Urtica fissa Seeds | Stinging Nettle

Tiny, pale brown Stinging Nettle seeds, flattened and pointed, on a plain background — Stinging Nettle (*Urtica fissa*): Urticaceae, native to the moist, rich ground of eastern Asia.

LATIN NAME: Urtica fissa

COMMON NAME: Stinging Nettle

Plant Profile

Stinging Nettle is a vigorous herbaceous perennial of the nettle family, growing to about a metre with square stems, opposite, deeply toothed leaves and clusters of tiny greenish flowers that hang from the leaf axils. The whole plant is covered in stinging hairs, and its creeping yellow roots spread widely under the soil.

It grows in moist, rich ground across eastern Asia, along paths, hedges, stream banks and the edges of cultivated land. It is the Asian counterpart of the European nettle, and it has the same habit of appearing wherever the soil has been enriched by people or by animals.

Science & Biotechnology

The sting comes from hairs that break on contact and release histamine, serotonin and acetylcholine, and the burning sensation is followed by a rash that fades within hours. The plant’s own remedy is dock leaf, which grows beside it, though the relief it gives is more mechanical than chemical.

Its leaves are rich in minerals, particularly iron, calcium and magnesium, and in vitamins A and C, which is why nettle has been a spring tonic in both Europe and Asia. The fibre in the stems is strong and fine, and nettle cloth was made in Europe before cotton and is still produced in the Himalaya from related species. Nettle has also been studied as a source of fibre for textiles and as a feedstock for biogas, since it yields well on wet, nitrogen-rich ground with little input.

Uses & Benefits

Young leaves are eaten as a spring vegetable, in soup, in dumplings and as a tea, and the sting disappears as soon as they are cooked or dried. The root is used in European herbal practice for urinary symptoms in prostate enlargement, and the leaf is a traditional tonic for anaemia and for tiredness.

In the garden it is a plant for a wildlife corner, where it is the larval food plant of several butterflies, including the small tortoiseshell, the peacock and the red admiral. It also makes a useful liquid feed when steeped in water, and a compost activator. Nettle beer and nettle pudding are regional dishes in Britain, and the plant is still sold as a spring vegetable in farmers markets.

Growing from Seed

Sow in spring on the surface of a rich, moist compost, cover lightly, and keep the tray at 15 to 20 °C. Germination is quick and usually very high, and the seedlings grow fast enough to be planted out within six weeks.

Plant out in rich, moist soil in sun or part shade, and water until established. The plant spreads by creeping roots and will form a patch within two seasons, so site it where that is acceptable or sink a barrier. Cut it back before the seed sets if self-sowing is unwanted, and wear gloves for the whole operation.

Our Take

A plant that stings, feeds butterflies, feeds people and makes cloth, all in the same patch. Grow it in a wild corner, handle it with gloves, and cut it before it seeds.

Herb Seeds