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.
Paul has had an interest in the outdoors since he was a young kid. Walking, tracking and exploring the wilderness around him, from disused overgrown railway lines to the vast wilderness of the UK national parks. Over the last few years Paul has honed his skills into specific areas of bushcraft and survival. He is an expert in map reading, shelter building and knots, traps and fishing.
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