Stinging Nettle

plants · nature · stinging

Tiny hair weapons. Stinging nettles are covered in microscopic hollow hairs that inject a stinging liquid into your skin when you brush against them. The liquid contains formic acid, the same chemical in ant venom, which causes that burning tingle.

Traveled the globe. Stinging nettles originally came from Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but now they grow almost everywhere in the world. They spread so easily that they've become one of the most common wild plants on Earth.

Separate boy and girl plants. Unlike most plants, stinging nettles have separate male and female plants. The female plants make seeds, while the male plants make pollen to help them grow.

Edible when cooked. If you cook stinging nettles, the stinging hairs lose their sting and become completely safe to eat. People have made nettle soup and tea for hundreds of years because nettles are actually very nutritious.

Butterfly host plant. Many butterfly caterpillars, especially peacock and tortoiseshell butterflies, eat stinging nettles as their favorite food. The nettles provide everything the caterpillars need to grow strong and healthy.