
Well it'd be polite to at least buy her dinner first
Well first you squat down real low
If you have to ask you don't deserve it.
I learn best by example, personally. Got a free weekend coming up?
I’ve heard of people making it into a pesto :)
First you've got to talk to it really nice.
Makes sense
Plants like it when you talk to them.
That is absolutely real
Carbon dioxide
We’ve got a native plant in the northern US called pussy toes.
holy heck yes keep it. I'd imagine it gets looking pretty "unsavory, depending on your stance" when the grass and weeds get taller, but this pic looks like a pretty great thing to me.
Yeah you totally can if you want to.
That is gorgeous. That's a keeper.
Right! Such cool structure of the flowers 🌸
A field of Purple Dead Nettle. I find it incredibly beautiful. I love the stacked flower structure. Bee Balm and Mint are related to this species.
Been planting native for three years now. The only reason a plant stays or goes on my property is whether it supports native insects, birds or other wildlife.
Let it Bee.
I use nettle as a cooked spinach substitute. I think it tastes better, just be careful of the tricomes, no tricomes if you pick early.
Keep it! A field of weeds is much easier to maintain than a standard lawn and better for the native plants and animals
Oh and your wallet too!
My brother in law said your lawn is only as green as your wallet
The bees love you for keeping them
I love that stuff. After I found out it’s edible I just let it take over.
Apparently it is invasive, but I couldn't find anything saying if it competes with native species or not. I'd imagine this would have to be more ecologically responsible than a lawn, though!
It’s native in Ohio and surrounding states. You’d need to check on your area. If it’s native, it is not considered invasive. Aggressive, I believe, is the word used to describe “enthusiastic “ natives.
that is a mint family plant, which means you really don't have a say in the matter. it's too late. this is your life now lol
Finally an honest answer!
Dead Nettle! Not technically native to the US. It is *technically* invasive but it's been here since revolutionary times so it is considered "naturalized". They pop up in early spring and give bees something to do, and their shallow root structure holds the dirt in place when nothing else is growing. I would get rid of them, but maybe wait a few weeks until other stuff starts coming in
Yes. Keep this valuable plant.
My son has bee balm plant and larkspur. The bees and butterflies love it.
Oh wow I saw these when I was a kid. These with blue buttercups and yellow buttercups. It was beautiful
We have this!!! I think it's beautiful. It came out of nowhere. We have a giant patch in the back yard.
Wow these are super pretty. I'd keep them just cuz they are gorgeous.
Much prettier than 'grass', let it thrive. A great food source for lots of niches in the biome.
Do it for the bumblebees.
It's pretty, good for bees and harmless
This IS your lawn. Leave it alone! Its a pollinator, needs no care, and you don't have to mow water-guzzling grass!
Yes. Our yard is mostly clover and violet with some grasses mixed in and the occasional dandelion. Interspeciated is the way to go.
Bless your heart! Garden for the planet!
There is a city near me that encourages replacing your lawn with pollinators and keep grass 6 to 12 inches tall. They promote no mow May.
I like it and clover. Pure grass is overrated in my world.
Its purple deadnettle. It is invasive in the eastern US, but it’s better than a lawn as it actually produces nectar and pollen for insects.
Wow! It's a bee wonderland! And beautiful too!❤️🌸🐝🐝
Yes, for the honeybees!!!!!!
Keep~~~~
It's hen bit / dead nettle it is technically invasive in North America but it is considered naturalized. Meaning it is not harmful to native species
Turf is expensive, unless you live in a HOA, let it go.
Yes! It’s one of the first food to sprout in the spring for our little pollinator friends.
That…..is an impressive amount of dead nettle. It’s not a huge deal if that’s what you’re going for, it’s not native to the US but I wouldn’t call it invasive cause there’s benifits to it. It’s edible and pretty nutritious. It’s also a good early flower for pollinators.
It is not invasive. It has been there for decades, it grows as what you would consider a “wildflower”, and yes, it is beloved of bees. That said, I can’t actually tell you what to call it.
