Stinging Nettle-Urtica dioica grows wild throughout the Americas, although it was originally a native of Europe, but it can now be found throughout the world.
In many countries, it is considered a valuable vegetable. It tastes like Spinach with a twist of lemon. But don’t touch it! It STINGS!! But once it is cooked, the stinging quality disappears. Stinging Nettle has many medicinal and culinary uses. On this variety, you can find little stinging hairs called trichomes. They are like little hypodermic needles that inject histamine and other chemicals into your skin. Almost immediately upon contact, you will feel an intense stinging sensation, and you will develop a dermatitis. Luckily, the pain will only last an hour or two.
