Purple or Red Deadnettle: Lamium purpureum
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Weed Description: Winter annual
with square stems and purple-red flowers that closely resembles henbit (Lamium amplexicaule).
P rimarily a weed of turfgrass, landscapes, and winter grain crops found throughout the U.
S. Seedling: Cotyledons oval and without hairs, while subsequent leaves are hairy, opposite, and nearly circular in outline with rounded teeth on the sides. |
| Leaves: All leaves occur on short petioles, are sparsely hairy, and are circular in outline with 'scalloped' margins. Leaves are 8-12 mm long and dark green in color, becoming more purple-red in the upper leaves. Upper leaves are also relatively triangular in outline. |  |
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Stems: Branched from the base
of the plant, are square, and may reach 16-18 inches in height. Roots: Fibrous root system. |
| Flowers: Occur in whorls of 3-6
in the upper leaves. Purple-red in color and 1-2 cm long. Fruit: A berry 2 mm long. |
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Identifying Characteristics: Winter annual with purple-red flowers, square stems, and petioled leaves. The petioled leaves, triangular and sometimes purplish-red upper leaves help to distinguish this weed from Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), which has upper leaves that do not occur on petioles (sessile). |