What are Nettles

Nettle is the common name for 30-45 different species of flowering plants growing mainly in temperate regions. Most nettles are herbaceous, perennial plants, with a few exceptions of annual and shrub nettles. Most nettles are characterized as having sting hairs, with some nettles such as the ongaonga, tree nettle of New Zealand, having stings poisonous enough to kill horses, dogs, and even humans. The most common type of nettle is the stinging nettle, which is a plant native to Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America. However, the stinging nettle is not known for being poisonous, but rather having medicinal properties.

The stinging nettle grows tall (about 1-2 meters) in the summer, but then dies down to the ground in the winter. It has soft green leaves that grow on wiry green stems and bears small greenish or brownish flowers. Although the plant is characteristically hairy, the hairs are not stinging hairs. The medicinal uses of the stinging nettle include treating arthritis, anemia, hay fever, kidney problems, and relieving pain. Nettle is also sometimes used in shampoos to control dandruff, and it is said to make hair more shiny. Other variations of nettle have also been used to stop bleeding, thin blood, and reduce inflammation. Stinging nettle is also a food source, containing a flavor similar to spinach when cooked.