🌿 STINGING NETTLE – Urtica dioica
The herb that stings… but earns its place in the garden.
Stinging Nettle is an old-world herb with a remarkable history. Behind those fiercely protective leaves is a nutrient-rich edible green that has been gathered and used for generations in traditional cooking and herbal preparations.
Once cooked, blanched or properly dried, the sting disappears and the leaves become a wonderfully versatile kitchen ingredient. Their rich, earthy flavour works beautifully in soups, pesto, pasta, omelettes and savoury pies.
🧀 Try it with cheese! Blanch young nettle leaves, squeeze them dry and chop finely. Fold them through feta, ricotta, cottage cheese or cream cheese with a little garlic and seasoning for a delicious green cheese filling or spread.
Traditionally, nettle herb has also been used in herbal preparations for minor urinary complaints and minor joint pain; these are traditional-use indications rather than proven treatment claims. European Medicines Agency – Nettle Herb�
⚠️ Handle fresh plants with gloves—the sting is very real!
Grow it. Cook it. Discover why this prickly herb has been treasured for centuries.
Confidence: 9/10
