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The
common stinging nettle has long been used as a protective
herb. A vase of freshly cut nettles under a sickbed is supposed
to help the patient recover from whatever is ailing him or
her. Nettles sprinkled around the house will ward off evil.
Nettles tossed on to a fire will avert danger and carried
by hand will fend off ghosts. When carried with yarrow, nettles
will bestow courage. In ancient Ireland, nettles were known
as "The Devil's Apron".
Legend maintains that Roman soldiers, who used nettles for
"urtification," brought the plant to Britain. That
is, they beat themselves with the herb to encourage surface
blood circulation in an effort to keep warm in the dismal,
damp climate to which they had been banished.
The name nettle may originate with the Anglo-Saxon word netel,
which in turn is derived from noedl, meaning needle. Another
possibility is simply that the herb - since the Bronze Age
- has been spun into fiber to make cloth, paper and fishnet,
and the name originated with this usage. The botanical name,
urtica, is from the Latin, urere, meaning "to
sting".
At one time, nettles were actually cultivated in northern
Europe to make linen, coarse sailcloth and fishnets. To make
the cloth, nettles were cut, dried and soaked in water. The
fibres were then separated and spun into yarn. Eventually,
flax superceded nettles. But they were still being used in
Scotland in the 19th century to make a crude household cloth
known as "scotchcloth". In the Hans Christian Anderson
fairy tale, The Princess and the Eleven Swans, the
coats the princess made for her brothers were woven from nettles.
It is to be hoped in this enlightened age that gardeners will
invite this wonderful herb into their garden and not regard
it as a weed. Recent tests in organic gardening have confirmed
that nettles make excellent companion plants, helping to produce
healthy vegetables such as broccoli and conferring keeping
qualities on tomatoes by impeding the fermentation process
in the plant's juices. Nettles will increase the production
of essential oil in peppermint and boost the potency of all
nearby herbs. Nettles in your compost heap will not only add
nutrients, but also accelerate the breakdown of matter into
robust humus.
Nettles are a perennial to zone 2 with a germination period
of 10-14 days. They prefer full sun to partial shade and like
a slightly damp soil rich in nitrogen. The herb may be propagated
by seed, cuttings or root division.
As a vegetable, nettles are best when they're young and tender,
but for medicinal purposes the herb should be collected when
the flowers are in bloom, anytime from June to September.
The aerial parts of the plant are rich in chlorophyll, indoles
such as histamine and serotonin, acetylcholine, glucoquinones,
minerals (iron, silica, potassium, manganese and sulfur),
tannins and vitamins A and C. The herb is also a good source
of protein and dietary fiber. The disagreeable sting of the
nettle is caused by formic acid. The herb is astringent, diuretic,
tonic and hypotensive (reduces blood pressure). Nettles strengthen
and support the whole body. Throughout Europe they are used
as a spring tonic and general detoxifying remedy. In some
cases of rheumatism and arthritis they can be astoundingly
successful. They are a specific in cases of childhood eczema
and beneficial in all the varieties of this condition, especially
in nervous eczema. As an astringent they may be used for nosebleeds
or to relieve the symptoms wherever there is hemorrhage in
the body, for example in uterine hemorrhage. Research into
the therapeutic properties of nettle root in the US, Germany
and Japan show promise for its use in the treatment of benign
prostate hypertrophy (enlargement).
According to Master Herbalist, David L. Hoffmann, B.Sc.; M.N.I.M.H.,
conditions that benefit from the use of nettles include: diarrhea,
dysentery, hemorrhoids, hemorrhages, fevers, gravel, inflammation
of the kidneys, chronic diseases of the colon, eczema and
cystitis. Nettles will combine well with figwort and burdock
in the treatment of eczema. As an infusion, pour a cup of
boiling water over one to two teaspoonfuls of the dried herb
or herbs and leave to infuse for l0-l5 minutes. This should
be drunk three times a day. As a tincture, take one to four
millilitres of the tincture three times a day.
Nettles are also antiallergenic. The herb is effective for
hay fever, asthma, and skin problems due to allergies and
insect bites. Ironically, nettle juice is a very good antidote
for nettle stings.
Nettles make good feed for livestock. In northern Europe nettles
are mowed and fed to cattle, chicken and horses. For horses
the herb supplies albuminoid, an excellent conditioning protein
that gives the animals a sleek coat. Also a dye plant, nettles
make an attractive permanent green dye. The roots boiled with
alum produce yellow, which was once used to dye yarns.
Because of their infamous sting, nettles require gloved hands
and a long-sleeved shirt for harvesting. When cooked or dried
nettles lose their sting. Steamed, they taste very much like
spinach and the convention is that it is best to pick them
when young. However, we made the following Nettle and Basil
Soup with mature nettle leaves and it was delicious.
Nettle
and Basil Soup
· 2 packed cups of fresh nettle leaves
· 1 onion, chopped
· 1 Tbsp. of butter (or a healthy cooking oil such
as coconut oil)
· 1 cup of milk (or milk substitute such as nut milk)
· 1/3 cup of Romano cheese, grated
· 2 cups of vegetable or herb bouillon
· Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
· 4 small-medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
· 2 Tbsp. fresh basil
· Sour cream or yogurt (optional)
· Chopped chives and fresh parsley for garnish
Sauté
the onion gently in the butter in a large saucepan until translucent.
After rinsing the nettle leaves, add to the pan along with
the stock and the potatoes. Cook for about 20 minutes until
the potatoes are soft. Add the basil, milk and Romano cheese.
Allow to cool then blend in batches. Return to the saucepan
and reheat. Check for seasoning, adding the salt and fresh
ground black pepper as needed. Serve hot garnished with the
fresh chives and parsley. Add a blob of sour cream or yogurt
to the soup when serving if desired.
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