Nettle
The Latin name for this plant derives from the Latin verb urere, meaning “to burn.” You’ll understand why if you’ve ever encountered nettle leaves! Sometimes you will be walking in the country and feel like you’ve been stung by a wasp or a bee, but there is no bug in sight. You may instead have been “burned” by the stinging hairs of a nettle bush. Native to Europe, Asia, and North America, the nettle is equipped with tiny hairs filled with stinging chemicals that are released when you touch them. Surprisingly, these compounds can actually bring relief to painful areas of the body. They have other promising medicinal uses, too, but in these cases you’ll want to cook or dry the plant to remove the sting before touching it!
Health Benefits
Nettle juice was prescribed as an external treatment for snakebites and scorpion stings some 2,000 years ago. It has also been used as a kidney tonic, for menstrual relief, as a diuretic, and as a treatment for certain respiratory disorders. Today it is generally used as a pain reliever for arthritis, for hay fever relief, and as a treatment for enlarged prostate.
A hundred or more chemicals have been identified in the nettle plant, including the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, serotonin, and histamine. If you’ve got arthritis, slapping your joints with these tiny needles that inject these chemicals into your skin induces a positive healing response. Nettle leaf can also relieve allergies because it contains a variety of flavonoids that have antihistamine effects.
The root of stinging nettle contains lectins and sterols, which may help with benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH). If the enlarged prostate gland presses on the tube that empties urine from the bladder (the urethra), symptoms can include reduced urinary flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder, post-urination dripping, and the constant urge to urinate. Studies have shown stinging nettle is comparable to finasteride, a medication commonly prescribed for enlarged prostate. However, scientists aren’t sure why nettle root reduces symptoms, since unlike finasteride, nettle does not decrease prostate size.
DIFFICULTY
Easy
HARDINESS
Perennial in zones 5 to 9
TIME TO PLANT
Spring
TIME TO HARVEST
Spring through first frost in fall
LOCATION
Full sun to shade
SOIL TYPE
Rich, moist
Growing
Stinging nettle is an invasive weed. It’s rarely planted by homeowners and usually removed when it’s discovered. While nettles are useful in herbal remedies and even produce edible greens, they don’t have much else going for them. They take over any area where they grow, touching them will give you a temporary rash, and they can’t be controlled by animals like rabbits or mice, as their stinging features protect them from furry friends. Even insects don’t like them! I suggest you avoid planting them in the garden. Go out and steal them instead.
Common Varieties: There are several subspecies, but since you’re not likely to be buying seeds or transplants, you don’t need to worry about these. Just learn to identify the stinging nettle by sight.
PLANT
Always wear gloves and long sleeves when dealing with nettles. The tiny hairs are loaded with irritants that cause a burning or a stinging sensation that lasts for hours. Keep them away from kids!
If you ignore my advice and plant stinging nettle in the garden, divide an existing plant in spring, when the soil is workable. (Never divide a plant on a hot, dry day. The best days are overcast with a forecast of rain.) With a garden fork, remove a clump of nettles. Separate using a sharp spade or knife, ensuring sections have at least 3 to 5 eyes (sprouts). Plant the sections in a hole with good soil, making sure the finished new division will be just above ground level. Water well until established and continue with deep infrequent watering through the season.
GROW
Nettles don’t enjoy drought and require watering when the sun shines for lengthy periods. As long as they have enough water, they will thrive.
I can’t stress this enough: Nettles are stubborn weeds. If you choose to grow them in your garden, your biggest challenge will be containing them. You should remove the flower heads before they set seed, but even then you will find new nettles spreading outside your designated clump. Get rid of them immediately: Any time you find a nettle sprouting where you don’t want it, tear it out, removing all the foliage and the bulk of the root system. Nettle is related to mint, and like that herb, it should be planted in a contained area of the garden, restricting roots and stems from spreading elsewhere.
HARVEST
The tender shoots of nettles can be harvested anytime during the growing season, but the best time is the spring, when growth is freshest. Harvest nettles before they set seed or flower for maximum flavour. In mid-morning, when the dew has dried, cut the tender foliage (select upper leaves no wider than 5 cm/2 inches) with a sharp knife or scissors. Remember to wear gloves! Don’t worry, the sting disappears once the leaves are cooked or dried.
Plants are amazing at protecting themselves! Just as nettles have a built-in mechanism (those itchy hairs!) to protect themselves against predators, other plants fight back in different ways. Roses have thorns, rhubarb has toxic leaves, and cactuses have spikes, all with the purpose of preventing the plant from getting eaten.
STORE
Wrap fresh nettle leaves in paper towel, place loosely in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for up to a week. They can also be dried like many leafy herbs. You can either hang them or place them on drying trays out of direct light (see “Drying Herbs at Home” on page 365). After drying, store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place.
Put It to Work
Painful joints? Rub nettles where it hurts!
This application may sting, but that’s the point! Simply rubbing nettle leaves on a painful joint can cause a numbing rash that lasts 6 to 24 hours, and should lead to less pain and reduced inflammation over time. Many people with joint pain caused by arthritis swear by it! Apply up to twice a day, morning and night.
Enlarged prostate? Take this tincture!
A few drops of this tincture may provide relief from the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
Don a pair of gloves and fill a large resealable jar (like a Mason jar) with nettle leaf tops (this is the fresh, new growth at the top of the plant, not the large lower leaves). Still wearing gloves, rinse and, using a sharp knife, chop them into small pieces. Transfer the chopped nettle to a clean jar. Cover with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of vodka (at least 80 proof). Place wax paper over the jar and then screw the lid on tightly to seal it. Shake the jar well. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 1 month, shaking the jar vigorously every day.
After a month has passed, using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, strain the liquid into a sterile glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid (discard solids).
Add 1 teaspoon of the tincture to 2 ounces of water. Take 3 times daily for 3 months, and then once a day as a maintenance dose. The tincture will keep in a cool, dark place for at least a year.
Hay fever? Drink this infusion!
If you’re suffering from the misery of hay fever, a nettle infusion (tea) can bring relief. Put a handful of nettle leaves (including the stems is fine) in a teapot or other container and top with boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a cup and drink (hot or cold) 3 times daily for 2 weeks prior to and during allergy season.
Weak kidneys? Sip some nettle soup!
Nettle tops are a great spinach alternative. They can be added to soups and casseroles, or steamed on their own with a bit of butter and sea salt.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, your condition needs serious medical care and proper diet to avoid further damage or even total renal failure. Nettle may help! To make this dish, you’ll need to pick the tender tops of the nettle plants (at a leaf intersection). They are the youngest, softest part of the plant.
This is a twist on French onion soup. It’s low in sodium and very light on the cheese to keep it kidney friendly.
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 sweet onions, sliced
Garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
4 cups fresh nettle tops
½ cup brandy or vermouth
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup grated Asiago cheese
¼ cup sliced chives
Heat the butter and oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions and season with garlic powder and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the maple syrup and reduce the heat to low. Add the nettle tops, stir well, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions have caramelized and the nettle is wilted. Add the brandy. Increase the heat to high and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid evaporates. Add the chicken broth, reduce the heat to a simmer, and season with more garlic powder and pepper, if desired.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese and garnish with sliced chives.
Fast Forward
Fast forward to the health food store to purchase Restorative Formulations Prosta Px or equivalent. Follow the instructions on the label.
Cautions
Fresh stinging nettle leaves can cause localized rash, itching, and stinging. This often presents like an allergic reaction, but there are no known reports of systemic allergies from this plant.
Dried or cooked nettle leaf is generally well tolerated, but the root can occasionally cause gastrointestinal complaints, sweating, and skin rash.
