Stinging nettle

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), also known as common nettle or nettle leaf, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America, and is known for its stinging hairs that cover the plant and can cause an irritating rash when touched.

Description

The Stinging Nettle is a dioecious (having separate male and female plants) herbaceous perennial, growing to 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in–6 ft 7 in) tall in the summer and dying back to the ground in winter. It has widely spreading rhizomes and stolons, which are bright yellow, as are the roots. The soft, green leaves are 3–15 cm (1–6 in) long and are borne oppositely on an erect, wiry, green stem. The leaves have a strongly serrated margin, a cordate base, and an acuminate tip with a terminal leaf tooth longer than adjacent laterals. It bears small, greenish or brownish, numerous flowers in dense axillary inflorescences.

Distribution and habitat

Stinging Nettle is found in abundance in northern Europe and much of Asia, usually in the countryside. It is less widespread in southern Europe and north Africa, where it is restricted by its need for moist soil. In North America, it is widely distributed in Canada and the United States, where it is found in every province and state except for those in the far south.

Uses

Stinging nettle has a long history of use as a medicinal plant and is still used in herbal medicine today. In its most common form, the plant is cooked and eaten, but it can also be used to make tea, soup, or even a type of cheese. The plant has been used medicinally for centuries to treat a variety of conditions including arthritis, anemia, hay fever, kidney problems, and pain.

Cultivation

Cultivation of stinging nettle is relatively easy as the plant is highly adaptable to various soils and climates. It prefers rich soil with good drainage and a position in full sun or partial shade. The plant can be propagated by seed in spring or by division during the growing season.

See also

• Urticaceae
• Herbal Medicine
• Perennial Plants