Stinging nettle

The plant has exclusive gynoecium- or stamen flowers (Dioeciously). The plant flowers from June to October with in clusters of hanging flowers.
The large stinging nettle has a square, bushy stem that can become 2 meters high.
The plant is general occurring and is to be found near roads, edges of the wood and neglected gardens. The plant thrives nearly everywhere but has a preference for a good fertilised soil as by compost hills or at the edge of a field.

Stinging nettle has green, strongly zigzag leaves which are downy at the bottom.
The most important characteristic of the stinging nettle is that it is covered with fire hairs. This are fine hollow hairs, that when they breaks, give a burning feeling at the break point. The hairs contain formic acid and other compounds that cause blisters, burning spots and itch on the skin.

The name Urtica dioica comes from the Latin uro or "I burn", what refers to the pricking character of the plant, and dioica or 2 houses that refers to the separation of the masculine and feminine plants. The English name is originating from the Anglo-Saxon and diverted by the word noedl or needle.

The plant became used for many purposes one used the stiff fibre matters for weaving tissue. This was immortalized by Hans Christian Andersen in the fairy-tale of the princess and the 11 swans: the coats that they had to make for them before dawn was made of stinging nettles. The plant was also used for the production of paper. In 1835 the herbalist Vogel discovered, after a visit to the Native Americans, that stinging nettle cured patients from scurvy.

As a medicine, the herb and the root are used.

Working and character.
Blood purifying, blood stopping, weak drainer, anti-allergic, nutritiously.

Indications.
- Skin problems, like eczema
- Allergic disorders, like hay fever and asthma.
- During menstruation to light heavy bleedings.
- For an enlarged prostate (use therefore the root).

Application.
Drink of a tea 2 times daily 2 decilitre and of the root decoction daily 2 dl. Take in of the tincture 3 times daily 3 ml (60 drops). Process the young tops of the leaf in a soup. Use the soup as a daily tonic.

There are also capsules of stinging nettle available, click for that here.

The working in the body.
Although the stinging nettle is known for its pricking working, it does not have this effect after it has been exposed to heat as to boil it, by the preparation of tea. Ironically enough it becomes used for skin problems, like eczema and related allergies. Stinging nettle has also astringent and blood stopping properties and can because of that be applied against bleedings caused by wounds or during the menstruation. The presence of vitamin C and iron make the herb arranged as a tonic against anaemia and against an iron deficiency. The root becomes used to treat an enlarged prostate. Stinging Nettle juice and tea are useful drinks when you are pregnant or give breast-feeding. The juice and the tea are beneficial by gout and arthritis.

External use.
- Rub by stiff joints the painful place with fresh stinging nettle leaf.
- Snuff by a bleeding nose fresh Stinging Nettle juice.
- Make a compress against burnings.
- The oil-extract is beneficial by inflamed psoriasis.
- Use the tea or tincture as a rinse against losing hair and a dry head skin.

Many insects feed themselves with stinging nettle like butterflies and bees. The fibre can be woven for tissue. The leaves give a green dye and the roots a yellow dye.
The small stinging nettle (Urtica urens) becomes used in the homeopathy by Urticaria. The young top leaves can be boiled and be eaten the whole year like spinach or as a soup. Boiled stinging nettles do not stick. See also culinary.

Bitters matter (cnicine), Tannins, mucus matter, ethereal oil (little), chlorophyll, classified (for instance: histamine and serotonine), acetylcholine, vitamin C, beta carotene, iron, potassium Calcium, sulphur, manganese, silicon and dietary fibre.

For some people, irritation can act. If this is for you the case, stop then with the use.
Do not eat ripe raw plants, this is bad for the liver.
Be carefully when picking. The nettle hairs stick. A good remedy against the irritation caused by the stinging nettle is ground-ivy. Pick some leaves of the ground-ivy (that grows almost always in the neighbourhood) and rub this on the itching spot.

The young top leaves can be boiled eaten the whole year as a spinach or as a soup. Boiled stinging nettles do not stick.

Requisites.
Stinging nettles (if they are older, only use the tops)
Thin bacon cubes
Pasta (for instance Fusili)
Cream sauce
Grated cheese

Method.
Wash the stinging nettles well and chop them roughly.
Boil the pasta and bake the bacon cubes.
Add the stinging nettles to the bacon cubes and let it shrink (only a little remains from it, so use many stinging nettles)
Add the cream sauce and after that warm it a bit more.
Stir the boiled pasta through it and it is ready is to be served.
Add some grated cheese on your plate.

Many variations are possibilities for this recipe: add salami to the bacon use creme freche or cream culinary instead of the cream sauce.

The leaves and the height of the small stinging nettle are smaller than that of the large stinging nettle. The heights are 10 to 60 cm. The small stinging nettle has deeper/ larger saw tooth at the leaf then that of the large stinging nettle. The leaves are dark green and rather shining.

Literature

[1]. Britton, Jade & Kircher, Tamara; - Herbal Remedies - First edition; Marshall Editions (1998). ISBN 1840280719
[2]. Shaw, Non; - Herbalism: An Illustrated Guide - First edition; Element Books Ltd. (2000). ISBN 1862042241
[3]. Rüdt, U; - Therapeutic and poisonous plants - First edition; Zutphen: B. V. W. J. Thieme & Cie (1973). ISBN 90-03 94630 , 2
[4]. Mathijssen, Eugene;- Better knowledge is healthier life - First edition; Hema (1998).
ISBN 90389 0746x


Sponsored Links