Stinging Nettle

Urtica gracilis

Physical Characteristics

Urtica gracilis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

N. Europe. N. America - Newfoundland to British Columbia, south to North Carolina and Louisiana.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Shoots Edible Uses: Drink Young leaves - cooked[105, 172]. A very nutritious food, high in vitamins and minerals, it makes an excellent spinach substitute and can also be added to soups and stews. Only use the young leaves and wear stout gloves when harvesting them to prevent getting stung. Although the fresh leaves have stinging hairs, thoroughly drying or cooking them destroys these hairs. Nettle beer is brewed from the young shoots[200].

Medicinal Uses

Alterative Antiasthmatic Antidandruff Antirheumatic Antispasmodic Diaphoretic Diuretic Dysentery Expectorant The leaves are alterative, antiasthmatic, antidandruff, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic and expectorant[172, 257]. A decoction has been used in the treatment of colds[257]. The fresh leaves of nettles have been rubbed or beaten onto the skin in the treatment of rheumatism etc[257]. This practice, called urtification, causes intense irritation to the skin as it is stung by the nettles. It is believed that this treatment works in two ways. Firstly, it acts as a counter-irritant, bringing more blood to the area to help remove the toxins that cause rheumatism. Secondly, the formic acid from the nettles is believed to have a beneficial effect upon the rheumatic joints. An infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of dysentery and urine retention[257]. A decoction of the root has been used as a bath in the treatment of rheumatism[257].

Known Hazards

The leaves of the plants have stinging hairs, causing irritation to the skin[21, 200]. This action is neutralized by heat so the cooked leaves are perfectly safe and nutritious[200]. However, only young leaves should be used because older leaves develop gritty particles called cystoliths which act as an irritant to the kidneys[172].