Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle - Urtica dioica Urtica dioica

 

Colour: Green
Flowering: June - September
Height: Up to 5' (150 cm)
Family: Urticaceae
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.

 

« Back

 

Click on any of the photographs on this site to see a larger image.

Photo Galleries

Preview the Book

A Year in the Life of an English Country Garden
A photographic jou...
By Jenny Bailey
Book Preview
Photo book