Stinging Nettle is not just there to give your skin a sting when you walk by it in fact it has some great uses. We have nettle growing right out back here and it is perfect for its nutritional value and medicinal properties. Let’s dig a little deeper in how you can work with it and properly identify it.
Identification:
It is a perennial which grows about 3-8 feet tall. Typically you do not see this plant in the winter and it is dioecious and herbaceous. The leaves are heart shaped or oval shaped. The leaves are around 1-4 inches ling and are opposite one another on a square stem. Both the leaves and the stems are very hairy when you look up close. Some may have stinging hairs while others might not sting.
There are many flowers which appear in June and remain through September. The are usually greenish growing in clusters. The male and female flowers grow on separate plants or branches. You will find nettle in a place where there is a good amount of rainfall with a place where the soil is moist. Our own nettle grows rich by the edge of the creek we have and all along the creek line.
Uses:
Only eat stinging nettle leaves before the flowers appear. Beyond that time they can cause major irritation to your internal mucous membranes especially the urinary tract. Some people cook with stinging nettle as it has a slightly same taste as spinach. You can also eat the leaves raw by folding them but most would prefer to dip them in water before eating or cooking them to get that sting out.
The seeds are also edible.
If you dry the leaves and the flowers, they make a really nice herbal tea.
You can also make a tincture with the leaves (this is my favorite) and use them throughout the season for allergies.
I usually dry the nettle on a drying rack, use what I want for the tincture and sell it to people who need it through my apothecary. The rest I store for tea during the winter months as it is very high in minerals.
Tea recipe
This is an easy and fast way to get the nutrients of nettles into your system on a daily basis. Pour one cup of boiling water over 1 tbsp of dried nettle leaves and let it steep covered for about 10 min. I also like to steep nettles overnight for a stronger infusion that I drink throughout the day so I do not have to keep steeping the tea throughout the day.
To do this you simply boil the amount of water that you want to drink the next day (usually about a mason jar full 24 oz or 800 ml) and pour the boiling water over 2 tbsp in a saucepan to steep overnight. The next day strain the nettle and transfer tea into mason jar to drink throughout the day.
Medicine purposes
As stated before, this is a popular herb for allergy relief. For this particular purpose you can use nettle along with raw local honey. I always like to use a nettle tincture which I make for my clients when they work with me on allergies, but it also keeps for a long time so if you make it yourself you can have it throughout the seasons.
Nettle has anti inflammatory properties and is also very helpful and used for gout, eczema, sprains and arthritis.
Other Uses
Toxins: In Germany nettles is used for inflammation against rheumatoid arthritis. Taking it as a tincture is best but if you are using it externally you can use the tincture with a few drops on a cotton pad and place it over a painful joint. If you have a sprain or an injury nettle can work really well in reestablishing nerve communication and helps to repair those hurt joints.
Bites and burns: When you or a loved one has a bite or a burn, you can use nettle as a double infusion to help you along the healing process. It is very simple to make a double infusion, all you have to do is do the initial infusion first with boiled cup of water and around 2 tbsp of nettle. Steep it for about 10-15 min and let it cool down completely. Then once the water is cooled down you can rinse the wound with the nettle tea or dip a washcloth in it and put it over the effected area.
Swelling and Anemia: For these types of conditions it is best to work with a fresh nettle plant by soaking the whole plant and then blending it into a juice.
Hair: Apple cider vinegar rinses are popular but other traditions also use herbal rinses for shine and this is one plant that is used. Pair nettle with rosemary and horsetail in an infusion and let the water cool down completely. After your hair care in the shower use the infusion as the final rinse for your hair.
Menstrual issues: If you have heavy bleeding, this herb as a tea every day of your menstrual cycle is worth the try.
Eczema: Both regular tincture use and tea infusions can be helpful in eczema and skin inflammations.
Final thoughts
As you can see this herb that grows pretty abundantly is very useful to harvest and have on hand. There are many uses for it and it is fairly safe. Always consult your doctor if you are planning on adding any new herbs to your wellness routine or have any special circumstances such as blood pressure issues are pregnant or on any medications.
If you need help figuring out how to incorporate nettle into your life or would like a tincture blend specially made for your circumstance, do not hesitate to reach out and schedule a free consultation.
God bless you and yours
Krystina
