Red Dead Nettle - Cowbar Nature

A few red dead nettle plants start to come through in the grassland at the side of the Cleveland Way footpath and Cowbar Lane early in March and more and more appear through to October or November.
It prefers shorter grass and grows anywhere the ground has been disturbed or cultivated including verges, waste ground and field edges.
It has leaves like a stinging nettle but the newer ones are pink towards the top of the stem and the leaves do not sting.
Lots of different species of long-tongued insects visit the flowers of red dead-nettle, including the red mason bee and bumblebees.
The caterpillars of garden tiger, white ermine and angle shades moths feed on the leaves.
In some parts of the country it is known as ‘the bumblebee flower’ because bumblebees love it.
Other names are sweet archangel or bad man’s posies.
Part of its Greek name means ‘devouring monster’ because its flowers are said to look like open jaws.
In traditional medicine, its dry leaves were used to make a poultice to stem haemorrhaging and fresh bruised leaves were applied to cuts.
The leaves were made into a tea to promote perspiration to treat chills.
The flowers can be added to salads and the young leaves cooked like spinach.