Red Dead Nettle [Lamium purpureum]

About the pest

About the weed

It is a downy, purplish-tinged bushy annual dicotyledon 10 - 40cm tall. The leaves are heart-shaped with toothed edges. The flowers are purplish pink and cluster in conspicuous whorls round the stem.

Key features

Young plant: The first true leaves are more triangular than those of henbit dead-nettle.
Plant: The foliage is often tinged with purple.

Biology

Red dead-nettle is common on arable land; it may be encouraged by minimal cultivation techniques. The plants may overwinter with green leaves but it is mainly annual. It can set seed before the canopy is developed. Nonflowering shoot tips can also re-root after spring cultivations and can go on to establish and set seed. Seeds can be locally moved by ants.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Life Cycle

Seed longevity: >5 years
Germination depth: 0.9 mg
Seed weight: 0.9 mg
Seeds/flower: 4
Seeds/plant: 0 - 1000

Treatment

Management

Although it occurs in both winter and spring crops, it is more common in early sown winter crops, suggesting it may be controlled by spring cropping. A large range of herbicides suitable for broad-leaved weeds may be used.