The sweet, sweet nettle

Another very handy garden weed. Not only to feed your chickens with, but only for humans, if they only know. Many of the ones that grow in the gardens and around lawns is edible, we just delearned how to recognize and use them. Shame really.

Lamium album

Common and easily found in most parts of Europe and better known as White nettle one of a few names I can remember :p).
It can grow 1 meter tall though the ones we have in a garden are reaching maybe half that. That is probably due to the place where it grows - around the trees and edges of the garden where we usually keep just grass. It is mowed from time to time and so is the nettle. It sprouts back though and bloom almost all year round.

It looks almost like the stingy one, but this one is completely harmless. The tiny hair do no harm and it can be handled with bare hands.





White flowers are about 2 cm in lengths and will open along the stem as it grows. The bottom of it is filled with sweet nectar that I did try. The flowers can be easily pulled and then just squeeze the sugary liquids out. No wonder all kinds of insects love it too. Most often I see bumblebees hanging around the plants.





The whole plant is edible. The leaves and flowers can be used in salads when they are fresh, but also in tea. Some herbal shops and larger supermarkets tend to have it on sale, so it is nothing unusual.

Medicinally, white dead nettle is an astringent and demulcent herb that is mainly used as a uterine tonic, to reduce excessive menstrual flow and to arrest inter-menstrual bleeding.
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Before you try it, or pick it yourself, be sure you have the right plant.

Proof of a bumblebee :)

Fancy graphic from 1796:



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Bonus:
This is "Dead Nettle" according to AI 🤣

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_{Shot with Nikon D5500 + Sigma 105mm lens
All photos and text are my own.}