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Foraging and Using Dead Nettle









One of the first flowers to open up in spring is the sweet and prolifent dead nettle. A part of the mint family, this little plant is one of the easiest to forage as it grows in so many places and you can often find huge clusters of it at a time. The leaves and flowers are both edible, with a taste similar to spinach, and can be eaten either raw or cooked.



Purple dead nettle is a self seeding annual and frost resistant. Being one of the first spring flowers, it's actually super important to bees and other wildlife, when food is still scarce. Each flower can contain several hundred to several thousand seeds and you will frequently see it pop up where soil has been disturbed, mother nature's way of healing the ecosystem.

As an edible, dead nettle is high in fiber, iron and vitamin c. It contains antioxidants and is good for the kidneys.

The leaves are a tad fuzzy which some people don't care for. That is easily remedied by cooking them though. You can dry the leaves and use them as a seasoning. You can add them to a salad or use them to replace your more everyday greens in recipes (such as kale or spinach). They are a great addition to smoothies as well. Or steep the leaves and flowers in boiling water to create a tea. Sweeten with local, raw honey and you have a delicious drink that also helps control allergies!


As a medicinal, dead nettle is a rock star. It's anti-microbial, anti-fungal, can help control pain and bleeding, and even help relieve sore muscles and season allergies.


One of the easiest ways to make use of this herb is to infuse it in oil. Simply rinse the leaves and let them dry for about 12 hours. This will ensure no moisture gets into the oil which can create cause it to get rancid. Once the leaves are dry, fill a quart mason jar about halfway with them and then pour your carrier oil over the top. I prefer grapeseed oil but you can use safflower, coconut, even olive oil as your carrier if you prefer. Put the lid tightly in place and give your jar a good shake. Then set it in a sunny windowsill for 4-6 weeks to infuse. After the time has passed, strain out the plant matter with cheesecloth and store your oil in a cool, dark place.


You can benefit from the medicinal uses of dead nettle by drying and powdering the leaves and flowers. Pick the dead nettle with long stems and hang in a bunch upside to dry. Once they are dry, use a mortar and pestle to crush the leaves and flowers into powder. Keep this powder in a jar with a tightly fitting lid so no moisture gets in. When you get a cut or a scrape, sprinkle the powder over the wound to clean it and help stop the bleeding.

Whether you use dead nettle to enhance your foods or treat your wounds or both, this tiny plant pack a punch.


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