Healing Plants You Can Forage - American Forests
Some of the most common plants growing around you are frequently dismissed as weeds, but many of them actually have medicinal uses you might find helpful!
younger leaves are usually preferable
While its name might allude to something you might generally avoid ingesting, stinging nettle is rich in vitamins and has been used for centuries to treat eczema, arthritis, gout and anemia. The leaves, stems and roots are all edible, though <anchor>younger leaves are usually preferable</anchor> in terms of taste, texture and nutrition. Remember not to eat them raw, however — the plant is called stinging nettle for a reason. For best results, add leaves to soups and stews (they make a great spinach substitute), or dry them and infuse with hot water to make tea.
Stinging Nettle: Pictures, Flowers, Leaves & Identification | Urtica dioica
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# Stinging Nettle  Urtica dioica

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For comprehensive information (e.g. nutrition, health benefits, recipes, history, harvesting tips, etc.) please check out our Stinging Nettle PDF magazine.

Stinging nettle is a large, rhizomatous perennial wild edible plant that can grow quite tall. Originally from Europe and Asia, this plant has sharp hairs that break easily and can irritate or sting when the plant is touched; however it is a vitamin-rich food source as well as a remedy for various medical conditions. Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. Fibrous stems of mature plants can be used to make twine, fishing nets, snares and other items. Nettles were traditionally dried and fed to livestock throughout winter. In Europe the plants are harvested commercially for extraction of the chlorophyll, which is used as a safe green colouring agent (E140) in foods. There are between 30 and 45 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae.

### Distinguishing Features

Sharp, stinging, tiny hairs encompass this entire plant. Stinging nettles have tiny, fuzzy-like white flowers. This plant has a spinach-like taste.

Caution: When collecting stinging nettle always cover up all exposed skin. The swollen base of each tiny, hollow hair contains a droplet of formic acid. When the hair tip pierces the skin, the acid makes it into the skin causing anywhere from an annoying itch or burning that can last several minutes or a couple of days. Rubbing the stings with stinging nettle root or jewelweed has been used to suppress the itch/burning sensation.

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### Flowers

This is a dioecious (staminate and pistillate flowers on different plants) plant with very small flowers. Staminate flower is greyish yellow: four tepals (like sepals). The flowers have four stamens and yellow anthers. Pistillate flower has four tepals in different-sized pairs, are greyish green and hairy. It has a single carpel and the stigma is brush-like. Inflorescence is catkin-like, 4–8 cm (1.6–3.2") long.

### Leaves

This plant has fine toothed, tapered, somewhat heart-shaped leaves that are 3-15 cm. Thin catkins of tiny green flowers grow from the leaf axils.

### Height

Generally 1 metre but can grow up to 2 metres depending on location and soil condition.

### Habitat

Nettles generally appear in the same locations every year. They thrive in rich soil, moist woodlands, thickets, disturbed areas, along partially shaded trails and riversides.

### Edible Parts

Leaves, stems and roots are edible. Young leaves are preferable however, no matter how far into the growing season be sure to remember that until dried or cooked, stinging nettle leaves will have those stinging hairs – never eat them raw! Nettles make an excellent spinach substitute and can also be added to soups and stews. Nettle beer is brewed from the young shoots. Nettle root is used for medicinal purposes including enlarged prostate and when there is difficulty in urination due to BPH. Nettle tea made from the root can help urinary ailments. Tea made from the leaves is rich in iron and can aid coagulation and the formation of hemoglobin.

### Other Name

Nettle.

### Similar Plants

False Nettle, White Dead-Nettle.

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