GRASPING THE NETTLE

THIS PROLIFIC STINGING PLANT HAS MANY USES, INCLUDING IN THE KITCHEN

Words Jennifer Stackhouse

Not many people set out to cultivate nettles — but if you have an unplanned crop, don’t just discard it as an annoying weed. Nettles are useful plants that tend to grow in good soil but they need to be treated with respect. The slightest brush with a nettle leaves a burning, stinging pain that can often last for many hours and is inflicted on bare skin by the myriad tiny “hairs” on the stem and leaves. Take a very close look at the hairs (use a hand lens) and they prove to be hollow needles designed to inject chemicals, including histamines, into the skin. A prolonged encounter with a nettle patch can lead to a severe and very painful rash that will need treatment with antihistamines. A severe reaction with breathing problems…

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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue #13.1 - 2022

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