Stinging Nettle - Organic

bare-root plants

Urtica dioica 3–6' tall.

The benefits of this plant outweigh the risk of a short-lived sting. Biodynamic gardeners use the dark green nettles to increase potency of neighboring herbs and to stimulate humus formation. Young shoots are high in minerals—the leaves are delicious in soup or steamed as early spring greens or dried and brewed as tea.

Handle fresh and dry herb with gloves. Cooking removes the sting. Choose your planting site carefully; nettles spread readily, and both the rhizomes and leaves sting. An indicator of super-fertile soil where it volunteers.

Plant in damp rich soil with high nitrogen content; thrives next to composted manure piles or the leaky side of your compost bin. Z2. Maine Grown. (bare-root crowns)

Items from our perennial plants warehouse ordered on or before March 7 will ship around March 31 through late April, starting with warmer areas and finishing in colder areas. Orders placed after March 7 will ship around late April through early-to-mid May, in the order in which they were received.

ships in spring

This item is certified organic

7744 Stinging Nettle - Organic

Additional Information

Herbaceous Perennial Plants

When you receive your order, open the bags and check the stock immediately. Roots and crowns should be firm and pliable. Surface mold is harmless and will not affect the plant’s future performance. Store plants in their packaging in a cool (35–40°) location until you are ready to plant. If it’s going to be awhile, you can pot up your perennials.

Do not plant bare-root perennial plant crowns directly outdoors before danger of frost has passed. Wet and/or cold conditions for an extended period may cause rotting.

For more info:
About planting bare-root perennials

Medicinal and Culinary Herbs

These plants have long histories of traditional culinary and medicinal uses. It’s up to you to educate yourself about the safety and efficacy of using plants for medicinal purposes. The statements in our catalog and website regarding traditional medicinal uses of plants have not been evaluated by the FDA. The plants we sell are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Plants may take a year or more to establish before they flower; roots often take several years to reach harvestable maturity.

Herbs

See Herb Chart for uses and cultural information.

About medicinal herbs: Archeological evidence dates the medicinal use of herbs back 60,000 years to the Neanderthals. 85% of the world’s population employ herbs as medicines, and 40% of pharmaceuticals in the U.S. contain plant-derived materials. Fewer than 10% of higher plant species have been investigated for their medicinal components. Interest in traditional herbal remedies continues to grow.

Statements about medicinal use of plants have not been evaluated by the FDA, and should not be used for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any ailment. Before using or ingesting any medicinal plant, consult a healthcare practitioner familiar with botanical medicine.

Takinagawa Burdock and Resina Calendula, as well as oats, mammoth red clover and alfalfa in the Farm Seed section, also have medicinal uses. Medicinal herbs such as black cohosh, licorice, and many more are available as plants, and shipped in the spring with orders from our perennial plants warehouse.

Culture: Some herbs are customarily grown from divisions because they cannot come true from seed, such as scented thymes and flavored mints. Some require fall sowing of fresh seed, such as sweet cicely and angelica.

Using herbs: Drying herbs at home is not difficult. Whole leaves retain their flavor at least a year. To substitute fresh herbs for dried in cooking, use triple the dried quantity called for in a recipe.