Latin: Urtica dioica
Also Known As: Stinging nettle, Devil's Apron, Naughty Man's Plaything, Tanging Nettle, Scaddie, Hoky-poky, Devil's Leaf, Heg-beg, Jenny-nettle, Sting-leaf, Ortiga Ancha, Wergulu
Family: Urticaceae
Habitat and Description: Nettle really doesn't require much of an introduction or even a proper description, being well known by pretty much anyone who has ever been stung by it. Our friend the nettle grows in clumps that spread via the roots, usually from a 'queen' plant, with smaller clumps emerging in a circular pattern around the nettle matriarch. She grows up to around 150cms tall in places, and has a tough, ridged central stem with opposite paired leaves, which are deeply toothed, a dark green in colour, with the characteristic hairs all over both the stems and leaves. These hairs contain the formic acid that causes the pain when you brush up against the plant unwittingly. If you grasp a nettle firmly, she won't sting you – it is the light touch that causes the memorable discomfort of a nettle sting. Nettle grows in wastelands, woodlands, by the roadsides, in the middle of the vegetable patch – anywhere she can get her roots in, basically. Both greater and lesser nettles are found all over the UK, although the smaller nettle (U. urens) is more commonly found over in the US than the tall, lanky version we often find over here in the UK. Urtica urens is a much lower growing version of our tall nettle, with a richer green colour to the leaves, which are also more deeply toothed, though both have similar medicinal virtues.
Nettle leaves are harvested while the plant is in flower, during May and June if possible, although it can be gathered at any time of the year for use as plant food – it combines beautifully with Comfrey as a great liquid plant food. Interestingly enough, I've often found toads hiding among nettle roots – another indication of the plant's association with the Underworld, perhaps?
Parts Used: leaves, roots and seeds
Constituents: The root contains lignans; lectins; triterpenes and oleanolic and ursolic acid. The leaves contain flavonoids, glycoproteins, indoles including histamine and serotonin, assorted vitamins including vitamin C, fibre, iron, caffeic acid derivatives and protein.
Planetary Influence: Mars
Associated Deities and Heroes: Agni, Blodeuwedd, Hades, Horus, Cernunnos, Jupiter, Osiris, Pluto, Thor, Vishnu, Serpent deities and Vulcan. Nettle seems to be one of those odd herbs that caters to total opposites – sun Gods and underworld Gods, equally. I don't personally associate it with Blodeuwedd but to each their own. The general consensus seems to be that Nettle is a masculine herb, but I disagree – Nettle has always felt feminine to me, but in a sharp, spiky, opinionated way. She's the older relative who chivvies you along, tells you to get on with it, get moving, do what you have to do. She quite literally stings you into action!
Festival: I'm inclined to say Samhain, though it has associations with all the festivals. I tend to find that the typical 'Dark Night of the Soul' occurs between Samhain and Yule, and Nettle is certainly a useful herb to allow perspective and clarity as well as to help you last through such trials.
Constitution: Some say hot and dry, but I'd be more inclined to say neutral in a purely physical sense – though in a mental and emotional sense it certainly has got firey aspects to it.
Actions and Indications: Our friend the Nettle really deserves a much better reputation than she currently has! A fantastic tonic herb, nettle has high levels of iron and can be taken by anyone who has problems with anaemia, and as a way to improve health in general. Nettles are best eaten as a tonic vegetable or used to make a fresh plant tincture because many of the benefits are lost upon drying, though dried nettle is still a valuable health ally.
Due to their astringent, haemostatic properties, nettles are very good for haemorrhages, and can be applied to wounds to stop bleeding, or taken internally to relieve excessive menstrual bleeding. They can also be used to relieve simple diarrhoea, enteritis and colic, and are particularly well recommended where mucous is present in the stool.
Nettles contain huge amounts of trace minerals, making them an important addition to any prescription aimed at improving mineral balance, and as part of prescriptions to improve resistance to allergies, asthma, eczema and hayfever.
As an extension of the herb's use to improve the body's resistance to hayfever, it can also be taken to encourage the removal of phlegm from the respiratory tract, in cases of bronchitis and related problems. I've often used it as a spring tonic as well, with chickweed, cleavers and dandelion root and leaf, to remove accumulated rubbish from the body caused by much inactivity over the winter snows. I'd be inclined to make a fresh nettle tea with added mild spices, as personally speaking I am not over keen on the flavour of nettle tea, though it is much more pleasant with added ginger.
Nettles are mildly hypoglycaemic and can be used as part of a scheme to manage diabetes. It is a good tonic for the digestive system as a whole, especially where protein digestion is concerned. Some sources believe it can be used for abnormal low blood pressure, to encourage it back to normal levels.
As a diuretic, it is used to relieve any health problems caused by an impaired ability to remove waste products from the body, for example gout and arthritis. It is a useful tropho restorative, bringing the body back into balance. It has even been used to encourage the thyroid to regrow after surgery.
In some cases of muscular atrophy, nettle has been very useful, especially for atrophy of the pelvic muscles and inner thighs in women – yet another good reason for pregnant women to take the herb!
