How to Make a Stinging Nettle Tincture. [32] After the stinging nettle enters its flowering and seed-setting stages, the leaves develop gritty particles called cystoliths, which can irritate the urinary tract. Rose gloves are a better alternative since they'll last longer, but they're more expensive. The SPOTTED DEAD-NETTLE (L. maculatum), not considered a true wilding, but an escape from old-fashioned cottage gardens, is by some botanists regarded as a variety of the White Dead-Nettle, which it closely resembles, the flowers being, however, pale purple, instead of white and the foliage often marked by a broad, irregular streak of white down the centre of each leaf, with a few blotches on each side. (At first I thought they looked like mint, too–but they don’t have a scent.) The effectiveness of the herb stinging nettle is really effective and can be seen for these uses has not been proven. There is quite a bit of it this year. Learn about the benefits, side effects, and research around stinging nettle here. This is better than making tea from dried nettle but it obviously takes a lot of space and isn't practical unless you live in an igloo, in which case you probably don't have access to fresh nettle. That's 37% of the daily value for calcium and 25% for fiber, according to nutritionvalue.org. Stands of nettle tend to be so dense that it's really easy to pick a lot quickly. The purple deadnettle is closely related to the henbit, which is often referred to as the henbit deadnettle. Stinging nettle is a popular home remedy for arthritis, seasonal allergies, and many other conditions. Male flowers can be yellow or purple, while female flowers are green and white. The researchers blanched nettle leaves for one minute, drained, and dried at 60°C (140°F) for two days and then ground the dried leaves into flour. When the plant flowers in the summer, it has tiny greenish or greenish-white flowers that hang down in clusters just above where the leaves attach to the stem. They reported that nettle leaf flour had three times more protein than wheat or barley and less than half the carbohydrates. True to its name, stinging nettle imparts a painful sting through tiny hairs on the underside of its leaves and on its stems. The aromatic leaves are hairy, heart-shaped and have toothed edges. [66] U. dioica can be a troubling weed, and mowing can increase plant density. [5][6] The plant has a long history of use as a source for traditional medicine, food, tea, and textile raw material in ancient societies such as the Saxons. Like most edible plants, the best way to eat nettle is to consume it shortly after being harvested. Stinging Nettle (urtica dioica), also known as Common Nettle, close up of a single flowering plant out of many. Stinging nettle (Urtica genus) is a European native plant that has become naturalized throughout the United States. An agent thus used was considered to be a rubefacient (something that causes redness), used as a folk remedy for treating rheumatism. Gledhill, David (2008). [42], As Old English stiðe, nettle is one of the nine plants invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm, recorded in 10th century traditional medicine. Cooking, soaking, or drying will neutralize the sting -- it's not really the needles that cause pain, but the chemicals they inject. You could also make pesto with nettle and freeze in ice cube trays. [22], In Great Britain and Ireland, the stinging nettle (U. dioica subsp. Of course we've always heard they are edible, so that led to this google search and your fantastic page! Stinging nettle has naturalized in nearly every state in the United States. The green henbit leaves are kidney shaped and are attached directly to the stem, whereas the purple deadnettle … Some leaves near the top of the plant take on a purple tint. The flowers have four stamens and yellow anthers. dioica. Finally, keep in mind that it’s not a true nettle, because it doesn’t have those stinging spikes that make many of us break out in an allergic reaction. Male flowers can be yellow or purple, while female flowers are green and white. Do you do anything to try to remove the nettles before making tea or cooking/drying? [53][57] Nettle contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C), riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid, vitamin K1[53] and tocopherols (vitamin E). The leaves have a strongly serrated margin, a cordate base, and an acuminate tip with a terminal leaf tooth longer than adjacent laterals. archaeologists in Denmark discovered scraps of a 2800-year-old Bronze Age burial shroud. The easiest way to get the benefits of nettle is to steep the fresh leaves in hot water for an earthy hot tea. It reproduces through seeds and a creeping rootstock. Purple dead nettles are actually a member of the mint family, which is also safe for rabbits to eat. [15], Urtica dioica produces its inflammatory effect on skin (stinging, burning sensation often called "contact urticaria") both by impaling the skin via spicules – causing mechanical irritation – and by biochemical irritants, such as histamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine, among other chemicals. Put the leaves in boiling water for 10–15 minutes, or until the water turns light green. This page only shows Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) and Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis). [34] Nettle soup is a common use of the plant, particularly in Northern and Eastern Europe. Native to Eurasia, it has taken quite nicely to our fields, farms and cities. Also, as the name suggests, it’s got dark purple flowers that are actually quite pretty. Also shows the start of a flower stalk (raceme). "The Names of Plants". Purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) boasts a remarkable resemblance to stinging nettle, aside from its striking purple flowers. The figure of speech "to grasp the nettle" probably originated from Aesop's fable "The Boy and the Nettle". This title Urtica comes ab urendo, from burning. Stinging nettle is an herbaceous plant and often grows to about 2 metres (6.5 feet) in height. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. These small hollow spines pierce human skin and inject small amounts of formic acid. The most important consideration for harvesting nettle is NOT to eat it after it flowers in late spring. [50] Fibre varieties are normally cloning varieties and therefore planted from vegetative propagated plantlets. In 2012, archaeologists in Denmark discovered scraps of a 2800-year-old Bronze Age burial shroud that were made of wild nettles. In the spring, I pick the leaves and steep them in hot water for a wonderful tasting tea/elixir. Whorls of pink-purple flowers clustered amongst leaves towards the top of the plant. It spreads by abundant seeds and also by rhizomes, and is often able to survive and re-establish quickly after fire. Then strain and drink. Stinging nettle soup (aka Incredible Hulk soup) topped with garden-fresh hyssop, purple kale, bronze fennel, and flowering broccoli florets. I should mention, too, that the best way to pick nettle is with scissors and rubber dishwashing gloves, since they're long enough to cover part of your arms and wrist. [53], Carotenoids can be found primarily in the leaves, where different forms of lutein, xanthophyll and carotene are present (Table 2). [74], "Stinging nettle" redirects here. ), but are “dead” due to their lack of sting (Grieve, 1931/1971). It is less widespread in southern Europe and north Africa, where it is restricted by its need for moist soil, but is still common. Or for a stronger brew, make an infusion by loosely filling a Mason jar with nettle leaves, cover with boiling water, cover the jar, and let steep overnight. A Wood Nettle leaf. You can also dry and store nettle leaves for later use in capsules or tea, but dried nettle is far inferior to fresh or frozen. It is also eaten by the larvae of some moths including angle shades, buff ermine, dot moth, the flame, the gothic, grey chi, grey pug, lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing, mouse moth, setaceous Hebrew character, and small angle shades. [46], Historically, nettles have been used to make clothing for almost 3,000 years, as ancient nettle textiles from the Bronze Age have been found in Denmark. In Dutch, a netelige situatie means a predicament. 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