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Red Dead-nettle

©Amy Lewis

Red dead-nettle

Red dead-nettle does not sting. It displays dense clusters of pinky-red flowers in whorls around its stem, and can be found on disturbed ground, such as roadside verges.

Enw gwyddonol

Lamium purpureum

Pryd i'w gweld

March to October

Species information

Category

Ystadegau

Height: up to 30cm

Statws cadwraethol

Common.

Ynghylch

Red dead-nettle is a common plant of roadside verges, waste grounds and field edges - anywhere the ground has been disturbed or cultivated. Like yellow archangel, and other members of the dead-nettle family, it doesn't have stinging leaves. Its crimson flowers appear from March to October.

Sut i'w hadnabod

Looking similar to a stinging nettle, red dead-nettle is a downy annual with heart-shaped, toothed leaves, and reddish, square stems. Dense whorls of pinky-red, 'hooded' flowers appear up the stem.

Dosbarthiad

Widespread.

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

Lots of different species of long-tongued insects visit the flowers of red dead-nettle, including the red mason bee and bumblebees. The caterpillars of garden tiger, white ermine and angle shades moths feed on the leaves.