Spectacular Stinging Nettle
Spring is surely springing, as are the many fabulous spring greens! Urtica Dioca- Stinging Nettle - is an amazing herbal ally that begins growing in early spring. Nettle is a deeply nourishing herb, extremely high in vitamins, minerals, and protein. It can also be used as a dye, a fiber, and to relieve arthritic pain. This common weed, often cursed for its sting, has a lot to offer.
Uses and Benefits
Nettle is a wonderful ally, rich in bioavailable vitamins and minerals. In particular nettle is a very good source of iron, magnesium, calcium, and chlorophyll. 1 cup of nettle infusion (see below for instructions) has 250 mg of calcium!! Nettle is also a good source of chromium, cobalt, potassium, zinc, b vitamins, and vitamins C, D and K. The leaves and stalks are about 10% protein. Because of their high nutrient content, eating and drinking nettles provides deep nourishment to your body. It can help to prevent osteoporosis, and has even been known to re-mineralize bones over time. Frequent use of nettles also helps to stabilize blood sugar, reduce fatigue, normalize weight, re-set metabolism, and prevent rheumatic issues for those with hereditary susceptibility. Nettles are extremely nourishing for both skin and hair, used both internally and externally.
Nettles are energizing without being stimulating. This is because they nourish the adrenal glands, which are often depleted by chronic stress. You can feel the energy in the sting! Used over time, nettles can have a very profound effect and give you lasting stamina. Nettle infusions are also extremely healing to the kidneys. They have a diuretic action, which helps to cleanse toxins from the body.
Nettles are also a great ally for mothers. Drinking nettle infusion during pregnancy nourishes you and your growing baby, while also helping to prevent hemorrhaging. Sipped frequently during a hemorrhage, nettle infusion or juice will act as a prompt hemostatic. Drinking nettle infusions will also noticeably increase production of breast milk.
Nettle seeds are nourishing to the endocrine glands, particularly the thyroid, helping to reduce both excess weight and goiter. The seeds are also a reputed antidote to poisoning from hemlock, henbane, nightshade, bee stings, and spider, dog, and snake bites. This is perhaps due to its action on the immune system and strengthening action for organs of elimination. Used internally and externally, nettle seeds are a great skin and scalp tonic.
Nettle roots are a hair and scalp tonic – helping those with thinning hair or dandruff. They are also a urinary system strengthener and an immune system and lymphatic strengthener! Nettle root decoction can also be used as an acute remedy for diarrhea.
Nettles are also a great ally for mothers. Drinking nettle infusion during pregnancy nourishes you and your growing baby, while also helping to prevent hemorrhaging. Sipped frequently during a hemorrhage, nettle infusion or juice will act as a prompt hemostatic. Drinking nettle infusions will also noticeably increase production of breast milk.
Nettle seeds are nourishing to the endocrine glands, particularly the thyroid, helping to reduce both excess weight and goiter. The seeds are also a reputed antidote to poisoning from hemlock, henbane, nightshade, bee stings, and spider, dog, and snake bites. This is perhaps due to its action on the immune system and strengthening action for organs of elimination. Used internally and externally, nettle seeds are a great skin and scalp tonic.
Nettle roots are a hair and scalp tonic – helping those with thinning hair or dandruff. They are also a urinary system strengthener and an immune system and lymphatic strengthener! Nettle root decoction can also be used as an acute remedy for diarrhea.
Identification
Stinging nettles has a deeply grooved stem, hairy serrated leaves growing in opposite pairs (like a huge mint), and a blue/green coloration – but the best way to identify it is the sting! Wood nettles look similar to stinging nettles, and are also good to eat. They also sting, but are a slightly different color and the leaves are less deeply serrated. Always be sure to have clearly identified any plant using a good field guide before harvesting.
Harvesting
Nettle grows in lush patches, and if you harvest correctly you can harvest the same patch several times throughout the season. When they are still young, cut the tops off right above a leaf axis (where the leaves grow from the stalk). You might see tiny new pairs of leaves growing at this point, and when you cut above there those will grow into 2 new stalks! Make sure to leave a few pairs of leaves at the bottom so that the plant has enough energy to keep growing. Come back in a few weeks and harvest again! This time, the leaves and stalks will be bigger so you will get more for your work.
