Nettle

Nettle is a good plant to learn about before coming across it in the wild. Beginning in early spring large patches can be found in most undeveloped areas. Knowing how to identify this plant could save you from getting stung by the tiny hairs on the stems and undersides of the leaves. There are several other plants that look similar which often grow near nettle. With a bit of experience you'll be able to spot it from a distance though. In early spring the plant will be low to the ground with a unique display of leaves. By mid summer the plants can be as tall 6 feet! They tend to grow in large clusters and will "dance" around gracefully in the breeze. Leaves will be larger at the bottom and smaller towards the top. In a breeze they bob around and appear to be waving. The dark green leaves grow off of square, reddish stems and have a unique, heart-like shape.

Nettle is a nutritional powerhouse high in minerals and chlorophyll. It's a wonderful all-around tonic herb. Despite the dark green color, an infusion of this herb tastes milky. Many children love the taste and, if offered a tumbler of it to drink instead of milk or sugary juices, will benefit from the easily assimilative vitamins and minerals this herb offers. Nursing mothers appreciate this herb as well. A daily infusion is said to help regulate milk production and help ensure a rich supply of nutritious breast milk, while providing increased stamina for new mothers. In the spring you can gather the new tops and steam as you would spinach. (Try them with a dash of vinegar.) In early summer, cut and hang the longer stems and leaves in a well-ventilated place until completely dry.

Magickal Uses:

Nettles are an herb of consecration. One of the traditional rites of consecration for an athame calls for Nettles to be added to the herbal wash into which the heated blade is plunged. Nettles are associated with the ability to dispel darkness. Taken as a Magickal tea they are not only good for the body but also good for the spirit. The old lore regarding combining Nettles with Yarrow to help one take heart against deep fears makes this mixture an excellent Magickal remedy. Some use Nettles as an herbal Magick to assist fishing.

Medicinal and Other Uses:

The best known use of Nettles is in the treatment of gout and other rheumatic conditions. Nettles are a histamine, and are used for hay fever, especially for allergic sneezing and itchy eyes, ears, and throats. (Recently a randomized, double blind, clinical trial has shown the usefulness of Nettles in the treatment of allergic rhinitis or hayfever) Stinging Nettles are also used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Nettles are rich in Protein, Iron, and Vitamins A and C. (Because of their rich nutritional content, nettles have traditionally been given to anemic, exhausted, debilitated or recuperating people as soups or teas) Its high quantity of silicon has made Nettles highly useful in stimulating hair growth, improving the condition of the hair and skin, and treating dandruff. Nettles have been used internally and externally to treat eczema. Nettle juice has been used as an astringent or styptic to stop bleeding and to treat wounds. A decoction of the leaves or the expressed juice has been shown to mobilize uric acid from the joints and eliminate it through the kidneys. A poultice of the leaves reportedly alleviates pain due to inflammation, and the dried powdered leaves are used to stop nosebleed. Nettles are used as an astringent, diuretic, kidney ally, expectorant, laxative, lithotriptic, anti-purine, tonic, circulatory stimulant, and they promote milk flow, lower blood sugar levels, and can help prevent scurvy. They help the kidney and adrenals, including the liver. Commercially, Nettles are a source of chlorophyll that yields a green dye. **WC** This herb should be collected when the flowers are in bloom, but be careful...the leaves of the plants have stinging hairs, causing irritation to the skin and a horrible stinging-burning sensation (Trust me, you don't want the experience). * There are at least 30 species of insects that feed on Nettles, and the caterpillars of several Lepidoptera species are dependant upon them for food. Also, male and female plants must be grown if seed is wanted for future planting.

NETTLE LEAF
Dry the leaf, grind to powder it, and sprinkle in the corner of your room to remove hexes and jinx, also used for breaking a spell.    

Stop That Sting!

People react differently to the sting of nettles but for the most part you can expect a painful stinging sensation that can last for hours. It doesn't do any damage but depending on the amount of exposure a nettle sting can be quite uncomfortable.

Fortunately, nature has provided sting relief in the form of another valuable herb called yellow dock, which can almost always be found growing near a stand of nettles. Should you get a sting look around for some dock leaves and rub the crushed leaves directly on the skin.This will relieve the pain almost instantly.

This article is presented for educational purposes and is not a recommendation of any kind for the use of this herb. Your doctor should be consulted before you begin to take any type of herb. Just because herbs are not classified as "drugs" does not mean that they are necessarily safe or that they might not interact with medication you may be taking

THE UNEXPECTED GIFTS OF STINGING NETTLE

by Carole Tashel

Occasionally, Ma Nature comes up with an extraordinarily useful plant. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one such plant. Though it’s feared, hated and underrated, every inch of the plant — root, leaf, stalk and seed — offers gifts. Learn to respect it, and it will go to work for you.

Nettle is often mistaken for a large mint, but a closer look reveals tiny hairs covering the leaves and stems. Brush lightly against the fresh plant (ouch!) and these hairs release skin irritants resulting in short-lived redness, a burning feeling and, though rarely, hives. So where’s the gift?

