Nettle
Encyclopedia
Nettles constitute between 24 and 39 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae
, with a cosmopolitan
though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous
perennial plant
s, but some are annual
and a few are shrub
by. Most of the species have stinging hairs on the stems and leaves.
The most prominent member of the genus is the stinging nettle
, Urtica dioica, native to Europe
, Africa
, Asia
, and North America
. The genus also contains a number of other species with similar properties, listed below. However, a large number of species included within this genus in the older literature are now recognized as synonyms
of Urtica dioica. Some of these taxa are still recognized as subspecies.
Urtica nettles are food for the caterpillar
s of numerous Lepidoptera
(butterflies and moths), such as the tortrix moth Syricoris lacunana and several Nymphalidae
.
or perennial herbaceous
plant
s, rarely shrubs. They can reach, depending on the type, location and nutrient status, a height of 10–300 cm. The perennial species have underground rhizome
s. The green parts have stinging hairs. Their often quadrangular stems are unbranched or branched, erect, ascending or spreading.
Most leaves and stalks are arranged across opposite sides of the stem . The leaf blades are elliptic, lanceolate, ovate or circular. The leaf blades usually have three to five, rarely up to seven veins. The leaf margin is usually serrate to more or less coarsely toothed. The often-lasting bract
s are free or fused to each other. The Cystolith
s are extended to more or less rounded.
. The stings of Urtica ferox, the ongaonga or tree nettle of New Zealand
, have been known to kill horses, dogs and at least one human.
The nature of the toxin secreted by nettles is not settled. The stinging hairs of most nettle species contain formic acid
, serotonin
and histamine
; however recent studies of Urtica thunbergiana
implicate oxalic acid
and tartaric acid
rather than any of those substances, at least in that species.
The family Urticaceae also contains some other plants called nettles that are not members of the genus Urtica. These include the wood nettle Laportea canadensis
, found in eastern North America
from Nova Scotia
to Florida
, and the false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica, found in most of the United States
east of the Rockies
. As its name implies, the false nettle does not sting.
, the small nettle, which is preferred because it has more stinging hairs per leaf area than the more common species. It may be inappropriate and probably inaccurate to assume that all nettles exhibit similar properties in all cases, but where an action can be attributed to principles found in the species, such as histamine
, choline
, formic acid
and silica, a rational basis for their use is still available. However, the fact that a medical action can be attributed to a single constituent does not imply that the entire plant will have the same action.
Various types of Nettle have been studied for their effects on prostate hypertrophy, diabetes mellitus, rheumatic disease, hypertension, gastrointestinal symptoms, osteoarthritis, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation, pain, constipation, gastrointestinal disease, headache, nausea, common cold, arthritis, asthma, bleeding, respiratory tract disease, allergic rhinitis, kidney disease, prostate cancer, skin disease and urinary tract disease. In terms of allergies, nettle contains properties of an antihistamine to be used for treating reactions associated with the respiratory system.
.
was common.
Nettles in a pocket will keep a person safe from lightning and bestow courage.
Nettles kept in a room will protect anyone inside. (This may have arisen from common knowledge of the tremendous amount of nutrients nettles offer, making them a powerful plant in that sense.)
Arthritic joints
were sometimes treated by whipping the joint with a branch of stinging nettles. The theory was that it stimulated the adrenals
and thus reduced swelling and pain in the joint. A controlled study in the year 2000 supports the effectiveness of this treatment.
Nettles are reputed to enhance fertility in men, and fever could be dispelled by plucking a nettle up by its roots while reciting the names of the sick man and his family.
Turkey and other poultry (as well as cows and pigs) are said to thrive on nettles, and ground dried nettle in chicken feed will increase egg production.
A distillation of the flowers of the White Archangel, or white dead-nettle (Lamium album
) is reputed "to make the heart merry, to make a good colour in the face, and to make the vital spirits more fresh and lively."
In 1926, the Royal Horticultural Society
's recommendation for getting rid of nettles was to cut them down three times in three consecutive years, after which they will disappear.
