RE: Mere vegetables - California nettles
- Subject: RE: Mere vegetables - California nettles
- From: &* A* O*
- Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 16:04:09 -0700
At 06:42 AM 5/15/01 -0700, Carol Joynson wrote:
>I did a little web search - is Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea the only
>native subspecies? Or is there something 1. smaller, and 2. less water-loving?
Carol -
Yes, this is the native subspecies, but there is the introduced U. urens as
well, which is reputed to have better flavor. The former, U. dioica
holosericea, grows along stream banks or creeks, where ever water is
present for most of the year, and on rich heavy clay soils. Stands of
willow are a good indication, and you'll find the plants in cool shade,
often on the north or eastern side of a slope (where it is cooler and
moister longer). It is fairly common throughout California, but specific
to this type of site. It has been my experience that it is often plentiful
near around Forest Service campsite near rivers!!! ;-) I've often seen it
along the coast in many kinds of habitat.
U. urens grows as a weed in gardens and waste places, is smaller, and may
be difficult to really tell from the other, but maybe it doesn't matter.
Curly Dock, Rumex crispus, is a common roadside weed, often found in the
same places as nettles. It is reputed to be a good cure for the sting -
vigorous rubbing of crushed dock leaves on the effected area is the method,
preferably while chanting 'Dock in, nettle out!' is the method
suggested. I have found this to be completely ineffective, but perhaps
some people have had better luck!
Margrit Roos-Collins writes about these and other edible natives and weeds
in 'The Flavors of Home' (her experience with the dock cure is the same as
mine!). See this URL for more information about this book:
http://www.support.net/Medit-Plants/inprint/tfohmrc.html
Regards,
Seán O.
h o r t u l u s a p t u s - 'a garden suited to its purpose'
Seán A. O'Hara fax (707) 667-1173 sean.ohara@groupmail.com
710 Jean Street, Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
