herbaceous layer
stinging nettle
urtica dioica
indicator of fertility and nursery for thirty butterfly and moth species. cut for liquid feed richer than anything you can buy.
functions
field guide
native to
Europe, Asia, north Africa
height
0.6–1.5 m
spread
spreading by rhizome
hardiness
RHS H7 · USDA 3–10
light
part shade
moisture
moist
soil
nitrogen-rich, disturbed ground
uses
in the kitchen
young spring tops, cooked — the sting disappears with heat; soups and teas
traditional medicine
an iron-rich spring tonic in folk use
historical & folk use — not medical advice.
harvest
young tops in spring; cut for liquid feed before it seeds
propagation
seed or rhizome division — it rarely needs help
season
open the calendar →grower's notes
memberspropagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for stinging nettle — the members' view.
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relationships — grows well with
see stinging nettle on the relationship map →the takeaway
start a guild around stinging nettle
plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.
- herbaceous
- stinging nettle — the anchor
- shrub
- elder
- herbaceous
- comfrey (bocking 14)
works inside: chop & drop fertility loop · banker plants
design patterns using this plant