Stinging Nettle
Urtica dioica
|
||||||||||
Stinging Nettle |
The stinging nettle, sometimes called the common nettle, is
indeed common in Britain - on wasteland, road verges and
gardens.
The stems and the leaves are covered with tiny hairs
containing formic acid. If you touch them, the hairs break and
release the acid into the skin which can cause a painful,
irritating rash.
The leaves are serrated and tapered. The flowers are green,
have no petals and hang in clusters. The male and female
flowers grow on separate plants.
Nettles have a lot of uses, both as a vitamin-rich vegetable
and for medicinal purposes. The leaves and stems can be used
as a tea and the root can be used as a diuretic.
Click on any of the photographs on this site to see a larger image.