During pregnancy, nettle makes a fantastic iron tonic, and it also encourages the production of breast milk after birth. Later on in life, nettle is very good for women going through the menopause, as its high calcium content can help to ward off osteoporosis. Taken internally, nettle promotes healthy hair, skin and nails, as well as having a long term beneficial effect on the overall health of the body. Used as a hair rinse, it leaves the hair shining and can relieve any scalp infections and problems.
Topically, a poultice of nettle leaf can be used to soothe the heat and inflammation associated with burns – I suspect nettle would work very well alongside lavender and aloe vera for this. Another long standing topical use of nettle is that of urtication, where you apply raw nettles to the skin in order to improve blood flow and circulation. This has been used to relieve arthritis and joint problems and to restore feeling to areas that suffer from numbness.
Nettle root can be used to relieve benign prostatic hypertrophy in men. The seeds have gained a reputation for healing the kidneys and has even helped some people stop needing dialysis. Personally, I highly recommend nettle as an addition to the herbal first aid kit – it is easy to find, gather and make into medicine, has no contra indications and is a valuable ally.
Spiritual and Energetic Uses: Nettle teaches us how to transmute painful life experiences into personal change and growth, just as the stinging nettle herself yields a wonderful tonic. Nettle renders strength to the emotions, underpinning them and allowing a person to use them to grow and manifest change.
Nettle can be used to contact the inner warrior, to fan the flames of courage and assertiveness in those who need to contact their own firey emotions in order to break free from bad patterns and victim mentality. Nettle reminds us of our own resilience and power, allowing us to cope with bad situations and see a way out of problems, as well as making our emotions less overpowering. Nettle is the herb to bring out the qualities required in a leader – enthusiasm, commitment and strength of purpose, as well as the ability to seize the initiative.
Nettle is such a sharp, spiky plant in energy at first glance, but if you take the time to approach her properly and get to know her, she is full of wisdom and goodness. I think this plant can be used to protect those who are easily overwhelmed, to help them define structure and boundaries and to protect their inner selves more. Conversely, I'd also give her to those (like myself) who hide behind a spiky facade, to help them realise their own value and worth. I'd certainly give nettle to those who constantly spread themselves too thin and who are low on energy as a result. Nettle will give strength and clarity, to help them decide which things to hold on to and which to let go.
Magical Uses: A bunch of herbs placed under the bed of a sick person will encourage speedy recovery, though personally I think giving them nettle tea to drink would be an equally good idea!
Carried in the hand, nettle wards off ghosts and evil spirits, although I wonder how much of this is because fresh nettle would sting so badly that you wouldn't pay any attention to ghosts if you were carrying the plant around! Curses can be removed and returned to the sender by carrying nettle in a sachet at all times, or by stuffing a poppet with the leaves. Nettle sprinkled around the home will ward out evil, and carried with Yarrow can remove fear, not overly surprising as Yarrow is another warrior herb. Before meddling with fear, though, ask yourself what it is that you are afraid of, and what lessons you can learn from that fear. Remember that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Nettle, being allied to the Summerlands, Earth and the Underworld, teaches perseverance and the ability to transmute dark into light, and can be used for long lasting magical undertakings, and drunk as a wine or beer at rites of passage.
Folklore: A fairly large body of folklore surrounds the humble nettle, as befits such a widespread and useful plant. On the prosaic level, the stems yield a tough fibre that has been used by many different cultures to make clothes, ropes, nets and paper.
The nettle's name comes from the Latin word 'uro', meaning 'I burn' – appropriately enough given how uncomfortable nettle stings seem to burn! Some think that the common name for the nettle comes from the anglo saxon word 'noedl', or needle, possibly referring to the tiny hairs that pierce the skin so easily and inject the acid that causes a nettle sting, or possibly referring to the plant's long use to make fabric.
Nettles have of old had an association with lightning, and with serpents. Legends say that the Great Serpent Lightning gave the plant some of his sting, while others speak of the Underworld Serpent giving the plant some of his poison. The Romany gypsies have folklore that states that the nettle grows in places where there are underground passages to places where Earth faeries, or Pcuvus, dwell – the nettles are dedicated to these beings.
An old piece of lore from the venerable Albertus Magnus concerns the ability of nettles to attract fish when an infusion or oil of nettle and houseleek is applied to the hands. Apparently the fish swim gladly straight into the hand coated with such a preparation, though I rather suspect that if an oil was used, you wouldn't be able to hang on to the fish for long!
Nettle is a rather good food herb, making a wonderful soup, steamed green with a flavour rather like spniach, or can be added to pasta and gnocci for a hedgerow themed slant to the evening meal. Nettle is also a very good companion plant, improving the health of the soil and encouraging more healthy vegetables. It is particularly good as a companion plant to strawberries.
Dose: 1tsp of the dried herb to a cup of hot water, three times a day. The tincture dosage approximates 0.5mls – 1.5mls three times a day, as part of a prescription. I would probably not use more than 30mls across a week's prescription – tea is a better way of taking the herb, to my mind, though it is a bit of an acquired taste.
Contraindications: None known at present.