Hedge Nettle soothes the burn from Stinging Nettle
Hedge Nettle soothes the burn from Stinging Nettle
By: Jon Hammond, Tehachapi News Columnist
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Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Most people (particularly those who have brushed against them) know about Stinging Nettle, the tall serrated-leaf plant whose fine hairs are tipped with formic acid which can inflict a burning and itching sensation when touched. Few people realize that an antidote to the sting can be found in a plant often growing in the same location: White Hedge Nettle.
This widespread and likeable perennial favors the same moist growing areas as stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Hedge nettles are common along most of Tehachapi’s creeks and springs. They usually grow between 8 inches and 2 feet tall and have very soft, velvety leaves and little white tubular flowers arranged in circular clusters on the upper portion of flowering stalks.
Hedge nettles have a very distinctive, pleasant odor which will awaken childhood memories in anyone who has grown up playing along creeks or meadows. Even though kids may not know where the fragrance came from as they tromped in lush areas looking for frogs, it will still be recognized. It is a scent redolent of sun-dappled creeks trickling through small canyons, of willows and damp earth.
The Nüwa (Kawaiisu) Indian people of Tehachapi were of course very familiar with this plant which they often encountered on a daily basis. The Nüwa word for hedge nettle is hugu-zuba and in earlier times hedge nettle leaves were sometimes used as a stopper or plug in the top of woven water bottles. Indian ladies said the hedge nettle leaves would impart a pleasant flavor to the water stored within the willow canteen.
The botanical name for white hedge nettles is Stachy albens (pronounced “STAY-kis” ) and they are related to the herb Betony (Stachy officinalis), which is native to Europe.
For those who inadvertently make contact with stinging nettles, hedge nettles leaves have a very useful property: they minimize the sting. If you crush some hedge nettle leaves and place them on the welts raised by the stinging nettle hairs, they offer immediate relief. Some people grow hedge nettles in their yard specifically for their ability to soothe different kinds of stings.
When we were kids and got tagged by stinging nettles, the adults always told us to put cool mud on the welts. It seemed to help, and plus being encouraged to muck around in the mud was an unexpected and pleasant diversion. Hedge nettles do work, I have found, even without the mud.
White hedge nettles are known by several common names, including Whitestem Hedgenettles and Cobwebby Hedge Nettles. This last term refers to the soft cottony hairs which are found on the stems, leaves and especially all around the unopened flower clusters at the top of the stalks. Like all members of the mint family, white hedge nettles have square stems.
When you encounter hedge nettles growing in some lush place in the Tehachapi area, rub one of the gentle furry leaves and see if the scent reminds you of any childhood creekside ramblings. Hedge nettles are truly delightful plants…
Have a good week.
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