Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica

Edible Parts:

· Leaves

Uses:

Cooking the leaves will remove the stinging hairs. Tastes great in soups or cook like spinach. It can also be used to make tea and beer. It’s rich in iron and vitamins.

When and where to find it: 

Best picked in Spring before the flowers form. You can get a second harvest in late Summer from cut plants. Usually grows in hedgerows, woods, waste ground and roadsides.

Other Observations: 

It’s a tall upright plant, covered in stinging hairs. Use gloves when harvesting and handle with care. The stings can be used to numb and area of pain if you have a deep cut etc. The leaves are roughly heart shaped and dark green in colour.

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