Purple Deadnettle, Lamium purpureum
Element: Fire Magical Associations: Angels, Goals, Happiness, Healing, Overcoming obstacles, Spirituality, Strength AKA: Red Nettle, Red Dead-nettle, Red Henbit, Red Archangel, Purple Archangel, Dumb Nettle, Deaf Nettle, Blind Nettle
Common plant that’s native to Europe and Asia, and can now be found in parts of North America too.
Magickal Properties: The powers and energies of this potent spell herb is for banishing, expelling and cleansing negative, stinging harmful energies from the surroundings and self. It will boost and add to the energies of any herbs associated with and used for: confidence, courage, calmness, peace, strength, graceful persistence, clear thinking and emotional balance.
PURPLE DEAD-NETTLE IS A WILD, EDIBLE GREEN
Purple dead nettle is one of the safer plants to forage. It has no dangerous lookalikes, but it is still advisable to have on hand a foraging field guide to help you identify.
Purple dead-nettle is in the mint family.
Properties: Edible and medicinal, the leaves and upper plants are cooked as pot herbs or added to salads. The plant is very nutritious, high in iron, vitamins and fiber. The whole plant is medicinal, used as an astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, purgative, styptic and tonic. Lab tests show that Lamium purpureum seed oil possess high antioxidant activities, and might be used as a future food-additive. In the past, this plant has been used to treat digestive issues, gout and joint pain. A decoction of the plant is particularly useful for checking any kind of hemorrhage, the fresh bruised leaves can be applied to external cuts and wounds. The dried herb, made into a tea and sweetened with honey, promotes perspiration and acts on the kidneys. A tea made from the fresh plant is an excellent laxative and tonic.
