White deadnettle or blind nettle is a stingless nettle
The white deadnettle, Lamium album, is also known by a huge number of other names: archangel, honey flower, bee nettle, snowflake, blind nettle, nettle flowers, stingless nettle, white archangel and white nettle. The name archangel is also used for a completely unrelated herb, angelica. Many of the names describe the plant really well: it looks a lot like a nettle, but it doesn’t have the sting.
Deadnettle is not a particularly attractive plant (perhaps it is better grown behind the shed or somewhere else out of sight), but it is a hardy perennial which can reach a height of 2′ (60cm) and a spread of 3′ (1m). It prefers well drained soil, but is happy with full sun or dappled shade.
Make a standard infusion from 2 teaspoonfuls of chopped flowers or whole plant to a cup of boiling water. Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes before straining for use. This infusion can be used internally at a rate of 1-1½ cups a day to treat heavy and painful periods, and for insomnia. It can also be used as a douche to treat vaginal discharge. NB Only use a vaginal douche if you have recurring BV which is not responding to conventional treatment, and don’t use high pressure.
As with all herbal remedies, it’s important to stick to organic methods when growing white deadnettle for medicinal use, so as to avoid adulterating the active constituents. To find out more about growing organic herbs, visit the Gardenzone.
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November 21st, 2008 at 15:26
[...] in recognising the Common or Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica, though you might mistake the unrelated Deadnettle for it – but not when you see them side by [...]
November 21st, 2008 at 16:00
[...] Angelica, Angelica archangelica (but may be labeled Archangelica officinalis), is also known as European Angelica, Garden Angelica, Angelique and Archangel. There is another herb also sometimes called Archangel, the white deadnettle. [...]
October 26th, 2009 at 08:38
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