, the great Tibetan ascetic and saint, was reputed to have survived his decades of solitary meditation
by subsisting on nothing but nettles; his hair and skin turned green and he lived to the age of 83.
appears in a story about nettles, in which he has to chop down a huge nettle patch in order to win the hand of the king's daughter.
rhyme about the nettle:
Coo, cow, and stoo are all Scottish for cut back or crop (although, curiously, another meaning of "stoo" is to throb or ache), while "laich" means short or low to the ground. Given the repetition of "early," presumably this is advice to harvest nettles first thing in the morning and to cut them back hard (which seems to contradict the advice of the Royal Horticultural Society].
A well-known English rhyme about the stinging nettle is:
In Hans Christian Andersen
's fairy-tale "The Wild Swans
," the princess had to weave coats of nettles to break the spell on her brothers.
, these are rarely seriously harmful. A possible exception is the Urtica ferox, the ongaonga or tree nettle of New Zealand
. Otherwise most species of nettles are extremely safe and some are even eaten as vegetables after being steamed.
Other members of other genera in the Urticaceae, with powerful stings:
There are also plants which can produce stinging sensations but which are unrelated to the Urticaceae:
Urticaceae
Urticaceae, or the nettle family, is a family of flowering plants. The family name comes from the genus Urtica . Urticaceae includes a number of well-known and useful plants, including the aforementioned nettles, Ramie , māmaki , and ajlai .The family includes approximately 2600 species, grouped...
, with a cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...
though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
perennial plant
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
s, but some are annual
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
and a few are shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
by. Most of the species have stinging hairs on the stems and leaves.
The most prominent member of the genus is the stinging nettle
Stinging nettle
Stinging nettle or common nettle, Urtica dioica, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant, native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America, and is the best-known member of the nettle genus Urtica...
, Urtica dioica, native to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The genus also contains a number of other species with similar properties, listed below. However, a large number of species included within this genus in the older literature are now recognized as synonyms
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of Urtica dioica. Some of these taxa are still recognized as subspecies.
Urtica nettles are food for the caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s of numerous Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
(butterflies and moths), such as the tortrix moth Syricoris lacunana and several Nymphalidae
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
.
Vegetative characteristics
Nettle species grow as annualsAnnual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
or perennial herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s, rarely shrubs. They can reach, depending on the type, location and nutrient status, a height of 10–300 cm. The perennial species have underground rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s. The green parts have stinging hairs. Their often quadrangular stems are unbranched or branched, erect, ascending or spreading.
Most leaves and stalks are arranged across opposite sides of the stem . The leaf blades are elliptic, lanceolate, ovate or circular. The leaf blades usually have three to five, rarely up to seven veins. The leaf margin is usually serrate to more or less coarsely toothed. The often-lasting bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s are free or fused to each other. The Cystolith
Cystolith
Cystolith is a botanical term for the inorganic concretions, usually of calcium carbonate, formed in a cellulose matrix in special cells, generally in the leaf of plants of certain families, e.g. Ficus elastica, the Indian rubber plant of the family Moraceae...
s are extended to more or less rounded.
Toxicity
Most of the species listed below share the property of having stinging hairs, and might be expected to have similar medicinal uses to the stinging nettleStinging nettle
Stinging nettle or common nettle, Urtica dioica, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant, native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America, and is the best-known member of the nettle genus Urtica...
. The stings of Urtica ferox, the ongaonga or tree nettle of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, have been known to kill horses, dogs and at least one human.
The nature of the toxin secreted by nettles is not settled. The stinging hairs of most nettle species contain formic acid
Formic acid
Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its chemical formula is HCOOH or HCO2H. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in the venom of bee and ant stings. In fact, its name comes from the Latin word for ant, formica, referring to its early...
, serotonin
Serotonin
Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Biochemically derived from tryptophan, serotonin is primarily found in the gastrointestinal tract, platelets, and in the central nervous system of animals including humans...
and histamine
Histamine
Histamine is an organic nitrogen compound involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter. Histamine triggers the inflammatory response. As part of an immune response to foreign pathogens, histamine is produced by...
