Nettles, Stinging (Urtica dioica) seeds, organic
$3.95 – $44.10
Family: Nettles (Urticaceae)
Hardy to Zones 4 to 9
Herbaceous perennial. Flowers to 5 feet tall. Nettles are dioecious, meaning that the plants are either male or female. Not self-fertile, as both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required, and seed will occur on female plants only. Native to temperate climates world-wide. Official variety. In the early spring find Chickweed overrunning the rich garden beds, Dandelion in the upland pastures, Dock in the lower pastures, Watercress where the stream runs cold into a pool and Nettles along the edge of the stream. All wild spring vegetables. Wait until the little Nettles are four inches high or so, and snip them off. They must be lightly steamed to disarm their stinging hairs. Eat the Nettles, and drink the water in which they were steamed. Traditional usage (TWM): Allergies, builds blood. Source of trace minerals, potassium and the blood-like molecule known as chlorophyll. Plant prefers moist soil in sun or shade. This seed will germinate in cold soils (slowly) or in warm soils (quickly). Nettles is very easy to grow from seeds–sprinkle on the surface, press in firmly, keep moist and in the light, and watch the magic happen. Thin or transplant to 1 to 2 feet apart. Nettles grows best in a nitrogen-rich soil.
Packet contains 200 seeds
1 g contains ~3,500 seeds
5 g contains ~17,500 seeds
10 g contains ~35,000 seeds
Certified Organically Grown
Question
kelebecs (verified owner) –
Can the nettles be grown in a pot?
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Richo Cech –
hi keleb, nettles are very easy to grow, they grow readily in a pot, richo
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Question
DAwn Wait (verified owner) –
Richo, could I plant in end of September or wait til spring, the seeds of stinging nettle? We don’t have a creek but could raise a bed kept moist if that is enough? Thank you
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Richo Cech –
hi dawn, thanks for writing. in the colder zones 6 and under, probably best to sow in spring. warmer zones 7 and up can fall sow to get a jump on it. r
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Question
kcb3 –
Can I purchase this summer and sow the seeds inmid winder to transplant out?
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Richo Cech –
yes
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Question
Dave S. –
What does it mean “Stinging” ?
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Richo Cech –
hi dave, that’s the common name of the plant, “stinging nettles.” The plant has hollow hairs that act like little hypodermic needles and inject the unwary with formic acid. the experience is generally considered uncomfortable but temporary. meanwhile this plant is a well-respected food and medicinal herb. r
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VICTORIA Ann FONSECA –
Can you use these seeds for making tea instead of planting them
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Richo Cech –
hi victoria, these are clean and untreated, organically certified seeds. a packet isn’t going to make much tea, though! r
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Question
Sue –
What zone is north Georgia 30534?
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Richo Cech –
you’re in a zone 7
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Steve –
Are these European Nettle?
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Richo Cech –
hi steve, they’re american nettles. r
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Alvin –
Is there a map of the zones? Can it be grown in hot, dry climates? Maybe indoors?
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Richo Cech –
hi alvin, here’s a link to the usda zone map https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
regarding growing nettles inside, this can be done on a windowsill, but they do best outdoors, and will definitely grow in hot and dry climates in the sun to shade. they are heavy nitrogen users and will need to be watered. r
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Question
Kendra (verified owner) –
Do nettles require cold stratification
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Richo Cech –
hi kendra, if you double-click on the photo its going to give you the monograph that contain s all the pertinent germ info. anyhow these are a standard warm soil geriminator. don’t put them on a heatpad or anything like that, just plant them in a tray in the greenhouse. they come right up. r
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Amy KOUSCH –
Nettles patches are springing up everywhere…I have been growing SMS nettles nursery stock for three years and slinging to the hungry garden folks. And thank goodness for us hungry garden folk. Popular with medicinal gardeners and even more popular with my lymph system.
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jaki –
If you live in a city and have a gate you don’t use: good place for nettles to act as crime deterrent. I had “chronic fatigue” that was actually anemia. It didn’t show in blood labs until one day it finally did. Nettles cured it and every time I feel tired now, it solves fatigue. I love taste, but at first I had to add a sweet, freeze dried ginger tea to make it palatable.
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K –
Makes great pesto! blanch for 30 seconds, add to food processor with lemon peel, raw cashews, olive oil, salt, parmesan, pepper.
