Foraging Friday: Purple Dead Nettle

Foraging Friday: Purple Dead Nettle

Purple dead nettle is one of the most common backyard "weeds" that you can forage usually in early to mid-spring (March & April and sometimes into May). What most people see as a weed, I see as an edible plant and medicinal herb. It’s part of the mint family and is called dead nettle because of its lack of sting like stinging nettle.

This plant can be added to soups, salads, or blended into smoothies. It is known in the herbal world to be an astringent, diuretic, diaphoretic and purgative. It’s also anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. The leaves can be used on external cuts or wounds as a poultice. It is a good candidate to make an herbal salve to use on the skin. It can also be made into a tincture for allergies. The simplest way to enjoy its benefits is to either eat it or dry it and brew it like a tea. Many people find it actually helps with allergy symptoms! Purple dead nettle is one of the ingredients in my Sinus Soother Bath Soak.

When you forage this plant, make sure you shake off any ants or aphids crawling on it, especially if you are planning on eating it fresh! Then you can wash it by giving it a good rinse in water and your favorite veggie wash. Make sure that where your foraging the plant hasn't had pesticides sprayed on it in the last few years. 

Purple Dead Nettle doesn’t have any toxic lookalikes, but it’s similar to Henbit, another edible weed. Check out the photo below and see if you can spot the differences.