Make sure when you harvest that the plant has not gone to flower – you will find flowers at the leaf axis or the top of the plant, depending on if it’s a male or female plant (see flowers in photo to the left). Once the plant has gone to flower, it is no longer good to eat. However, if you return to a patch from which you have previously harvested, the flowering may be delayed. It is best to check each plant before you cut it, though. I like to harvest a lot of this in the early spring, cook it up, and then freeze some for the fall and winter.
After the plant has flowered you can still harvest the stalks for fiber! Nettle fiber is extremely strong and can be made into both durable and beautiful cloth. Also, see below for a compost tea recipe.
Harvest the seeds in late summer/early fall.
Harvest the seeds in late summer/early fall.
One thing to consider is the sting in stinging nettles. The big lesson here is to pay attention! If you approach stinging nettles with awareness and focus, you are not likely to be stung. I find that the sting is a pleasant tingle which expands my energetic field, though as with any electricity it is a little sharp when it interacts with water. If you’d rather not risk it, wearing gloves will do the trick!
Preparations
Food - In early spring the plants will still be small and tender, delicious in soups or cooked like spinach. You don’t want to eat stinging nettles raw because of the urticating acids in the hairs of this plant – they STING! Cooking de-activates this property. Think of nettle as a wild spinach and let your culinary imagination go wild! I love to make nettle dip, nettle quiche, nettle cheese, the possibilities are endless!
You can cook the seeds into your rice or soups for some extra nutrition. You can also make an oil out of the seeds for topical application.
You can cook the seeds into your rice or soups for some extra nutrition. You can also make an oil out of the seeds for topical application.
One of the best ways to get a good medicinal dose of nettles is as a nourishing herbal infusion. To make: put 1 oz by weight of dried nettle in a quart jar. Fill with boiled water, cover, and let steep for 4 hours or overnight. Then, strain and squeeze. Compost the plant material, and drink up to a quart of this infusion a day. I like to make this in rotation with infusions of other herbs, and end up drinking 2-3 quarts a week of Nettle. You will notice the effects!
Fresh juice of nettles is a potent medicine which highlights the detoxifying, hemostatic, and energizing qualities of nettles, though you don’t quite get as many minerals as with an infusion.
Nettle Vinegar - You can steep fresh nettles in apple cider vinegar. This can be used on salad dressing, ingested alone, or used topically. I use this nettle vinegar as a nourishing hair rinse.
A tincture of fresh nettles can provide fast-acting relief for allergies.
Natural Dye - You can use a decoction of nettle roots to dye fabrics a yellow color, or get a greener color from the leaves and stalks.
Compost tea – when I harvest nettles in the spring, I cut the stalk above a lower leaf axis and take the whole thing home with me. Then I spend some time cutting the leaves off for cooking. I then put some of the stalks in an old cat litter container (something that you don’t want to use again that seals) and fill it up with water. In a few weeks the anaerobic respiration will create ‘nettle rot’ – a truly excellent compost tea for your garden! It smells just like manure ;). Dilute 1 cup of this in 1 gallon of water and feed your garden. I always notice new flowers after giving this to my plants, and that they look happier.
Nettle Vinegar - You can steep fresh nettles in apple cider vinegar. This can be used on salad dressing, ingested alone, or used topically. I use this nettle vinegar as a nourishing hair rinse.
A tincture of fresh nettles can provide fast-acting relief for allergies.
Natural Dye - You can use a decoction of nettle roots to dye fabrics a yellow color, or get a greener color from the leaves and stalks.
Compost tea – when I harvest nettles in the spring, I cut the stalk above a lower leaf axis and take the whole thing home with me. Then I spend some time cutting the leaves off for cooking. I then put some of the stalks in an old cat litter container (something that you don’t want to use again that seals) and fill it up with water. In a few weeks the anaerobic respiration will create ‘nettle rot’ – a truly excellent compost tea for your garden! It smells just like manure ;). Dilute 1 cup of this in 1 gallon of water and feed your garden. I always notice new flowers after giving this to my plants, and that they look happier.
Urtication – one can sting aching or rheumatic joints with fresh nettles in order to create therapeutic inflammation. This is similar to bee-sting therapy. The idea is that by re-creating inflammation, you bring blood flow back into the joint to allow it heal further. This works best over time.
So, go out and gather yourself some stinging nettles!! It grows abundantly and offers deep nourishment to those who brave its sting.
So, go out and gather yourself some stinging nettles!! It grows abundantly and offers deep nourishment to those who brave its sting.
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