Dead nettles have an unfairly bad reputation in German gardens. Anyone who looks into the different types of dead nettle will find that there are very pretty and decorative species among them. Interesting facts about the different types of dead nettle.
What types of deadnettle are there?
The six most important deadnettle species are: white deadnettle (Lamium album), red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum), large deadnettle (Lamium orvala), common golden nettle (Lamium galeobdolon), silver-leaved deadnettle (Lamium argentatum) and spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum). They are decorative and provide food for bees and insects.
The six most important deadnettle species
- White Deadnettle (Lamium album)
- Red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)
- Great deadnettle (Lamium orvala)
- Common golden nettle (Lamium galeobdolon)
- Silvery-leaved deadnettle (Lamium argentatum)
- Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)
White deadnettle
The white deadnettle is probably the most common type of deadnettle. Maybe you remember pulling out the white flowers and sucking them as a child to enjoy the honey-sweet nectar?
White dead nettles are used in naturopathy for inflammation and gynecological problems. Just like the “burning” representatives of nettles, you can also prepare dead nettles in the kitchen. The leaves give the salad a mildly spicy note and the flowers are ideal as an edible decoration.
Red deadnettle
Red deadnettle usually does not grow quite as tall as the white deadnettle species. They develop countless pink flowers. In mild winters, red deadnettles continue to bloom undeterred, making them a wonderful place to plant as a splash of color in inconspicuous garden corners.
Large deadnettle
The large dead nettle is sold in garden shops under the name “Nesselkönig”. The perennials develop white-pink flowers. It feels very comfortable in partial shade and is often planted as a ground cover.
Golden nettle and silver-leaved deadnettle
Golden yellow flowers appear on the golden nettle, of which there are several subspecies. This type of deadnettle only blooms in spring from April to June. The subspecies silver-leaved deadnettle differs from the common golden nettle in its silvery foliage and a slightly later flowering period. It blooms until summer.
Spotted deadnettle
The spotted deadnettle impresses with its beautiful, patterned leaves, the color range of which ranges from white to silver gray. The flowers are usually purple, rarely white. With good care, this type of deadnettle reaches a height of 80 centimeters. It can be grown very well in a pot.
Tips & Tricks
Deadnettles are a very good pasture for bees and are also often visited by many other insects. You should therefore leave a few of the flowering nettles in the garden.