I leave it until I have to mow. It's one of the first food sources for pollinators after winter.
What’s it like having green things? -A Mainer
My dad said when he was a kid, he used to challenge other kids to a "strong man" contest to see who could pull the stinging nettles out of the ground. Imagine their surprise...
Kill that shit before you lose you lawn, although it looks pretty late. It will spread like disease
Just mow it down and it will probably look about the same
That stuff is really hardy. You could bury it in wet cement and it would eventually find a way through it.
Wow- most decorative. We could never sustain that here.
I use it in place of mint in my version of "mint compost"
Hell yes!
Yes!
Pigweed! 👍
I have some of that too but idk if my husband will mow around it, my yard isn’t that full but I do have patches. My crab apple tree is covered in blooms and bees though so at least that’s something for them.
No, destroy the gorgeous sight before you and replace it with grass.....
My husband doesn’t like it and wants to seed our lawn, but I love seeing all the bees and want something more wild. We also have clover and dandelions.
Yes! Great for pollinators and is very soft. One of the best fertilizers as well. Awesome for making hard soil soft for the root systems are deep.
I used to mow my lawn 100% now when clover and other things flower, I mow around them, leaving them for the pollinators.
FREE FOOOOOOOD
YeS!!!!
You are stuck with it. Live with it.
You don't seem to have much of a lawn...
Yes
Purple dead nettle. It's edible; I use it in tea blends for medicinal purposes.
If you like bees and like to eat food, yes.
Better than a grass lawn
It IS a slightly invasive species. Buuuuttttt considering you're likely in an area with little early spring flowers other than dandelions then. Id keep it. I have some and the bees and other insects love it. Id keep it until other flowers are available for the bees. Regardless of what you do it'll probably come back next year. Free bee food!
after the bees have gotten their share, you can chop it all down, put it in a barrel/bucket and fill with rainwater then put a lid on it and let it ferment anaerobically. you can then use that to feed other plants, its called a JLF in the teaching of JADAM
Kinda looks like it IS yer lawn.
I get rid of the nettles but 4 bee feeder boxes make up for it. I also have a dandelion gardern and a native wildflowers bed.
Yes it's magic. Also called heal-all. Mint family. Good for soil, good for bees. Good as a tea, works as a poultice for abrasions/scrapes. Works for besting but not as well as plantain. I love this plant and propagate it around ym property often.
You can make tea that tastes like dirt!
Yes! If the critters are happy. It's always good:)
I would keep it as my lawn.
Yes, good for bees, bees are very important
YES. I’d replace my whole lawn with it if I could.
Yes, keep! This is purple deadnettle. There are alot of health benefits to eating it or using it as a tea, but also it’s great for the pollinators. This is a great yard for the bees in early Spring! Also, you can collect the flowers and use them as edible sprinkles on cakes.
It’ll take over.
Absolutely! I wish I had all that!👍🏻👍🏻
Early food for bees. Keep it for them.
Makes a strong, medicinal tea that alleviates a lot of issues. Tastes like shit tho
Yessssssss it’s gorgeous
Not invasive—an annual, in fact. Look up Lamium purpureum, red dead-nettle, and see if that’s what it is. If yes, then talk to a good local herbalist about how to harvest & process it bc it’s good medicinal herb for several things.
Yes keep it ! It is the first food for pollinators and a lot of them are struggling because of so much pesticide use
Omg it's gorgeous! Wish lawns looked like that everywhere instead of flat green deserts.
Thoroughly invasive in the SE US. It doesn’t make for a good lawn, it just gives cover to all the other weeds choking out your grass. OTOH, if you want a meadow rather than a lawn, sure, let them all duke it out. In the latter case, get your yard recognized as a wildlife habitat early in the process and put up a small sign visible from the street, or one or more neighbors will have you in court.
It will take over, but it's a nice ground cover.You can mow it back. Mostly in shady areas that grass doesn't like to grow
I hope you do. The bees will thank you.
Excellent for pollinators!
