Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), fam. Urticaceae.
   Grows over all the forest, except dry places and clearings, and in wet areas forms continuous thickets. This plant has quite good nutritional value, and may be picked almost all year round, except only the times with lying snow. The tops of the shoots with leaves, grown during the last few days, are edible. In April and May almost all nettles are like that, but later you should look for young specimens which continue to grow among the rough flowering ones.
   Nettles provide antiinflammatory, general tonic action, improves blood coagulation. Its powerful hemostatic effect can be not only beneficial, but also dangerous for people prone to trombosis. Just 200 g of nettles contain a whole daily requirement of calcium (1 g).
   Nettles grow lavishly in sunny, humid, and fertile areas. If you pick them, you do need to protect yourself from burns (use gloves and closed clothes) – though it is not harmful, the burned areas are itchy and likely to keep you awake during the next night.

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