# red deadnettle (*Lamium purpureum*) Red deadnettle is a pretty plant with purple flowers that bloom in spring. It's often found in gardens and fields, and it attracts friendly bees and butterflies! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 46 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Purple deadnettle ![red deadnettle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lamium_purpureum_jamestown1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Daniel J. Layton, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lamium_purpureum_jamestown1.jpg) ## Appearance The red deadnettle has distinctive reddish-purple leaves at its top, often forming a heart shape. Its square stems hold tiny, tube-shaped pink or purplish flowers clustered in whorls around the stem. It does not have stinging hairs like true nettles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Lamium ## Interesting facts - Crush a leaf gently, and some say it smells a little like mushrooms! - It's a super early bird, often one of the first flowers to bloom in spring! - Its square stem helps you know it's related to mint plants! - Unlike true nettles, touching this plant won't give you a sting! ## Special abilities - **Early Riser:** Red deadnettle can sprout and bloom very early, providing food for insects when other plants are still sleeping. - **Square Strength:** It has a unique square stem, a trait of its mint family, helping it stand tall and strong. - **Creeping Roots:** Red deadnettle can grow small roots from its lower stem, allowing it to spread and anchor itself easily. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-25 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring to late fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Drinks nectar from its early spring flowers. - **Depends on:** [black garden ant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-garden-ant) (*Lasius niger*) — Disperses its seeds which have a yummy food packet. - **Eats:** [black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Feeds on its leaves and tender stems. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before touching or tasting plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify red deadnettle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is red deadnettle? 10-30 cm ### How wide does red deadnettle spread? 10-25 cm ### How big are the flowers on red deadnettle? 0.5-1 cm ### When does red deadnettle bloom? Early spring to late fall ### Is red deadnettle edible? Yes ### Is red deadnettle toxic? None ### What is red deadnettle's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Bloomingdale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloomingdale) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Brookside Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brookside-reservation) — Ohio, US · Park - [Cambridge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cambridge-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Canal Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canal-park) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-valley-arboretum-and-botanic-gardens) — Iowa, US · Botanical Garden - [Chambers County Courthouse Square Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chambers-county-courthouse-square-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District [View all places to see red deadnettle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-deadnettle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Red Deadnettle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-deadnettle)