; however recent studies of Urtica thunbergiana
Urtica thunbergiana
Urtica thunbergiana is a species of the genus Urtica. It is found in Japan, mainland China and Taiwan. The habitat if the species is moist forests in the mountains. It is in flower from July to September, and its seeds ripen from August to October. The larvae of Vanessa indica, a species of...
implicate oxalic acid
Oxalic acid
Oxalic acid is an organic compound with the formula H2C2O4. This colourless solid is a dicarboxylic acid. In terms of acid strength, it is about 3,000 times stronger than acetic acid. Oxalic acid is a reducing agent and its conjugate base, known as oxalate , is a chelating agent for metal cations...
and tartaric acid
Tartaric acid
Tartaric acid is a white crystalline diprotic organic acid. It occurs naturally in many plants, particularly grapes, bananas, and tamarinds; is commonly combined with baking soda to function as a leavening agent in recipes, and is one of the main acids found in wine. It is added to other foods to...
rather than any of those substances, at least in that species.
Species of nettle
Species in the genus Urtica, and their primary natural ranges, include:- Urtica angustifolia Fisch. ex Hornem. 1819, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the... - Urtica ardens China
- Urtica aspera Petrie South Island, New Zealand
- Urtica atrichocaulis Himalaya, southwestern China
- Urtica atrovirens western Mediterranean region
- Urtica australis Hook.f. South Island, New Zealand and surrounding subantarctic islands
- Urtica cannabina L. 1753, Western AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
from SiberiaSiberiaSiberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
to IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia... - Urtica chamaedryoides (heartleaf nettle), southeastern North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
- Urtica dioica L. 1753 (stinging nettle or bull nettle), EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, North America - Urtica dubia (large-leaved nettle), CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Urtica ferox G.Forst. (ongaonga or tree nettle), New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- Urtica fissa China
- Urtica galeopsifoliaUrtica dioica galeopsifoliaUrtica dioica subsp. galeopsifolia, the Fen Nettle or Stingless Nettle, is a herbaceous perennial plant found in Europe. It is either considered to be a subspecies of Stinging Nettle , or a species in its own right: Urtica galeopsifolia.Unlike most other nettles Fen Nettle has no stinging hairs or...
Wierzb. ex Opiz, 1825, (fen nettle or stingless nettle). Europe. (Often considered a subspecies of Urtica dioica) - Urtica gracilenta (mountain nettle), ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, west TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, northern MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... - Urtica hyperborea Himalaya from PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to BhutanBhutanBhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
and TibetTibetTibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, high altitudes - Urtica incisaUrtica incisaUrtica incisa, scrub nettle, is an up-right perennial herb native to streams and rainforest of south-eastern Australia.-Growth:Scrub nettle leaves are triangular and opposite, 5-12 cm long, with serated margins and stinging hairs.-Uses:...
Poir (scrub nettleUrtica incisaUrtica incisa, scrub nettle, is an up-right perennial herb native to streams and rainforest of south-eastern Australia.-Growth:Scrub nettle leaves are triangular and opposite, 5-12 cm long, with serated margins and stinging hairs.-Uses:...
), AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand - Urtica kioviensis Rogow. 1843, eastern Europe
- Urtica laetivirens Maxim. 1877, Japan, ManchuriaManchuriaManchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
- Urtica linearifolia (Hook.f.)Cockayne (creeping or swamp nettle), New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- Urtica mairei Himalaya, southwestern China, northeastern IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, MyanmarMyanmarBurma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south.... - Urtica membranacea Mediterranean region, AzoresAzoresThe Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
- Urtica morifolia Canary IslandsCanary IslandsThe Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
(endemic) - Urtica parviflora Himalaya (lower altitudes)
- Urtica pilulifera (Roman nettle), southern Europe
- Urtica platyphylla Wedd. 1856-1857, China, Japan
- Urtica procera Mühlenberg (tall nettle), North America
- Urtica pubescens Ledeb. 1833, Southwestern RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
east to central Asia - Urtica rupestris SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(endemic) - Urtica sondenii (Simmons) Avrorin ex Geltman, 1988, northeastern Europe, northern Asia
- Urtica taiwaniana TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
- Urtica thunbergianaUrtica thunbergianaUrtica thunbergiana is a species of the genus Urtica. It is found in Japan, mainland China and Taiwan. The habitat if the species is moist forests in the mountains. It is in flower from July to September, and its seeds ripen from August to October. The larvae of Vanessa indica, a species of...