DYES, NETS, WINE AND CHEESE
Everywhere it grows, nettle has a long history of use. In addition to being valued as superior food and medicine, the plant formed part of the fabric of survival and cultural practices in many regions. Pounded stems yield strong fiber for fishing nets and cordage, as well as thread for a variety of fabrics — from fine, silky cloth to canvas. Leaves make a rich green dye, the roots a yellow dye. Tea acts like rennet, curdling milk in cheese making. Our forebears dined on nettle wine (or beer), and used concoctions made from the seeds to make their hair thick and sleek.

Nettle plays a dynamic role in the garden as well. The plant enlivens and conditions soil, speeds decomposition in compost heaps, and improves the health and vigor of plants. Just soak a handful of fresh nettle stalks (leaves attached) in a covered barrel of rainwater until it begins to ferment. Strain and use in a watering can or spray onto foliage.

Although nettle is most often found near streams, this highly adaptable plant can succeed in the drylands. Provide a northeast exposure, extra shade in June and July, and moderately rich, well-drained soil. Water deeply once or twice weekly. The creeping roots won’t damage foundations or septic lines, but they may be hard to eradicate once established, so be sure of your placement.

For garden use, gather nettles any time. If you want to eat them or make medicine, collect before they set seed. Don’t forget to dry some leaves for winter use. Now, about those stinging hairs: Just as cactus spines don’t stop enterprising people from eating tasty prickly pears, nettle hairs can be dealt with. Leather gloves and long sleeves make gathering nettles a cinch. Dry or cook the leaves, and the hairs are disarmed. Dry as you would yarrow or mint, then remove the leaves. Wear gloves, because the stems never lose their prickliness.

After the killing frost in the fall, cut nettles to the ground, and look forward to their return next spring. Do give something back to their soil (manure, compost or some cut nettles themselves), or eventually your nettle patch will sicken.

REAL FOOD
For me, nettle satisfies an almost cellular hunger; eating it the first time each spring approaches a religious experience. It is one of the highest known sources of protein in a leafy green, and offers a broad palette of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. Although nettle leaves are used exactly as you would spinach or chard, their rich, hearty flavor has much more pizzazz. They contain so much chlorophyll they nearly stain the pot green. (Indeed, leaves are used today as a commercial source of chlorophyll.) For the simplest preparation, simmer five minutes in a small amount of water; turn once during cooking. (I season mine with butter and tamari soy sauce.) Save the broth for a soup base, or savor it as a beverage.

HERBAL HEALTH INSURANCE
When nettle is used as fodder, chickens lay more eggs, cows produce more milk, and tired, drab horses become frisky and sport shinier coats. Is it surprising, then, that nettle does a few things for humans? This humble plant excels in an area modern pharmaceuticals can’t touch — keeping things working well so they don’t break down in the first place.

A restorative, tonifying herb, nettle vitalizes and normalizes glands and organs, purifies the blood and strengthens bones. In a paradoxical vein, juice or tea from fresh leaves soothes burns and stings — even nettle stings. Go figure. Though it increases nursing moms’ milk, it is also astringent, stopping inappropriate bleeding, drying up waterlogged lungs, etc. An alcohol extract of fresh leaves helps relieve hay fever. Because nettle promotes excretion of excess acids, it’s great for gouty, creaky joints and some skin conditions.

Regular use is like giving your body a new set of spark plugs. Of course, the best time for new plugs is after a lethargic winter of heavy foods. A mess of fresh nettle greens is the perfect spring tonic, when overwrought livers crave luxuriantly green food.

Daring souls may explore a startling option once prescribed by herbally- oriented doctors. “Urtication therapy” (stinging yourself with nettle intentionally) is similar to bee sting therapy. It awakens circulation, enlivens nerves and lymphatic flow, thereby easing congested, stiff areas (like arthritic joints). Any takers?

Really, for all the dread and fear, the occasional sting isn’t that terrible. Pain can be relieved instantly using antidote plants grown nearby. (Chew briefly and apply the moist plant to the area.) For example, try “self heal” (Prunella vulgaris), an attractive ground cover in the mint family. Those of scanty faith can keep Benadryl cream on hand.

If trying nettle sounds enticing to you, and you’re tempted to overdo a good thing, don’t. Overuse (more than two cups of tea a day) can dry you out. Keep in mind that no single remedy creates health — but in the meantime, inviting nettle into your life is an excellent beginning.

RESOURCES

Where to Get Nettle Seeds:
Johnny’s Selected Seeds, (800) 879-2258, www.johnnyseeds.com
Bountiful Gardens (707) 459-6410, www.bountifulgardens.org
Check with your local nurseries; they may be able to order nettle seedlings for you.

Where to Get Dried Organic Nettle Leaf:
Available on the Internet, at herb stores, and at most large health food stores.

Bedtime Reading:
Healing Wise, by Susun Weed, Ash Tree Publishing, Woodstock, 1989. Includes 25 pages devoted to nettle, including uses for leaves, seeds and root, and recipes for cooked greens.