Nettle

Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is a herbaceous perennial in the Urticaceae family. Familiar in fertile, moist places, it occurs along woodland edges, on disturbed ground and near gardens. Its spontaneous appearance can obscure its different roles: an edible leafy plant after suitable preparation, a food plant for caterpillars and part of wild vegetation. It therefore has more to offer than its reputation as an unwelcome plant beside a path suggests.Upright stems carry opposite green leaves that are oval, pointed and clearly toothed. Stinging hairs on the above-ground parts cause a burning sensation when touched. This feature is central to the plant’s identity and makes handling it different from handling an ordinary leafy vegetable with bare hands. Its small greenish flowers are much less conspicuous than the foliage. Pollen is carried by the wind; its wildlife value does not depend on nectar-rich flowers.The plant has underground rhizomes and can form dense…