Stinging Nettle Season

April 14, 2021 • Leave a Comment

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are delicious, nutritious, dangerous, and all around amazing plants. For us, they are the first fresh greens of spring. They have lots of uses besides food, and they take care of themselves. Be careful to not let them touch your bare skin before they are cooked. Their stings are very similar to hornets and ants, but smaller and numerous. Actually, I recommend a small brush with their danger if you have never experienced it (unless you are allergic to bees). Last night, we made a heavenly nettle & smoked salmon quiche. Today, our patch is under the snow. Phenologically, stinging nettles are prime for eating right after maple sap stops flowing & just ahead of emerging rhubarb.

Stinging NettlesUrtica dioica at the eating statge Snow-covered Stinging Nettles