29 Consulting the Nettles
“Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best Neighbour’d by fruit of baser quality.”
Reflection
There is an innate wisdom in the Earth. Our kinship with plants can enlighten and empower us. As we consider and consult the greens that grow so near to us, what do we learn— what Earthly gifts are they so freely offering to our body and soul?
What do we know about nettles?
It’s got a style of its own. Bright green, ridged and hairy, the stems grow straight from the earth producing heart-shaped saw toothed leaves that emerge in opposite pairs and are, like the stems, covered with spiky hairs. Flowers bloom. Long tassels of greenish yellow- both male and female.
They are venomous. Those spiky hairs contain several chemicals that cause the skin to sting or burn. Some people even form blisters. These strange sensation can last for hours, but does eventually fade away.
It’s growable. If you want, you can start indoors by planting 2 to 3 seeds in peat pots, lightly covering them with soil. Keep them moist. They will germinate in about 2 weeks. When ready, transplant the into a prepared garden bed, spacing about 1 foot apart. You also have the option of planting them directing outside. If you would rather do this, then, in the Spring, choose a spot that is a little distant from all others. This plant prefers shade though needs a little sun. This herb also needs space. This spot should have rich, moist soil. Scatter the seed on the soil. Keep the area moist. I covered mine with a row cover to help to keep the plot safe and the ground moist. If all goes well, the nettles will be ready to harvest in about two and a half to three months time. Be prepared, once it takes a stand, it really stands, often forming large, dense beds. With extreme care, harvest the leaves when the leaves are round and tender by sniping with sharp garden shears, the first two or three pairs of leaves from the top of the plant. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves, or just prepare yourself to endure the stings. To care for it, offer it compost and water. It really likes a rich-nitrogen active moist soil.
It’s got roots. Native to many tropical and temperate parts of the world, this herb grows throughout Europe and Asia and has naturalized now in the Americas and Oceania. In the wild this herb grows in moist areas along bogs, creeks or rivers, or in quiet, out of the way places like along the edges of forests, in thickets and forgotten groves. They also pop up in cultivated areas, in pastures, along fence rows, and beside roads.
It’s got a name. Known as stinging nettle and sometimes great nettle, this plant got its common name, nettle, in relation to its venomous barbs or because of its use in making fabric; the term nettle is derived from noedl which is Anglo Saxon and means needle. Recorded in writing in 725 AD as netlan, by 1000 it was referred to as netele and netle by 1250. In the 1400s, the term nettle was used and it has been the same since. Scientifically, in 1753, in his work Species Plantarum, Carolus Linnaeus named this plant Urtica from the Latin uro which means I burn and urticare, meaning to sting.
It’s got a story! In fact, this plant appears in tales throughout time and in many cultures. In Norse myth, this plant is sacred to Thor. I will need to study more here as I do not know why they were connected to him - perhaps he wore them? But being the thunder and lighting god, people came to throw nettles into the fire during thunderstorms to lessen the chance of fire by lightning strike. These were also associated with Loki, the trickster god, who used a magical nettle fishing net. The Celts associated nettles with fairies: thick stands indicated fairy homes. And nettles played a big role in the plot of a fairytale recored in the 1800s by Hans Christian Anderson in Denmark. In this story, The Wild Swans, the heroine's brothers are turned into swans by their evil stepmother. Wanting to help, she takes advise from a fairy who instructs her to gather nettles in a graveyard by night, spin their fibers into a prickly green yarn, and then knit the yarn into a coat for each swan brother. She must do all of this by a certain time, and without telling a soul, in order to break the spell. The nettles sting and blister her hands, but she continues to work, plucking and crafting, spinning, and knitting as fast as she can. Not quite complete, but out of time, she throws the coats onto her swan-brothers and they transform back into young men. However, because of the one incomplete coat, the youngest brother is left with a wing instead of his arm. Amazing!
It’s edible. The young leaf of the nettle is edible. Some people cook it and use it as a spinach substitute. I myself dry it and use it to make nettle tea which I throughly enjoy. Sometimes I do sprinkle a little dried nettle leaf on my salts to boost the iron. People add them to breads, vegetable stews, and make puddings out of them. Remember - they do sting; so, work with them with care. Use tongs to move them about in the kitchen. Cooking the nettles gets rid of the hairs. Drying them too, gets rid of the stinging chemicals for the most part.
It’s nutrient dense. Nutritionally, this herb is rich in chlorophyll and high in vitamins A, E, D, C, & K. It also has significant amounts of calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
It’s medicine. This plant is anti-inflammatory and because of this, it works effectively as a medicine to alleviate and even prevent a number of illnesses when ingested. Nettles alleviate muscle pain, chronic headaches, osteoarthritis, eczema, allergies, sinus infections, sore throats, congestion, and gout. It is great for the bladder and often used as a diuretic. They are helpful as mood stabilizers and in preventing fatigue. These leaves are beneficial for diabetics as it is known to lower blood sugar levels. They are high in iron and prevent anemia. Great for the immune system, this plant neutralizes toxins in the body and eliminate viral and bacterial infections. Great also for the gut and digestion, this plant relieves nausea, flatulence, acid reflux, and colitis. Nettle tea supports many organs, prevents infection and kidney stones, and promotes sound sleep. The cooled tea can be used as a mouthwash, clearing up gingivitis and preventing the buildup of plaque.
It’s useful. Nettle is very useful in a number of ways. Fibrous, it can be made into cloth and has been used as bedsheets, and clothes, sails, and tablecloths—it makes fine white linen. It also makes sturdy ropes and fishing lines. It can be used as herbal hair rinse to promote hair growth. Extracting color from the leaf, this plant was once popular to use in dyes - making greens and even yellows. The list is continuous . . . According to the Celts, the nettle actually protects against fairy mischief and other forms of magic. In the 10th century book Nine Herbs Charm, nettles were used as a protection against elfin magic which were known to cause illness. Roman soldiers, facing extreme cold temperatures, at one time rubbed it on their bodies to bring stiff or benumbed limbs back to life. People also used it to flog their bodies to reduce rheumatism or loss of and activate muscles, or to chase away feelings of lust.
What Advise for living does this plant give?
Stand strong with confidence and fortitude. Embrace your ability to heal and to protect. Banish fear and take courage. Enrich the soil where you stand where ever you are planted thrive. Be both fierce and soft, painful and restorative. With humility, be potent.
Sources
Grant, Amy. “Caring for and Harvesting Nettle Greens: How to Grow Stinging Nettle Greens.” https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/nettle/stinging-nettle-greens.htm. Assessed 28 June 2021.
Harlos, Carol Ann. “Be Careful What You Grab: Stinging Nettles.” Herbarist, no. 84, Jan. 2019, pp. 3–6. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=138764048&site=eds-live.
“Nettle.” Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, Jan. 2018, p. 1; EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=funk&AN=ne029500&site=eds-live.
“The Nettles.” https://wssa.net/wp-content/themes/WSSA/WorldOfWeeds/nettles.html. Assessed 28 June 2021.
William, Anthony. “Nettle Leaf.” https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/nettle-leaf. Assessed 28 June 2021.
Winding, Terri. “The Folklore of Nettles” https://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2016/05/from-the-archives-picking-nettles.html. Assessed 29 June 2021.