Stinging Nettle

Easily recognisable and one of our most common wild plants, the stinging nettle plant has been used for thousands of years in medicine. Nettles are perennial and grow abundantly in most places, on waste land, at the edge of fields, in gardens, woods, meadows, parks, hedgerows and ditches. Stinging nettles do not sting after they have been cooked.

The word nettle comes from the Scandinavian 'noedl' which means needle. For anyone who has fallen into a nettle patch this needs no explanation!

Photo:My personal photo

Pick the tender, light green, young nettles in spring. Young nettles have less of a sting and are not tough and bitter like mature nettles. It is a good idea to wear thick gloves whilst gathering nettles as they can and will sting.
You can use nettle fresh, or dry them, nettle leaves can also be chopped and frozen.

Stinging nettle is beneficial in the treatment of fatigue, poor appetite, rheumatic pain and arthritis. It is a diuretic and contains iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, and beta carotene. Nettle can also be used to treat dandruff, acne, and eczema, it is good for combating greasy skin and hair

Nettle plant is one of natures vegetable and the leaves and tender stalks can be boiled and added to flans, mashed potato, soups and quiches, it can also be enjoyed simply steamed and served like any other leafy veg. In the country people have enjoyed nettle tea and nettle beer for hundreds of years. It is said that if you hang a bunch of fresh nettles in the kitchen or larder it will keep flies away.

Stinging Nettle Tea: Use to ease fatigue, stimulate a poor appetite and promote passing of urine. Take a bunch of fresh nettle leaves or 10g of nettle powder, add to a pan and pour on 2 pints of boiling water, bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Drink two to three cups a day

Infuser Mugs- Perfect For Brewing Nettle Teas



Clear skin nettle wash/ nettle dandruff preparation : Take a cup of nettle leaves, or a tablespoon of dried leaves, add to a pan and pour on a pint of boiling water, boil for five minutes then remove from heat, cover and leave to infuse until cool. When cool, soak some cotton wool in the mixture and dab onto face. A preparation to help dandruff is made in the same way, use it when it is luke warm and instead of dabbing with cotton wool pour the mixture onto your scalp using a jug.

In times gone by nettle stems were used in the production of cloth, their dense fibres made a tough, hard wearing, cheap fabric. During the first world war the Germans used nettle stems to make cloth for army uniforms as cotton was so hard to come by.

The quote in the speach bubble above is from 'Culpeppers Complete Herbal' published in 1653, it is a comprehensive guide to many plants and their herbal properties.

It is published now as it was back then and makes for an intersting read, with good information and pictures of the plants featured, it will also make you laugh out loud with some of it's it's odd old-fashioned notions.

What Is Oregano
Thyme Herb
Cultivated Garlic Remedies
Lemon Balm
Oak Remedies
Hedge Mustard
Ladies Mantle
The Stinging Nettle Plant
Dandelion Remedies
Red Clover Remedies
Simple Herbal Remedies
Plantain Plant
Common Mallow Plant
Sweet Basil Remedies
Dill Herb

Other Outdoor Links
Beautiful Birdhouses
Gifts For Fishing Fans
Plants And Flowers Wall Art
Bird House Info Blog

Seasonal
Classy Christmas Lawn Decorations
Polar Bear Lawn Ornament