Lamium purpureum
Description
The Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) is one of the few European wild plants that also blooms in winter. Its growing season lasts from autumn to early summer, the main flowering period here in Germany is from March to May. However, this annual species often shows its first flowers as early as November and, depending on the weather, blooms until spring.
The purple deadnettle grows between 10 and 40 centimeters high. It is not poisonous and populates meadows, embankments, gardens, rubble heaps and can also be found along roadsides.
Lamium purpureum is also known as Red Archangel and Purple Archangel.
Countries
The distribution area of the Purple Deadnettle includes many European countries as well as parts of West Asia and North Africa.
Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
Uses
Young tender leaves can be prepared raw like lettuce or blanched like spinach.
Pollinators
Lamium purpureum is pollinated by honey bees, bumble bees and other wild bees and is a welcome source of food for these insects on mild winter days.
Common names
Dutch
Paarse dovenetel
French
Lamier Pourpre
German
Purpurrote Taubnessel
Italian
Falsa ortica purpurea, làmio purpurea
Portuguese
Lâmio-roxol
Spanish
Lamio púrpura, ortiga roja, ortiga muerta purpúrea
Categories: Red & Pink Flowers | Wildflowers |
