Nettles
Urtica dioica
perennialFunctions
Pollination & Flowering
Pollination requirement
Dioecious (needs male & female)
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Flower colour
- Green, inconspicuous
- Value to pollinators
- Low
Attracts
Plant Monograph
Nettles create naturalistic effects in wild gardens and woodland edges. Their tall, upright growth (3-7 feet) provides vertical structure and screening. Despite their sting, they're valuable in permaculture designs and wildlife gardens. They indicate fertile, nitrogen-rich soil and work well in damp, shaded areas where other plants struggle.
Design Role
Nettles create naturalistic effects in wild gardens and woodland edges. Their tall, upright growth (3-7 feet) provides vertical structure and screening. Despite their sting, they're valuable in permaculture designs and wildlife gardens. They indicate fertile, nitrogen-rich soil and work well in damp, shaded areas where other plants struggle.
Herbalistic
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any plant medicinally.
Rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Traditional spring tonic for anemia and arthritis. The leaves are diuretic and anti-inflammatory, used for allergies, joint pain, and prostate health. Root extracts treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Harvested before flowering for optimal medicinal properties.
Kitchen
Young leaves (harvested with gloves) are nutritious when cooked, tasting like spinach but richer. Blanching removes the sting completely. Excellent in soups, risottos, pasta, and pesto. Makes nutritious tea when dried. Seeds are edible and nutritious. Traditional ingredient in nettle pudding, cheese-making, and beer brewing.
Ecology
Critical wildlife plant supporting over 40 insect species including Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, and Comma butterfly caterpillars. Dense stands provide nesting sites for birds and shelter for small mammals. Deep roots mine nutrients and improve soil. Natural fertilizer when composted or made into liquid feed.
Identification
Never consume a plant based solely on written descriptions or illustrations. Consult a local botanist when in doubt.
Perennial with square stems and opposite, heart-shaped leaves with prominent serrated edges. Leaves and stems covered in hollow, silica-tipped stinging hairs. Small green-white flowers hang in clusters from leaf axils. Spreads via yellow rhizomes. Distinguished from dead-nettles by the obvious sting and square stem.
Building & Timber
Stems provide strong, hemp-like fiber historically used for cloth, rope, and paper. Processed like flax, nettle fiber is finer than hemp and comparable to cotton in quality. During WWI, Germany used nettle fiber for uniforms when cotton was scarce.
Curiosities
The sting contains formic acid, histamine, and serotonin. The phrase 'grasp the nettle' means to tackle something boldly - firm grasping actually minimizes stings. Nettle eating championships exist in England.