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Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: Dead Nettle

Dead nettle, or purple dead nettle, is a weed commonly found in low maintenance turf areas that are mowed infrequently, including forest edges and roadside areas.

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Updated:

April 27, 2023

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Figure 1. A patch of dead nettle growing in a Pennsylvania lawn during April. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

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It thrives in moist soils and full sun to moderate shade. Dead nettle (Lamium purpureum L.) plants produce upright stems with red and purple leaves and spread quickly to form patches during periods of cool weather in early to mid-spring. Contrary to its common name, this weed does not belong to the nettle family and does not cause skin irritation by "stinging". Dead nettle is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and looks similar to some other species in this family, especially henbit (Lamium amplexicaule L.).

Life Cycle

Dead nettle is usually classified as a winter annual. Young plants generally emerge following seed germination in fall, live through the winter as seedlings, and grow and mature rapidly during early spring. Leaves are produced on upright stems that may arise from horizontal stems (stolons) that grow along the soil surface and form patches. Dead nettle is most conspicuous in April when it begins to produce pinkish-purple flowers. Flowers produce seed in late spring and plants begin to wither and die back as temperatures rise in early summer.

Identification

Dead nettle tends to grow in patches and is easily recognized by its distinctive red- or purple-green leaves that are densely clustered at or near the top of the stem. Leaves arise from upright four-sided stems (square in cross-section) that tend to extend above the turf canopy. Individual leaves have short petioles and are broadly chordate or somewhat triangular with serrated margins. Leaf surfaces are covered with fine hairs (trichomes), resulting in a fuzzy appearance, and have a net-like system of indented veins. Flowers of dead nettle are tubular in shape, about ½ inch in length, with protruding upper and lower lip-like appendages. Flowers arise slightly above leaf axils at the tips of plants and take on a pale pinkish-purple color with a few purple streaks and spots.

Dead nettle stolon with stems — Figure 2. Dead nettle stolon giving rise to upright stems (left) and a four-sided stem (right). Photos: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Figure 3. Dead nettle leaves and flowers. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Figure 4. Red and purple leaves of dead nettle in early spring, with fine pubescence on leaf surfaces, interspersed with pinkish-purple tubular flowers. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State

Management and Control

Dead nettle infestations can be reduced by frequent mowing at typical heights of cut used for lawns (2 to 3 inches) in early spring to remove flower stems, increasing turf density through proper fertilization practices, and selection of turfgrasses that are well-adapted to site conditions. This weed can be controlled with various postemergence herbicides; however, dead nettle plants often die back in mid-late spring before broadleaf herbicide applications are made.

Some postemergence herbicide products labeled for control of dead nettle.
Active ingredients	Product name(s)*
2,4-D, 2,4-DP, and dicamba	Super Trimec (ester formulation)
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, and dicamba	Escalade 2, Escalade
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, triclopyr, and flumioxazin	Sure Power (ester formulation)
2,4-D, MCPA, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Triad SFZ Select
2,4-D, MCPP, and dicamba	Trimec Classic
2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, and carfentrazone-ethyl	Speedzone
2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, sulfentrazone	Surge
2,4-D, quinclorac, and dicamba	Quincept, 2DQ Herbicide, Triad QC Select
2,4-D, quinclorac, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Q4 Plus
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, and triclopyr	Momentum FX2
2,4-D, fluroxypyr, triclopyr, and sulfentrazone	Lesco Momentum 4-Score
2,4-D, triclopyr, dicamba, and sulfentrazone	Tzone SE (ester formulation)
MCPA, fluroxypyr, and dicamba	Change Up
MCPA, fluroxypyr, and triclopyr	Battleship III
MCPA, MCPP, and dicamba	Trimec Encore
MCPA, MCPP, dicamba, and carfentrazone-ethyl	Powerzone
triclopyr and fluroxypyr	Tailspin
Fluroxypyr	Vista XRT