Japan, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... - Urtica triangularisa
- Urtica urensUrtica urensUrtica urens, commonly known as Annual Nettle, Dwarf Nettle or Small Nettle, is a herbaceous annual plant species of the genus Urtica. It is native to Eurasia and it can be found in North America and New Zealand as an introduced species...
L. 1753 (small nettle or annual nettle), Europe, North America
The family Urticaceae also contains some other plants called nettles that are not members of the genus Urtica. These include the wood nettle Laportea canadensis
Laportea canadensis
Laportea canadensis or wood-nettle, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant of the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern and central North America...
, found in eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and the false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica, found in most of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
east of the Rockies
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. As its name implies, the false nettle does not sting.
Uses and medical properties of nettles
Much historical evidence of use of nettles in medicine, folk remedies, cooking and fibre production relate to one species - Urtica dioica, but a fair amount also refers to the use of Urtica urensUrtica urens
Urtica urens, commonly known as Annual Nettle, Dwarf Nettle or Small Nettle, is a herbaceous annual plant species of the genus Urtica. It is native to Eurasia and it can be found in North America and New Zealand as an introduced species...
, the small nettle, which is preferred because it has more stinging hairs per leaf area than the more common species. It may be inappropriate and probably inaccurate to assume that all nettles exhibit similar properties in all cases, but where an action can be attributed to principles found in the species, such as histamine
Histamine
Histamine is an organic nitrogen compound involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter. Histamine triggers the inflammatory response. As part of an immune response to foreign pathogens, histamine is produced by...
, choline
Choline
Choline is a water-soluble essential nutrient. It is usually grouped within the B-complex vitamins. Choline generally refers to the various quaternary ammonium salts containing the N,N,N-trimethylethanolammonium cation....
, formic acid
Formic acid
Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its chemical formula is HCOOH or HCO2H. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in the venom of bee and ant stings. In fact, its name comes from the Latin word for ant, formica, referring to its early...
and silica, a rational basis for their use is still available. However, the fact that a medical action can be attributed to a single constituent does not imply that the entire plant will have the same action.
Various types of Nettle have been studied for their effects on prostate hypertrophy, diabetes mellitus, rheumatic disease, hypertension, gastrointestinal symptoms, osteoarthritis, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation, pain, constipation, gastrointestinal disease, headache, nausea, common cold, arthritis, asthma, bleeding, respiratory tract disease, allergic rhinitis, kidney disease, prostate cancer, skin disease and urinary tract disease. In terms of allergies, nettle contains properties of an antihistamine to be used for treating reactions associated with the respiratory system.
Prehistoric use
Fabric woven of nettle fiber has been found in burial sites dating back to the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
.
In folklore
Nettles have many folklore traditions associated with them. The folklore mainly relates to the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), but confusion with the similar non-stinging LamiumLamium
Lamium is a genus of about 40-50 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, of which family it is the type genus...
was common.
Myths about health and wealth
Nettles kept in a room will protect anyone inside. (This may have arisen from common knowledge of the tremendous amount of nutrients nettles offer, making them a powerful plant in that sense.)
Arthritic joints
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
were sometimes treated by whipping the joint with a branch of stinging nettles. The theory was that it stimulated the adrenals
Adrenal gland
In mammals, the adrenal glands are endocrine glands that sit atop the kidneys; in humans, the right suprarenal gland is triangular shaped, while the left suprarenal gland is semilunar shaped...
and thus reduced swelling and pain in the joint. A controlled study in the year 2000 supports the effectiveness of this treatment.