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Question
Jake Goodson –
Is this the Native to Europe urtica dioica ssp. dioica variety or the native to North America urtica dioica ssp. gracilis variety? Thanks.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Jake, The subspecies designation on nettles is a contested subject. The main differentiating factor between true medicinal nettles and lookalikes is the sting. If it stings, you’re in. We used to carry a different species (urens) but now carry only dioica. From the ABC website: While the American Herbal Products Association’s Herbs of Commerce, 2nd ed., narrowly defines stinging nettle as a subspecies (U. dioica subsp. dioica), the European Pharmacopoeia does not make such a distinction. Version 1.1 of The Plant List states that U. dioica subsp. dioica is a synonym of U. dioica. The taxonomy of U. dioica remains controversial, as demonstrated by the conflicting information in Herbs of Commerce and The Plant List. There is also some disagreement about the classification of U. dioica subsp. gracilis (California nettle). Many authors (likely incorrectly) state that U. dioica (or subspecies) is native to the Americas and eastern Asia. While older literature suggests that U. dioica is native throughout the entire Holarctic region (non-tropical parts of Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America), new taxonomic research calls this into question, suggesting that, for example, American species are distinct and should be removed from U. dioica and placed instead into U. gracilis as the “New World-sister” to U. dioica. In particular, it is proposed that U. dioica subsp. gracilis be changed to U. gracilis subsp. gracilis.
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Question
Linda MacCulloch –
Can we grow nette in zone 7a and zone 10
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Richo Cech –
hi linda, these are listed for zones 4 to 9 so zone 10 is a bit hot for them. Choose a moist, shady spot and cut them back frequently and you can grow them in a Z 10. nettles like moist soil and a lot of nitrogen. richo
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Question
Kea –
Hi there
Does Stinging Nettle leaf grow pretty well in a Zone 5B area?
Thank you
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Richo Cech –
Hello Kea,
Yes, it does.
Richo
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Question
Magdalena K. Nopper –
Hi there, can these seeds be taken as a supplement also?
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Richo Cech –
no, the quantities we’re selling here are too small to fulfill the needs of supplement takers
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Question
CW –
Hello! Are these male seeds that can create their own pollen?
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Richo Cech –
Hi CW,
Nettles are dioecious, meaning that the plants are either male or female. They are not self-fertile, as both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Male plants will have pollen but not make seeds and female plants will produce flowers and make seeds. The seeds themselves will grow into either male or female plants.
Richo
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Question
Jenny A –
I’m looking to grow this in the south florida Miami area. Do you think they’d do well? Hot hot sun, humidity…
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Richo Cech –
Yes, they will want a moist and shady spot, and plenty of nutrients. R
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Chris B. (verified owner) –
I think these are probably the first round of tiny seed that actually grew after seeding. Didn’t even use the best soil for seeding them in (see picture). Picture is shortly before splitting them apart into 4 separate pots. They took this early transplant well. Looking forward to some fried eggs with nettle greens a couple years down the road 🙂
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Question
Amy –
Hello, I live in Allegheny County, PA, zone 6b. I have an area to plant that’s wooded and by a stream. Is this a good time of year to plant? Or should I wait until Fall? Thank you.
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Richo Cech –
hi Amy,
It is best to plant in the spring to early summer. nettles germinate and grow with extreme rapidity. richo
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Question
Richard P. MATTOCKS –
Please provide pricing for 1 oz of organic stinging nettle seeds; for use in tests in our microgreen production thank you
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hello Richard,
We do have bulk nettle seeds. Click on the drop-down menu and choose your size. We don’t sell by the ounce, we sell by the gram, 5 g, 10 g etc. 10 g (appx 1/3 of an ounce) contains ~35,000 seeds
Richo
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Saphena –
My stinging nettle seeds are labeled “urtica dioica” and yours are different…are these a different variety?
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Richo Cech –
Hi there,
Sorry, I don’t understand the question.
Richo
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Question
Nellie –
Hello I was wondering if nettles are self seeding? I had just 1-2 small plants in my yard over the summer. I want to know if they will come back? I am interested in buying these seeds as I need more than 1-2 small plants.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Nellie,
They tend to be perennial and creep more than self-seed. Usually it takes a pretty well-established plant to produce viable seeds. I have struggled with this here for years in terms of seed production and they tend to make blanks until very well established. Our nettles are nice.
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Question
Ari Bertine –
Approximately how many grams of nettle seeds would there be in 1/2 tablespoon? I have a recipe calling for them.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Ari, I weighed out a 1/2 tablespoon volume of nettles seeds and it weighed 2.5 g. Richo
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Wendy (verified owner) –
Can stinging nettle thrive well as a container plant?
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Admin Richo Cech –
I suppose, if you keep it cut back, otherwise it would tend to outgrow the pot.
