In the neighborhood of Medford Leas, on highway shoulders and on un-manicured lawns, a swath of purple delights the eye.
The predominant weed on this lawn is Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum).
The common name is a bit absurd, as it combines two errors. First, it’s not a “Nettle” (they’re members of the Rose family), but instead a mint, recognizable by the lip, hood and square stem. Second, the “Dead” denotes the absence of stinging hairs that were expected by the guy who called them nettles!
Often found in conjunction with Purple Dead Nettle is a second member of the mint family with a distinctive blue color. This is Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea), again misnamed, since it’s not an ivy. Alternate common names are Gill-over-the ground, Creeping Charlie and Run-away-Robin. Don’t ask.
On close examination of weedy lawns, you’ll also find in early Spring white, ten-petalled Common Chickweed (Stellaria media).
You also will often find the four-petalled Common Field-Speedwell (Veronica persica). Its delicate colors resemble a Forget-me-not.
Yes, they’re all introduced weeds, but the preferred usage is “naturalized”– which applies to all of us as well.
Text and photographs by Fred Kahan