Nettle, Stinging

Plant: Urtica dioica or nettle, is a herbaceous perennial. It is part of the Urticaceae family. Nettles like full fun and fertile disturbed soil. We grow our nettles from seeds. If it stings you, you know what it is!

Parts used: Aerial parts, root ( Hoffman 2003)

Constituents: Chlorophyll, indoles (histamine, serotonin) acetylcholine, vitamin C ( Hoffman 2003)

Actions: Astringent, diuretic, tonic (Hoffman 2003)

Energetics: Neutral and nourishing ( Easley and Horne 2016)

Traditional Medicine: In 1st century CE, Greek physician Dioscorides used fresh nettle leaves in a plaster for septic wounds. Contemporary uses are for hay fever, osteoarthritis and as a nourishing tonic.

Safety considerations: extremely safe. The plant will sting you.