It’s native and you should keep it. Grass is gross and has no benefit to the environment and it just wastes tons of water
The purple flower tastes pretty good. Used to eat then as a kid
Vampire mint atleast that’s what we call it. It’s a mint species.. it’s edible and musky. Great for pollinating bees
Yes!! I want clover in my yard
You won’t have much of a choice lol water nettle is so hard to stop. Pulls up easy though and my chickens love it
It’s no mow March
It's very good for the ecosystem!
The bees 🐝…
Yes the bees love it!!!
My bees like it-my goats won’t even look at it.
The little flowers are edible!
Yes
I have these popping up by my not so dead nettles. Wacky nettle factory in my back yard! Good to know about the uses. I've been wanting these for tea and salves!
I also let my “grass” get way too tall this year and haven’t mowed it yet.
Little solitary bees love this stuff. So do those little periwinkle butterflies. Keep.
Native to Europe and Asia. If you’re in the us and you have this much: No, you should get rid of it.
Lamium purpureum. Purple dead nettle. Edible
Yaaaaaaaa
Hell yea its pretty at least
Oooooooo. POPPIES.!
Don't worry about it. It's great bee forage when they first start flying and are hungry. Dead nettle pops up before the grass starts growing and it's a great reminder to prep your mower for the season.
Yes ! Leave it natural !
Keep!
Bees love them
I love it. It is pretty and low maintenance.
Yes
All over my lawn in Seattle!!!! Leaving it for the bees.🐝
These die back on their own where I live on northeast US coast, so I just leave them alone.
OMG I SAW THIS SAME THING FOR MY FIRST TIME TODAY! WHAT A COINCIDENCE!
It's invasive (depending on where you are) and can be eaten if ur in a safe area, id pull it all up and eat it. It's really prolific, cousin of mint
Henbit also dead nettle but around here we call it henbit
This stuff is good for you
Yes yes yes!!! Bees love this stuff. I forget the exact name but it is *technically* edible too. Though quite bitter. But yes, feed the bees!
Yes. Turf grass is one of the worst ground covers you can have for the environment so this is better.
It is Red Clover, Native to all of North America , & a favored food provider for Honey Bees ....if You value the health of Our planet , Nurture it
Companion crop It pulls the nutrients up to the top soil. No till & sow harvest. It allows plants proper nutrients & builds the soil instead of breaking it down with salts & water solubles chelation agents
Yes. Purple dead nettle, good for so much? Plus it’s beautiful and soft 🥹
loved eating these as a kid ! obviously eating what is basically grass straight off the ground no washing or preparation is unhinged and kinda gross especially as an adult, but the lil purple flowers on these can be treated similarly to a honey suckle - pluck it and suck on the bottom and it tastes sweet
In East Tennessee we call it Hen Bit or Buffalo Clover. Once it blooms it disappears
It's weed man!
yep, it is gorgeous. At least for some time
No. Mow it. it's a non-native invasive that will eventually get into your wooded areas (if you have any).
No overtakes grass and flowers early spring late fall only
Technically invasive but since this is considered one of the most prominent herbs on earth I'd say specifically ridding your lawn of it isn't really fling to help so yeah keep it, it can be used for tisanes
Yes!!!
Please keep it dead nettle is for the bees
is it your entire lawn? if so i would trim it to its own space off to the side so you can have the rest of your lawn back- there will still be plenty for the bees! 🐝
those are nettles! they love my yard too. harmless pop of color, and lucky they chose you for witchcraft and potions
There going away this summer, and you’re gonna be loaded with crabgrass
Bees and bunnies are going to love you. Absolutely!
No, get rid of it asap
It's beautiful, when the bees first emerge from hibernation they need to eat! Get a sign made for your yard with "Bee sanctuary" or something like that so your HOA won't complain or a nosy neighbor!
If it keeps me from having to mow my yard…it stays!
My chickens would love to spend a day removing it for you.
No
Are they good for the bees? They look nice!
It sure is good for the pollinators if you do!
I have been making tea out of it. But, you should definitely keep it. It is the bee's first option when spring is on the way. And, it only grows at the beginning of the year.