Does anyone know if Lamium purpureum - purple dead nettle is a host plant for any butterflies. Some showed up in a flower bed this spring and it is considered an invasive weed by many. But before I start pulling it up, I would like to know if it is a host plant ?
I know nettles can be a host for the Red Admiral, but I'm not sure if that particular nettle plant will host them. Anyone else know?
Melanie
I can't think of anything that purple dead nettle uses. Having the name "nettle" doesn't necessarily mean all plants using that name are related.
It is from the lamiacaea (mint) family which is very different than the nettles used by Red Admirals, Question Marks and such which are from the urticaceae family.
Plants from the mint family like Monarda and Salvia serve as good nectar sources though. Am not sure but I think I read that salvia coccinnea can be used as a larval host by the Painted Lady butterfly.
There are also plants from the Euphorbiaceae family like Tragia Also called Nettleleaf Noseburn which are larval hosts to butterflies like Sailors, Mestras and others.
~ Cat
This message was edited Mar 30, 2013 6:45 PM
Thanks everyone for the help. Since I have plenty of other flowers and need the space for a real host plant, the purple dead nettle is being pulled before it goes to seed.
