The Story of Stinging Nettle

My brother and I used to ride our red wagon down a hill, at the bottom of which was a sizeable patch of stinging nettle. Despite our parents’ warning, the inevitable happened, and we both took a tumble into the nettles. The resulting stinging rash made me carefully avoid any further encounters with this plant.

A few years ago, however, I donned rubber gloves to harvest some young nettles from a friend’s property. Ironically, this stinging plant is also a favoured spring edible that can be used as a nutritious substitute for spinach. Once harvested, it can be steamed or dried to remove the sting. Eating the steamed greens, or sipping nettle tea can offer many health benefits.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is native to North America. The genus name “Urtica” comes from the Latin word “uro” meaning “to burn.” Nettle has square stems, and leaves that are positioned opposite each other. The leaves are coarsely toothed, and may be narrow or broadly oval or heart-shaped, with pointed tips. Drooping clusters of small greenish-purple flowers can be seen at the leaf axils.

The leaves, particularly the undersides, are covered with stinging hairs. Each hollow hair arises from a small gland that produces the chemicals acetylcholine, histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine. When one brushes against the nettle, the brittle tips of the hairs are broken off, and the plant’s toxic secretions immediately contact the skin. A slight brush with a nettle will result in a stinging redness that lasts for about an hour. With repeated exposure, the burning can last for several days.

A paste made with water and baking soda, or the juice of a dock leaf (which may or may not be handy), are effective ways to relieve the sting. Though unpleasant, nettle stings are usually not serious, and never result in death, though dogs have been known to succumb in cases of extreme contact. If you are off to harvest some nettles, it might be best to leave the dogs at home.

Nettle is a perennial, which dies down in the winter and reappears in the spring. It and can cover large areas, growing from one-three metres high, and spreads by horizontal, underground stems called rhizomes. Nettle prefers moist, nitrogen-rich soil, but can also tolerate some dryness. It often grows in woodlands, along streamsides, and may form thickets over avalanche tracks and floodplains. Nettles also like disturbed areas, such as barnyards, abandoned house-sites, and roadside ditches. Former First Nations village sites and middens are often grown over with nettles. Archibald Menzies (1754-1842), famed explorer and naturalist, made note of this during his expeditions along the Pacific Coast.

Stinging nettle is common in North America, and is abundant in Northern Europe and much of Asia. For centuries, nettle has been used as a herbal remedy for a long list of ailments, including arthritis, anemia, hay fever and kidney problems. It is also used to stop bleeding, being high in vitamin K. Nettles are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and other elements. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, and D.

Nettle is used as an ingredient in hair shampoos, as it makes hair glossy and helps control dandruff. Farmers often add a handful of dried nettles to feed, to keep animals’ coats healthy.

Nettles should be harvested when they are young, prior to flowering. Tea can be made from leaves fresh or dried. It can also be steamed as a potherb, and can be used to replace cooked spinach in many recipes. Like all herbs, some caution should be taken when using this plant, which may not be suitable for everyone. If in doubt, it is best to check with a health practitioner or herbalist.

The fibrous stems of stinging nettle were an important source of fibre for First Nations peoples, and were used to make twine for fish nets and snares. In Europe, fibres from stinging nettles were woven into a linen-like fabric. The Germans used stinging nettle to make fabric for army bandages and clothing during the First World War, when cotton supplies ran low.

Apart from human use, stinging nettles are also important ecologically. The Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, a beautiful butterfly native to our region, depends upon stinging nettle as a primary food plant during its larval stage.

According to author C.P. Lyons “The chances are that a person will first discover stinging nettle the hard way…” Hopefully, newcomers to our area, and those who have not yet come across this plant, will learn to recognize and respect stinging nettle, and teach their children to do likewise. One doesn’t have to find out “the hard way” as I did many years back.

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