Nettles are reputed to enhance fertility in men, and fever could be dispelled by plucking a nettle up by its roots while reciting the names of the sick man and his family.
Turkey and other poultry (as well as cows and pigs) are said to thrive on nettles, and ground dried nettle in chicken feed will increase egg production.
A distillation of the flowers of the White Archangel, or white dead-nettle (Lamium album
Lamium album
Lamium album is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native throughout Europe and Western Asia, growing in a variety of habitats from open grassland to woodland, generally on moist, fertile soils.-Growth:...
) is reputed "to make the heart merry, to make a good colour in the face, and to make the vital spirits more fresh and lively."
In 1926, the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
's recommendation for getting rid of nettles was to cut them down three times in three consecutive years, after which they will disappear.
Asian
MilarepaMilarepa
Jetsun Milarepa , is generally considered one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.- Life :...
, the great Tibetan ascetic and saint, was reputed to have survived his decades of solitary meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
by subsisting on nothing but nettles; his hair and skin turned green and he lived to the age of 83.
Caribbean
The Caribbean trickster figure AnansiAnansi
Anansi the trickster is a spider, and is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the Southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy. He is a spider, but often acts and appears as a man...
appears in a story about nettles, in which he has to chop down a huge nettle patch in order to win the hand of the king's daughter.
European
An old ScotsScots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
rhyme about the nettle:
- "Gin ye be for lang kail coo the nettle, stoo the nettle
- Gin ye be for lang kail coo the nettle early
- Coo it laich, coo it sune, coo it in the month o' June
- Stoo it ere it's in the bloom, coo the nettle early
- Coo it by the auld wa's, coo it where the sun ne'er fa's
- Stoo it when the day daws, coo the nettle early."
Coo, cow, and stoo are all Scottish for cut back or crop (although, curiously, another meaning of "stoo" is to throb or ache), while "laich" means short or low to the ground. Given the repetition of "early," presumably this is advice to harvest nettles first thing in the morning and to cut them back hard (which seems to contradict the advice of the Royal Horticultural Society].
A well-known English rhyme about the stinging nettle is:
- Tender-handed, stroke a nettle,
- And it stings you for your pains.
- Grasp it like a man of mettle,
- And it soft as silk remains.
In Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
's fairy-tale "The Wild Swans
The Wild Swans
"The Wild Swans" is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a princess who rescues her eleven brothers from a spell cast by an evil queen....
," the princess had to weave coats of nettles to break the spell on her brothers.
Role in the environment
Thanks to the stinging hairs, nettles are rarely eaten by herbivores, so they provide long-term shelter for insects, such as aphids or caterpillars of many butterflies and moths. The insects, in turn, provide food for small birds, such as tits.Safety
Though the fresh leaves can cause painful stings and acute urticariaUrticaria
Urticaria is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives is frequently caused by allergic reactions; however, there are many non-allergic causes...
, these are rarely seriously harmful. A possible exception is the Urtica ferox, the ongaonga or tree nettle of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Otherwise most species of nettles are extremely safe and some are even eaten as vegetables after being steamed.
Similar stinging plants
- Giant stinging tree (Dendrocnide excelsaDendrocnide excelsaDendrocnide excelsa, the giant stinging tree is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It occurs from Tathra, New South Wales to Imbil in south eastern Queensland, and is very common at Dorrigo National Park and other rainforest walks in eastern Australia...
) - Gympie (Dendrocnide moroidesDendrocnide moroidesDendrocnide moroides, also known as the Gympie Gympie, moonlighter, or stinger, is a large shrub native to rainforest areas in northeastern Australia, the Moluccas and Indonesia. It is best known for stinging hairs which cover the whole plant and deliver a potent neurotoxin when touched. It is the...
) - Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensisLaportea canadensisLaportea canadensis or wood-nettle, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant of the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern and central North America...
