Stinging Nettle / Urtica Dioica

Stinging Nettles

Urtica Dioica

    I have heard of nettles referred to as the most nutritious plant in the world. While I'm skeptical of this claim, I have no doubt that this is way up there on the list. It's loaded with protein, vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, manganese and calcium.
    Stinging nettle is fairly abundant near any water source or wetlands that has plenty of sun. The plant consists of a single grooved stalk with opposing leaves alternating up to the top and grows in colonies connected by it's root structure.

    If you have any doubts about whether or not it's a stinging nettle, just touch it. That should make for a fairly positive ID. There is actually another look alike that will sting as well, but it is also a nettle and edible in the same way, though not nearly as nutritious. As I understand it there are no poisonous look alikes and definitely none that sting.
    The stings come from small hallow hairs that act like hypodermic needles and inject histamine, serotonin and other chemical compounds that trick the nervous system in feeling pain, though the histamines can cause inflammation, the actual damage to the body is minimal, though the sting can last days with some of the species.

    The plant is best when it's still under a foot tall, at that point all the leaves will be tender. Though even later in the year when the plant reaches it's full 5 - 7 feet, you still eat the younger leaves at the top without worrying about the leaves becoming tough and bitter.

    Cooking the leaves in just about any manner will remove the stinging from the plant. After hitting boiling water for a few seconds, a few seconds over a fire (both sides) or even soaking them in water for several hours will allow the plant to be handled or eaten without discomfort. The taste is something along the line of spinach, though that might just be because I usually boil them.
    Besides being boiled or steamed, the leaves can be singed and used in a salad or dried to be used as a nutritious tea or seasoning you can use to add vitamins and it's unique taste to any meal later on.
    The outer layer or 'bark' if you will is full of long fibers that makes strong cordage and has even been used to make fabric for thousands of years.

    Nettles have long been used for arthritis treatment and is supposedly good for people with allergies, making a tea out of dried stinging nettle supposedly helps with allergies by acting as a natural anti histamine. Though there have been many claims for the medicinal uses of nettle. If you're interest in them, check here.