We need more wild plants in our diet. Stinging Nettle is a nutrient dense wild plant that you can cultivate in your backyard. This phytonutrient-rich leafy green is often overlooked, but Stinging Nettle is easy to grow and the taste is umami x 1000.
In an important review on the attributes of Stinging Nettle titled, Nutritional and pharmacological importance of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.): A review, Bhusal and colleagues (2022) write:
Stinging nettle has antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-infectious, hypotensive, and antiulcer characteristics, as well as the ability to prevent cardiovascular disease, in all parts of the plant (leaves, stems, roots, and seeds).
Why is Stinging Nettle so good for us? Nettles contain a significant number of biologically-active compounds. Stinging Nettle is an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin K (helps reduce bone loss) and a very good source of Calcium and Manganese (Bhusal et al 2022). In the paper, Urtica spp.: Ordinary Plants with Extraordinary Properties, the authors report that nettle leaves contain flavonoids (e.g. quercetin, kaempferol), phenolic acids, amino acids, and carotenoids (including β-carotene, lutein and lycopene), to name a few of its phytonutrients. They also report:
The total phenolic content of one gram of nettle powder has been reported as 129 mg GAE (Gaelic Acid Equivalent), which is two-times higher than the phenolic content in 100 mL of cranberry juice (66.61 mg GAE). Stinging nettles have been shown to be richer in individual polyphenols than other wild plants.
By growing Stinging Nettle (even in a pot on your balcony or patio), you have access to a nutritional powerhouse that is not sold fresh in stores.
How to Plant: Ease of Germination: Easy. Indoors–Nettle seeds germinate quickly in warm soil (room temperature, no heat mat required). Sow the very tiny nettle seeds about 3 weeks before the last frost. Press seeds lightly into soil, cover with a thin layer of soil and keep moist. Seeds require light to germinate. Outdoors–Direct sow the very tiny seeds in spring at the back of your garden/out of the way place or in a pot: (a) because of the stinging hairs, and (b) nettle spreads by underground rhizomes. Press seeds lightly into soil and cover with a thin layer of soil.
How to Harvest: Harvest Stinging Nettle wearing gloves to avoid the stinging hairs. Let the cut stalks sit for 30 minutes, most of the sting will be gone. Cooked and dried nettles do not sting. Use nettles in any recipes that calls for spinach or leafy greens. Our favourite way to enjoy Nettle is to put a few fresh leaves in a cup of tea. To dry, cut stalks and hang them. Harvest before the flower buds appear.
Location: Sun, Partial sun
Life cycle: Perennial (Zone 4 and Up) or Grow as an Annual
Usable Parts: Leaves (dried, fresh)
Uses: Tea
Height: 36 inches
