Nettles, Stinging (Urtica dioica)

*Designated an invasive species in the following states, no sale: AK

Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, Nettle is now found and have naturalized worldwide. Deemed a very valuable plant to homesteaders and farmers alike. Near famous at this point, Nettle is much revered in the herbal world for a variety of medicinal purposes.

Nettles are edible, high in protein, and are among the most nutrient-dense greens found in the world, being rich in vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. Stinging Nettle has been worked with for many thousands of years by various cultures to treat a wide range of health challenges ranging from rheumatism to allergies to gout to disorders of the urinary tract among many other indications.

Stinging Nettle is also an excellent fiber plant that’s easy to grow for making clothing and other textiles. Many insects benefit from Stinging Nettles as they are a host plant for a number of butterfly and moth species and also provide perennial habitat for a wide range of beneficial pollinator and predatory insects, from native bees to parasitoid wasps.