NAME : NETTLE

GAELIC NAME : Neantóg

LATIN NAME : Urtica dioica.

COMMON / FOLK NAMES : Common Nettle Common Stinging Nettle Stinging Nettle

MEDICINAL PART : The plant.

PLACES OF ORIGIN : All over the world.

HABITAT : Grows in waste places, gardens, along roadsides, fences, and walls.

DESCRIPTION : Singing nettle is a perennial plant. The square, bristly stem grows from 2 to 7 feet high and bears opposite, cordate, deeply serrate, pointed leaves which are downy underneath.

FLOWERING PERIODS : The small, greenish flowers grow in axillary clusters from July to September.

PROPERTIES : Astringent Diuretic Galactagogue Hemostatic Tonic

USES : The fresh juice or an infusion of the nettle plant has been used to stimulate the digestive system and to promote milk flow in nursing mothers. As an astringent it is also use for blood in the urine, haemorrhoids, and excessive menstrual flow. Nettle is a helpful remedy for ailments of the urinary tract and is said to reduce susceptibility to rheumatic problems and colds. A decoction of the plant is good for diarrhoea. A decoction of the root is recommended for external use on the scalp for loss of hair. The fresh leaves have sometimes been used as a Rubefacient., but severe irritation and blistering can result. Nettle can also be eaten as a vegetable, but old plants
must be thoroughly cooked to be safe. Young plants in the spring can be used for salad or as a vegetable.

CAUTION -: Do not eat old plants uncooked; they can produce kidney damage and the symptoms of poisoning. The bristly hairs of the nettle plant act like a hypodermic, injecting an irritant substance under the skin when touched: so handle with care.

Call on the goddess Áine when using for protection and healing.

Call on goddess Medb while using nettle for lust spells (note:  she is a very powerful goddess)

MAGICAL USES
The protective powers of the nettle have long been used in magic.
To remove a curse and send it back, stuff a poppet with nettle, or carry some in a sachet.
Also, sprinkle nettle around the house to keep evil out and to send it back. Nettle is also thrown onto a fire to avert danger, held in the hand to ward off ghosts, carried with yarrow to allay fear, and worn as an amulet to keep
negativity far away.
A pot of freshly cut nettles placed beneath a sickbed will aid in the person's recovery.
Nettle has sometimes been used as a lust-inducing herb, and contemporary Mexican spiritualists recommend its use in purification baths because it is 'more carnivorous' than other herbs, and so will work more efficiently.