Description:
Stinging nettle, also know as common nettle, is a weedy perennial that can grow up to a height of 2 meters tall. It has widely spreading rhizomes which are typically bright yellow as well as the roots. The soft green leaves are borne from a wiry, erect stem and the tiny green or white flowers form in clusters in the crux of where the leaf meets the stalk. The underside of the leaves are covered in tiny trichomes that are irritating to the skin which give stinging nettles its name.
For those of you who are into hiking and all that outdoorsy shit, you’re probably familiar with stinging nettles and you probably think they suck. However, this seemingly shitty, invasive weed has a long history of human use; ranging from practical applications to things that sound just plain stupid. When the Romans first invaded England, soldiers would flog themselves with nettle branches to keep warm during the winter and remind themselves of the apparently burning, itchy climate of their beloved homeland. Even though this kinda makes sense seeing that the classic nettle sting draws blood to area of contact, it’s still the perfect example of how much life sucked back then. Seriously though, if you have to whip yourself with stinging plants just to feel comfortable in a foreign country, maybe it’s not worth invading.
Growing habits:
Common nettle is native to Eurasia but has spread all throughout the world. It can be found pretty much anywhere throughout both the east and west coast of the United states but is relatively scarce throughout the central parts. Nettles do best in rich, damp soil and can be found near streams and riverbeds where they can have access to full sunlight. They can be propagated from seeds, cuttings and root divisions. The tiny seeds usually germinate in about 14 days but the root system spreads so quickly that new shoots will sprout up before you know it. If you’re intentionally trying to grow any variety of Nettles there’s really not much you gotta do. Just give it some rich soil and make sure it gets enough water and you’re set. If it escapes into the rest of your garden, which it will, it’s not impossible to get rid of but it will spread like a motherfucker. So just make sure you keep it in check. If making it spread like a motherfucker is what you’re going for then you can cut it back three or four times to promote new growth and encourage new shoots to sprout up.
Therapeutic uses: Diuretic, Arthritis, Allergies, Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Nettles are most commonly used as a diuretic so if you got trouble pissing then this plant’s for you. This is actually kinda funny though because studies have shown that Nettle Root Extract may actually slow, or even stop the growth of the prostate. Though more studies need to be done, it is thought that the lignans, polysaccharides and lectins in nettle root might be responsible for this as well as it’s mild anti-inflammatory effects. Other compounds in nettles may interfere with the conversion of testosterone through an enzyme called aromatase. Not only can this help with an enlarged prostate, but it can also explain why nettles have been used for hundreds of years as a treatment for male pattern baldness
The leaves, which are the most commonly used part of the plant, can provide relief from seasonal allergies and osteoarthritis. The leaves also contain a shitload of nutrients and minerals including vitamins A, B, C along with lots of calcium and Iron. The high concentration of Iron has been thought to be helpful alongside other medications in the treatment of anemia. The nutritional value of nettles makes it a good addition to soups and salads, so long as the plant is boiled long enough to make sure it doesn’t sting the shit out of the inside of your mouth. Nettles are known to support healthy flow of lymph throughout the body and regular consumption of a nettle tea can be good for skin ailments and to tonify the lymph nodes.
The hair like trichromes of the plant contain formic acid, which is similar to what you would find in bee stings. This could explain how a lot of people report having good results treating areas of their bodies that suffer from nerve damage with the application of fresh nettle leaves. Now, this is gonna suck the first couple of times that you do it. However, after busting her ankle during X games ‘15 (and yes, X games is still going on), my homegirl Xandra swears that rubbing fresh nettle leaves on her foot brought a lot of the feeling back into it after it healed improperly. Again, there still needs to be more studies done for this but I know Xandra and that chick doesn’t fuck around.
Chad’s Personal recipes: Nettle Pesto
Ingredients: 3 cups fresh nettle leaves, 4 garlic cloves, ¾ cup pine nuts, ¼ cup olive oil, ½ tsp sea salt, 1 tbs lemon juice, ¾ parmesan or asiago cheese, shredded (optional)
Put a pot of water on and when its boiling dump the fresh nettles in for just one minute. Strain well and get as much of the water out as possible. Add nettles to blender or food processor. Add garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice and cheese if you’re feelin’ it. Pulse until it’s smooth and creamy and salt to taste. Enjoy!
This shit is actually hella bomb. I whipped some up during the Greek-Night-Fraternity-Mixer back at U of P and no one was able to tell that I made it out of some plants I picked in the park. Well, I guess Donny G-String could, but that dude is practically blind and lost most of his hearing by going to too many desert raves. So, I guess his taste buds got super sensitive to compensate for the more practical senses that got fucked up from house music and laser beams.