Nettle
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Urtica dioica, or stinging nettle, is a hardy perennial found widely across the temperate world, instantly recognisable by the fine stinging hairs on its leaves and stems. Rich in chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals (especially iron, calcium and silica), it’s often used as a deeply nourishing, “food-like” tonic herb. In Western herbal practice, the aerial parts are used to support vitality and elimination, while the root is traditionally included in formulas for male urinary and prostate health.
Plant family
Urticaceae.
Other significant names
Stinging nettle
Common nettle
Other usable species
Dwarf nettle (U. urens L.)
Parts used
Fol (leaves)
Semen (seeds)
Radix (root)
Typical forms of prescription
Dietary
Infusions
Tinctures
Balms
Dosage
Tincture: (1:2): 30-60 ml pw;
Dried herb: 2-4 g pd.
Nettle (Urtica dioica) - Clinical Snapshot
Primary Actions
Astringent
Diuretic
Tonic
Alterative
Rubefacient
Anti-inflammatory
Antihistamine
Anti-allergy
Nutritive
Hypotensive
Primary Indications
Joint & Musculoskeletal: Rheumatism, arthritis
Urinary system: Cystitis, kidney gravel
Respiratory & Allergies: Hay fever, allergic rhinitis
Skin issues: Eczema
Seeds (semen): To increase energy
Root (radix): Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis
⚠️Cautions / Safety⚠️
Do not use the leaf after flowering due to potential issues with concentrated uric/oxalate crystals, which may irritate the kidneys.
Urtica diocia
Phytochemistry and Pharmacology
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Includes: Iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, silica, zinc
Action: Nutritive, tonic, restorative
Use: Nettle is one of the most mineral-rich herbs in Western herbalism. It replenishes depleted systems, supports bone health, muscle function, and blood-building, and is widely used as a tonic for fatigue, convalescence, and deficiency states. Its high iron and vitamin C content supports healthy red blood cell production.
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Includes: Rutin, quercetin, kaempferol
Action: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine
Use: Flavonoids help stabilise mast cells, making nettle useful in allergic conditions such as hay fever, eczema, and seasonal rhinitis. They also help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, supporting nettle’s role in chronic inflammatory conditions.
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Action: Blood-building, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory
Use: Chlorophyll supports liver function, enhances oxygen transport, and promotes tissue repair. It gives nettle its rich green colour and underpins its use as a deeply nourishing, cleansing herb.
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Includes: Caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid
Action: Antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory
Use: These support liver health, detoxification, and tissue protection, contributing to nettle’s use in rheumatism, arthritis, and chronic skin conditions.
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Action: Counter-irritant, local immune stimulant
Use: When applied topically (e.g. fresh stings), these compounds stimulate circulation, reduce chronic joint pain, and can modulate immune responses. This underpins traditional use of fresh nettle for rheumatic conditions (urtication).
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Includes: Sitosterol, secoisolariciresinol
Action: Anti-inflammatory, hormonal modulator, prostate support
Use: In the root, these compounds support benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms in men by modulating sex hormone-binding globulin and reducing prostate inflammation.
Traditional use
Urtication (self-flagellation) for arthritic conditions. The high mineral and iron content indicates that nettles have traditionally been used in tonics for treating anaemia. The leaf is typically tinctured in wine with iron-rich additions such as dock root, apricots, and molasses.
Clinical discussion
Nettles serve as both a medicine and a medicinal food. The leaves are rich in protein (20-25%), iron, silicon, and calcium, making them beneficial for anaemia, low mineral levels, repairing damaged tissues and bones, osteoporosis, and vegans facing protein intake challenges. As a diuretic, nettles help support the urinary system and alleviate kidney gravel. Their diuretic properties assist with inflammatory urinary disorders and enhance the elimination of metabolic wastes (especially urates) associated with joint inflammation, such as arthritis and gout.
Nettle seed ointment also alleviates joint pain.
A primary application of nettle is for its anti-allergy properties, including those for hay fever, and it exhibits effects similar to over-the-counter antihistamines. The chemical mechanism explaining why nettle produces this effect remains unclear, and it appears contradictory that a plant rich in histamines would diminish the body’s histamine response in cases of hay fever.
Herbalist discussions have proposed theoretical suggestions that nettle histamines may function as a hormone or competitive compound that modulates the inflammatory response and urtication (self-flagellation) in arthritic conditions.
