Urtica dioica
Pack: 300 seeds, 5g

Nettle is a medium growing herbaceous perennial reaching 1.2 meters high and up to 1 meter wide. The common British Stinging Nettle is known for the tiny stinging hairs which cause irritation to the skin upon contact.

Stinging Nettle has a long history of traditional medicinal use in Europe. In Ancient Greece, stinging nettle was mostly used as a laxative and a diuretic. Today nettle is used in Germany to treat arthritis, and it was also used in traditional Austrian medicine for similar purposes.

All parts of the nettle plant can be used for different applications. The roots were used traditionally for treating urinary and prostate-related conditions, joint ailments, as a diuretic and an astringent. The parts of the plant above ground were used for UTI, kidney stones, allergies, hayfever, osteoarthritis, anaemia, poor circulation, diabetes and many other conditions. Nettle may be applied to the skin as a poultice to help muscle aches, oily scalp or hair, and be included in shampoos to help dandruff.

Nettle is higher in iron than spinach, contains vitamins A and C, and may be used as a vital ingredient in ‘green smoothies’. It is said to have a flavour similar to spinach and cucumber when cooked, with nutty overtones. The stinging effect of the leaves is neutralised by heat or by drying the leaves.