The Complete Stinging Nettle

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Photo by Lester V. Bergman
The leaves of stinging nettle have fine hairs that irritate the skin for an hour or so. Aside from that, the plant is edible and has many potential uses.

My first impression of the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) was, I admit, not altogether positive. It happened when Michele and I were walking through the coastal British Columbia woods one spring, and upon brushing my way through a thicket I felt an unfamiliar itching, burning sensation on both hands. In the course of getting out of that patch of greenery, I was able to determine which particular group of plants was responsible for my discomfort. And when we arrived back at our home (by which time the stinging sensation was long gone), we dug out our trusty reference books and soon, in a wild foods field guide, identified my prickery assailant as a nettle.

I was surprised to learn that the herb is edible — and further, that the leaves are credited with being rich in iron, calcium, protein, vitamins A and C, chlorophyll, and mineral salts. However, despite the fact that the leafy plant sounded like some sort of super-food, my memory of those tiny, stinging hairs was still vivid enough to make me skeptical about eating the herb.

Michele didn’t share my reservations, though (after all, she hadn’t been stung!), and some nights later I found an unfamiliar cooked green on my dinner plate. The leaves were a rich, dark emerald color. Upon taking a somewhat hesitant taste, I found them to be succulent, with a spinach like flavor. I was surprised to note (since I had my suspicions) that there was no “sting” to the cooked leaves at all. “Nettles?” I asked. “Yep!” she answered.

We went on to forage the potherb often that spring, always being sure to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and gloves. And over the course of that and a number of the nettle seasons that followed, we’ve learned a good bit about how to find and use the stinging beauties. We’d like to share what we’ve discovered, and perhaps introduce other folks to one of the most versatile wild foods anywhere.

An Urtica Safari

  • Published on Mar 1, 1983
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