The high mineral and iron content means that nettles have traditionally been used in tonics to treat anaemia. The leaf is usually tinctured in wine with iron-rich additions such as dock root, apricots, and molasses.
Cultivation/harvesting
Nettle (Urtica dioica) is a hardy perennial that thrives in moist, rich soil and partial to full sun. It grows readily in gardens, hedgerows, and disturbed ground, spreading both by rhizomes and seed. Once established, it forms dense, productive patches—excellent for long-term harvesting.
Though often seen as a weed, nettle is a deep-rooting, mineral-accumulating plant that enriches the soil and offers exceptional nutrition and medicine.
Leaf Harvest:
Gather the young, tender top leaves in spring, before the plant flowers. After cutting back, a second flush of growth often appears in late summer; this regrowth is ideal for a second harvest. Leaves are best collected on a dry day, wearing gloves to avoid stings. Dry in thin layers in a shaded, ventilated space, or use fresh in teas, tinctures, or soups.Seed Harvest:
Nettle produces male and female plants, but only female plants produce seeds. Harvest the green, sticky seeds as they ripen, usually from late summer to early autumn. The seeds can be used fresh or dried, and are prized for adrenal and kidney support.Root Harvest:
Roots can be dug in autumn or early spring and are often used for urinary or prostate health. Wash thoroughly and dry for tincturing or decoctions.
Nettle is best grown in a contained bed or corner of the garden, as it spreads aggressively. Regular cutting encourages fresh, tender growth and can keep the patch productive for years.
Key Botanical Features of Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Growth
Type: Perennial herb.
Size: Typically grows 50–150 cm (1.5–5 feet) tall, but can reach up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in ideal conditions.
Stem: Erect, square-shaped, covered in stinging hairs (trichomes).
Leaves
Type: Simple, opposite.
Shape: Ovate to lanceolate, tapering to a pointed tip.
Size: 3–15 cm (1–6 inches) long.
Margins: Deeply serrated/toothed.
Texture: Covered in stinging hairs (trichomes) that inject histamine and other irritants upon contact.
Colour: Dark green on top, lighter green underneath.
Flowers
Type: Tiny, greenish, inconspicuous flowers, forming long, drooping clusters.
Size: 1–2 mm (very small).
Colour: Green to yellowish-green.
Flower Arrangement: Found in axillary panicles (hanging clusters) on separate male and female plants (dioecious).
Blooming Period: Late spring to early autumn (May–September).
Pollination: Primarily wind-pollinated.
Fruits & Seeds
Fruit Type: Tiny, dry achenes.
Size: 1 mm or less.
Dispersal: Primarily by wind, water, and animals.
Roots
Type: Creeping rhizomes, allowing for aggressive spread.
Function: Helps the plant form dense colonies and regenerate easily.
Habitat & Growth Conditions
Climate: Prefers temperate and subtropical climates.
Soil: Thrives in rich, moist, nitrogenous soils, often found in disturbed areas, woodland edges, and riverbanks.
Sunlight: Grows best in partial shade to full sun.
Water Requirements: Prefers moist conditions, but can tolerate some drought.
Distribution: Native to Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America, and widely naturalised worldwide.
Sustainability/conservation
Widespread, abundant weed, Least concern.
Sources
Bartram, T. (1998). Bartram’s encyclopedia of herbal medicine. Constable.
Fisher, C. (2018). Materia medica of western herbs (Rev. ed.). Aeon Books.
Hedley, C., & Shaw, N. (2020). A herbal book of making and taking. Aeon Books.
Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical herbalism: The science and practice of herbal medicine. Healing Arts Press.
McIntyre, A. (2019). The complete herbal tutor (Revised & expanded ed.). Aeon Books.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/
Mills, S., & Bone, K. (2013). Principles and practice of phytotherapy: Modern herbal medicine (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone; Elsevier.
Barnes, J., Anderson, L. A., & Phillipson, J. D. (2013). Herbal medicines (3rd ed.). Pharmaceutical Press.
Benzie, I. F. F., & Wachtel-Galor, S. (Eds.). (2011). Herbal medicine: Biomolecular and clinical aspects (2nd ed.). CRC Press; Taylor & Francis.
Evans, W. C. (2009). Trease and Evans’ pharmacognosy (16th ed.). Elsevier.
Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only. Consult a qualified medical herbalist before using herbs, especially during pregnancy, when trying to conceive, while breastfeeding, for medical conditions, or with children.
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