Common nettle - Urtica dioica

Edible plant - novice Season - March to November ​ Common names common nettle, stinging nettle, California nettle, nettle, nettle leaf, perennial nettle, stinger

Scientific name meaning: Urtica is Latin in origin and means “to burn”. The Greek originating Dioica means "of two houses" and refers to nettle plants being either male or female.

Habitat

Wasteground, woodland, hedgerows, roadsides, gardens anywhere with nutrient rich soil. Tends to avoid highly acidic areas. It is found in most temperate regions, and at higher altitudes in tropical climates.

Overall structure

The individual plants are tall and leggy - reaching over 1m tall. However, the common nettle often grows in large patches or clumps making it appear dense an bushy. It is perennial and forms a dense mat of roots.

Leaves

The rich green leaves occur in opposing pairs along the length of the square stem. Each pair is on alternate side of the stem. They are heart-shaped (cordate), have heavily serrated edges and are hairy. Specialised sting hairs are found all over the leaf but are particularly concentrated on the stem and underside. They cause pain then intense itching to skin on contact.

Stem

The four-sided (square) stem is green but often tinged with deep maroon-purple, especially on the edges. It is extremely fibrous and covered with hairs and a small number of stings.

Flowers

Nettle plants are dioecious, meaning the plants are either male or female. The flowers appear from late April and resemble small balls of pale-green pilling on long stalks. The flower stalks emerge from the leaf nodes - one stalk from each face of the stem. Male flowers tend to stick out horizontally, while female flowers bend diagonally downwards.

Seeds

The seeds only appear on female plants and cause the flower stalks to bend almost vertically as they grow and mature. Starting off green and similar in shape to a bishop's mitre, they mature to brown. The weight off the seeds will often cause the entire plant to bend over by late summer.

​Possible lookalikes

The small nettle (Urtica urens), which is annual, looks very similar to the common nettle but is much smaller. It is also edible but less nutritious. Dead nettles - such as the white dead nettle (Lamium album), pictured - bear a resemblance to common nettles. However, these have larger petalled flowers and do not have stings.

Use as a food Common nettle is widely thought of as one of the most nutritious foods in the world. It is rich in minerals and vitamins, has a high protein content and is easily digestible.

The sting needs to be neutralised by heat or extreme cold before consumption, and only young leaves should be consumed (see Hazards).

Young leaves can be used like any other green and included in soups, pestos, stews, and breads, or used as a side dish. They can also be used to make a cordial, jelly, or syrup. 

A decoction of the leaves is useful as a rennet substitute in cheese making, and beer can be made from young nettle shoots. The leaves, used either fresh or dry, make a herbal infusion.

Nettles are a cut and come again plant, so cutting down before flowering will encourage regrowth of more young leaves ​ Use in herbal medicine and medicine Common nettle has had many uses in herbal medicine including the treatment of hay fever, skin irritation, eczema, heavy menstruation, anaemia, arthritis, gout, neuralgia, haemorrhoids, rheumatism, acne, gout, chickenpox rash, urinary disorders and enlarged prostate. 

There are various ways the treatments have been administered including consumption as a tea, decoction, tincture, foodstuff, or infusion, or by using the stings themselves directly on the affected area.

If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.

Hazards Older leaves, including those appearing after flowering, should not be consumed as these contain cystoliths – small gritty particles that irritate the kidneys. 

It is also thought common nettle can interfere with diabetes, hypertension, depression, central nervous system, and mellitus medications. So, it should be avoided in large quantities by people taking those types of medicine.

Large amounts of common nettle should be avoided in early pregnancy. It is often found in pregnancy teas and should be consumed in moderation until the second trimester, after which time it larger amounts can be consumed

Other uses Common Nettle has strong fibres and is used to make cordage by bushcrafters. It has also been used to make sacks, ship sails, and clothing ​ Importance to other species Common nettle supports many species, including around 50 species of insect incorporating many butterflies. It also attracts aphids, which are in turn fed on by ladybird larvae

Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!

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