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Question
RUAN C VARNEY –
are these seeds for internal use? Can you swallow them?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Nettle seed is a standard botanical and is commonly found as an ingredient in tinctures and other herbal preparations. Although our nettle seed is organically grown and untreated, it is prepared for replanting–high quality, 100% purity, small packets–you would want to find a different resource for larger quantities of field-run nettle seed for medicinal use.
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monika –
hello,i would like to purchase i need to grow them and eventually make soups and teas for better health. Let me ask you what does it mean MEDICAL/ does it mean i cannot eat it and cook it ? thanks
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Richo Cech –
you can cook and eat it
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Laura C –
Are they the stinging type?
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Richo Cech –
yes
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Question
Royisha Singh –
Is this product also offered in bulk quantities?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Yes, use the dropdown menu to choose bulk quantities up to 10 g.
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Kristie A. Blank –
I am looking for dried nettle seeds for medicinal purposes. Are these seeds dried?
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Admin Richo Cech –
These seeds are dried.
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Lena –
Are these seeds edible or just for planting? Thanks
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Admin Richo Cech –
They are certified organically grown and so have no additives that would make them inedible. However they are packaged and priced for selling–it would be an expensive tidbit to eat.
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Bruce Beck –
Bless you for withstanding all the silly questions daily. You must be well rooted.
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Richo Cech –
I enjoy the questions.
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Monica (verified owner) –
Hello,
I was surprised to read in your book Plant Medicine this caveat about nettles “Avoid internal use of stinging nettle products made of mature leaf (summer or fall) due to presence of tiny cystoliths… that may irritate the kidneys.” Is this right?? That would seem to suggest one could only use spring leaves. I have bought your seed, have some vibrant nettle plants and was enjoying nettle tea.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Monica, The best approach is to avoid using nettles internally once they have matured and made flower/seedheads. Richo
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Monica (verified owner) –
Thank you for the prompt response .
Right now my nettles have no flower heads so then based on your answer I will continue to use. In your area, when do the nettles make flower/seed heads?
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Richo Cech –
Right, they are fine for tea making right now. If you keep them cut back they probably won’t flower. Our’s are in full flower now in July. r
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Jenny (verified owner) –
Hi Richo, going off of this question I wanted to ask new growth in the fall would be safe for consumption as it is not “mature.” Thank you!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Jenny,
Traditional wisdom is that nettles are an herb of spring, meaning that the new growth is what is used. Older growth will contain cystoliths that are not friendly to kidneys and bladder. I seem to remember that this thread contained a comment from someone who tried to overwinter nettles indoors. Instead my recommendation would be to put the plant outdoors, in a moist, shady place with rich soil, a nook in shade garden or woodlands where the nettles can grow, be available for herbal use but not be a nuisance (like by stinging someone unexpectedly). Watch the spot in the spring and when the new growth reaches 6 inches or so, cut it back to the crown and use that herb for drying to make tea or tincture. When the plant sends up more new growth, you can harvest that, too. If the plant gets up knee high or so, then you can cut it back, mulch the crown with the stems and leaves, and wait for young, tender growth to push up through, and again harvest that for herbal use if you want, even if the season is fall. In other words, just use the new growth, whether from first show in the spring or from regrowth after cutting back or if the plant has naturally fallen over and created new growth from the base. Hope that makes sense. To give back to the nettles, and make sure it doesn’t go away from all that cutting, fertilize with composted chicken manure and water well with well water or, well, any water including wild water that wells up or falls from the sky or water from a wishing well. I wish you well. Richo
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Dennis Hammers (verified owner) –
Hi! This might seem like a silly question but, how do you keep nettles from getting out of control and keep them semi-orderly? Thanks
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Richo Cech –
limiting the spread of nettles involves not doing. don’t fertilize, don’t water, and the nettles will go away. r
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letsgobrandon512 –
Are these good for a compost blended with comfrey for the vegtable garden?
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Richo Cech –
hi, i’ve been thinking about this recently because the organic certifiers just disallowed dried kelp as an organic ingredient. nettles, as a source of diverse micronutrients, would be a kind of terrestrial substitute. but spendy in terms of time and futzing–a sack of ground kelp used to be easy–you can put comfrey in your compost pile, you can put nettles in your compost pile, you can make nettles tea to alleviate chlorosis and improve sap flow in perennials, vines and trees–it has its uses for sure–but here’s the thing–if you have nettles the primary use would be as a human food and nutritional supplement–many of us aren’t going to have enough of it to sacrifice to the compost pile–but if you do, then, great! r
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