Nettle (Tops With Leaves)

Nettle leaves, derived from the stinging nettle plant (Urtica dioica), are known for their sharp, stinging hairs and nutrient-rich composition.

Stinging nettle redirects here. For the Australian plant, see Urtica incisa. For other plants that sting, see Stinging plant with stinging hairs. Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, it is now found worldwide, including New Zealand and North America. The species is divided into six subspecies, five of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation upon contact (contact urticaria, a form or contact dermatitis). The plant has a long history of use as a source for traditional medicine, food, tea, and textile raw material in ancient societies.

Stinging nettle redirects here. For the Australian plant, see Urtica incisa. For other plants that sting, see Stinging plant Plants with stinging hairs. Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, it is now found worldwide, including New Zealand and North America. The species is divided into six subspecies, five of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation upon contact contact urticaria a form or contact dermatitis). The plant has a long history of use as a source for traditional medicine, food, tea, and textile raw material in ancient societies.

Safflower, Carthamus tinctorius, is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds and was used by the early Spanish colonies along the Rio Grande as a substitute for saffron.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with elliptic, obtuse leaves. It grows as a vine or creeper, doing well in moist, neutral soil. The most striking feature about this plant is the color of its flowers, a vivid deep blue; solitary, with light yellow markings. They are about 4 cm (1.6 in) long by 3 cm (1.2 in) wide. Some varieties yield white flowers. The fruits are 5 - 7 cm (2.0 - 2.8 in) long, flat pods with six to ten seeds in each pod. They are edible when tender. It is grown as an ornamental plant and as a revegetation species (e.g., in coal mines in Australia), requiring little care when cultivated. As a legume, its roots form a symbiotic association with soil bacteria known as rhizobia, which transform atmospheric N2 into a plant-usable form (a process called nitrogen fixing), therefore, this plant is also used to improve soil quality through the decomposition of nitrogen rich plant material.