Nettle is a perennial herb that belongs to the same order of
flowering plants as the rose family. It is also called stinging nettle
because of the tiny hairs that project from the perimeter of the fresh
leaf that “sting” the skin on contact. When cooked or dried, however,
these stingers fall to the wayside.
Nettle has a long history of use as a potherb, especially in Europe,
where the fresh plant is still commonly prepared as a vegetable and the
dried herb is made into teas. Nettle also supplies a fiber from which a
linen-type of cloth is produced. In fact, during World War II, when
supplies of cotton were scarce, German soldiers wore uniforms made from
nettle.