) - Nettle Tree (Urera baccifera)
- Nilgiri Nettle (Girardinia leschenaultiana)
There are also plants which can produce stinging sensations but which are unrelated to the Urticaceae:
- Dumb cane (DieffenbachiaDieffenbachiaDieffenbachia is a genus of tropical plants in the Family Araceae noted for their patterned leaves. Members of this genus are popular as houseplants because of their tolerance for shade. The common name is "dumb cane" due to its poisoning effect on the throat due to raphides...
spp., AraceaeAraceaeAraceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like bract. Also known as the Arum family, members are often colloquially...
) - Cowhage (Mucuna pruriensMucuna pruriensMucuna pruriens is a tropical legume known as velvet bean or cowitch and by other common names , found in Africa, India and the Caribbean. The plant is infamous for its extreme itchiness produced on contact, particularly with the young foliage and the seed pods...
, FabaceaeFabaceaeThe Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
) - Bull Nettle or Spurge Nettle (Cnidoscolus stimulosus, EuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
) - Ciega-vista (Croton ciliato-glandulosus, EuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
) - Stinging Spurge (Jatropha urens L., EuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
) - Noseburn (TragiaTragiaTragia is a genus of flowering plants in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It comprises about one hundred species found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Plants in this genus are sometimes known as noseburns....
spp., EuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....
)
Similarly named plants
Plants with common names include the word "nettle" but which do not sting nor are they part of Urticacea':- Dead-nettle (LamiumLamiumLamium is a genus of about 40-50 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, of which family it is the type genus...
spp.) and woundwort or hedge-nettle (StachysStachysStachys is one of the largest genera in the flowering plant family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species in the genus vary from about 300, to about 450. The type species for the genus is Stachys sylvatica. Stachys is in the subfamily Lamioideae...
spp.) which are in the LamiaceaeLamiaceaeThe mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
or mint family. - Devil's nettle, or yarrow (AchilleaAchilleaAchillea is a genus of about 85 flowering plants, in the family Asteraceae, commonly referred to as yarrow. They occur in Europe and temperate areas of Asia. A few grow in North America. These plants typically have frilly, hairy, aromatic leaves....
). - Carolina horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) in the SolanaceaeSolanaceaeSolanaceae are a family of flowering plants that include a number of important agricultural crops as well as many toxic plants. The name of the family comes from the Latin Solanum "the nightshade plant", but the further etymology of that word is unclear...
.
See also
- MopikoMopikoMopiko is an ointment for relieving pain and itching caused by nettle rash, bites by mosquitoes, lice or bed bugs, bee and other insect stings, and itching from pimples and similar complaints. It is manufactured in Japan by Ikeda Mohando Co. Ltd...
, a nettle rash cream - RumexRumexThe docks and sorrels, genus Rumex L., are a genus of about 200 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae....
, Dock leaves for sting easement and nullification of longer term effects - Poison oakPoison oakPoison oak may refer to* Toxicodendron diversilobum, grows on West Coast of North America* Toxicodendron pubescens, grows in the Eastern United Statesdamnnnnn tissss is terribleee...
, Poison ivyPoison ivyToxicodendron radicans, better known as poison ivy , is a poisonous North American plant that is well known for its production of urushiol, a clear liquid compound found within the sap of the plant that causes an itching rash in most people who touch it...
, Poison sumacPoison SumacPoison sumac is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 7 m tall. All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans... - KoprivaKopřivaKopřiva, Kopříva are surname of:* David Kopřiva , Czech rower* Ladislav Kopřiva, Czech-Czechoslovak communist , Czech actor* Miroslav Kopřiva, Czech professional ice hockey goaltender...
External links
- Nettles and Wildlife
- Flora Europaea: Urtica from the Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghThe Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
website - Flora of North America: Urtica from efloras.org
- Flora of China: Urtica from efloras.org
- Database search for Nettle from Plants for a Future
- Urtica from the HerbalGram and American Botanical Council website
- Grasp the nettle