Perennial nettle (Urtica dioica) is a fast-growing herbaceous perennial that is usually regarded as a weed but is occasionally grown as a garden plant. It is easy to plant by dividing an existing patch of roots and planting the pieces where you want it to grow. Alternatively, you can collect the seeds and sow them indoors a few weeks before the last frost or directly sow the seeds in the garden.

Characteristics

Perennial nettle has erect stems growing three to seven feet tall, lined with soft-green pointed leaves with serrated edges. The leaves and stems are covered with fine hairs, some of which have the troublesome habit of detaching and injecting a burning, stinging chemical when the plant is touched or eaten.

Cultivation Techniques

Three cultivation techniques can be used for the stinging nettle: direct sowing, growing seedlings in nurseries with subsequent transplantation, and vegetative propagation via stolons or head cuttings. Transplantation can be delayed in comparison to the growing seedling technique. The stinging nettle can also be grown in controlled-environment agriculture systems, such as soil-less medium cultivations or aeroponics, which may achieve higher yields, standardize quality, and reduce harvesting costs and contamination.

Uses

Perennial nettle is often grown for its edible leaves, which have a similar taste to spinach and are high in vitamins A and C and contain good levels of other nutrients. The leaves can be cooked and eaten as a nutritious potherb. The plant is also used in herbal medicine, and its stems contain a bast fibre that has been traditionally used for the same purposes as linen and is produced by a similar retting process.