Its name is rather off-putting for someone who wants to grow a nice plant, but dead nettle is a pretty solution for the oft-asked question, “What can I grow under my trees in the shade where grass won’t grow?”
Nettle implies something prickly or spiny, and dead, well dead implies dead. Dead nettle is neither prickly nor dried-up dead. Although the leaves have a superficial resemblance to other nettles, the “dead” part of its name refers to the fact that there are no spines or prickles. Maybe they ran out of good names by the time they got to this one! In any case, the Latin name is Lamium pronounced “LAY-mee-um.”
Silvery or gray-leaved plants are useful in the garden. Their neutral colors can balance and unify many different colors and provide a sense of cohesiveness. There are very few silvery or gray-leaved plants that thrive in the shade, but there are some dead nettle cultivars whose silvery leaves provide a spark of brightness to shady areas. ‘Herman’s Pride’ has green leaves with heavy streaks of silver and small yellow flowers. Leaves of ‘White Nancy’ and ‘Beacon Silver’ are silver with a thin green border. ‘Nancy’s flowers are white and ‘Silver’s are pink. ‘Chequers’ has green leaves with a wide silver stripe down the center and purplish pink flowers. ‘Pink Pewter’ has pink flowers as does ‘Aureum’ whose leaves are variegated with yellow instead of silver.
Dead nettle thrives in spots where nothing else will grow. It competes well with tree and shrubs roots so it is good for those dry shady spots. It also does well along the north side of buildings, even in poor post-construction soil. Dead nettle is a ground cover that grows 8 – 18” tall and spreads slowly but indefinitely. Most dead nettles, except for ‘Herman’s Pride’ are on the shorter end of that range.
Propagation is easily done by division in spring or fall. No need to be careful; these are tough plants. Just dig up a piece with some roots attached and move it to where you want it. Stick it in the ground, give it a good watering and watch it grow.
Dead nettles are in the mint family so they can become invasive in moist, fertile soil. They pull out easily, however, if they happen to grow where you don’t want them.
Dead nettle dies to the ground each winter and comes back again in spring. The leaves of the young plants are edible and can be used in salads or stir-fries.
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