Urtica angustifolia
Fischer ex Hornemann
Stinging hemp, Marrow-leaved nettle
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Сергей, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Сергей, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Alexey P. Seregin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaUrtica angustifolia also commonly called the East-Asian nettle is a species of plant in the family Urticaceae. POWO lists is as a synonym of Urtica dioica var. holosericea.
Description
A herb that keeps growing from year to year. It grows 50-150 cm high. It has stinging hairs. These can be both simple and branched. The leaves are opposite and sword shaped. They are 8-12 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. There are teeth along the edge. The flowers are small. Male and female flowers are on separate plants.
Edible Uses
Young leaves are best cooked, making an excellent spinach or a nutritious addition to soups and stews. The plant is high in vitamins and minerals. Only harvest young leaves, and wear stout gloves to avoid being stung. Although fresh leaves carry stinging hairs, thorough drying or cooking destroys them completely. Nettle beer can be brewed from the young shoots.
Traditional Uses
The young shoots are boiled, drained and seasoned. They are eaten in soup.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Known Hazards
The leaves of the plants have stinging hairs, causing irritation to the skin. This action is neutralized by heat so the cooked leaves are perfectly safe and nutritious. However, only young leaves should be used because older leaves develop gritty particles called cystoliths which act as an irritant to the kidneys.
Distribution
It is a cold temperate plant. It grows in northern China. It grows in wetlands.
Where It Grows
Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia,
Cultivation
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most parts of the country. It is closely related to U. dioica, and may be no more than an eastern variant of that species. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a nitrogen-rich soil. The best fibre is produced when plants are grown on deep fertile soils. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Propagation
Sow seed in spring in a cold frame, barely covering it. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out in summer. Division can be done at almost any time during the growing season — simply plant the divisions straight into their permanent positions.
Other Uses
A strong flax-like fibre from the stems is used to make string, cloth, and good quality paper. It is harvested as the plant begins to die down in early autumn and retted before the fibres are extracted. The remaining plant matter is a useful biomass source and has been used in the manufacture of sugar, starch, protein and ethyl alcohol. An oil from the seeds serves as an illuminant. The plant is an essential ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator, a dried and powdered herbal blend added to compost heaps to speed bacterial activity. Leaves make an excellent compost addition and can be soaked for 7–21 days in water to produce a nutritious liquid plant feed that also acts as an insect repellent and foliar feed. The growing plant raises the essential oil content of nearby plants, making them more resistant to insect pests. Flies are repelled by the plant, and bunches of freshly cut stems have been placed in food cupboards for this purpose. The plant juice, or a decoction made by boiling the herb in a strong salt solution, curdles milk and acts as a rennet substitute; rubbed into small seams of leaky wooden tubs, it coagulates and makes them watertight. An infusion of the leaves makes a hair wash used as a tonic and antidandruff treatment. A permanent green dye comes from a decoction of the leaves and stems; a yellow dye is obtained from the root boiled with alum.
Notes
There are over (100) 500 Urtica species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Usun halagai
References (5)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of wild edible plants in Mongolian cuisine
- Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 364
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Sachula, et al, 2020, Wild edible plants collected and consumed by the locals in Daqinggou, Inner Mongolia, China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2020) 16:60
- Zhang, Y., et al, 2014, Diversity of wetland plants used traditionally in China: a literature review. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 10:72
