What Is The Point Of Nettles?

The Common Nettle is a great indicator of past human settlements as it tends to grow on ground that has been well fertilized. This is why nettle patches are often seen around old farm buildings or where the cottage privy used to stand. The stems of nettles are fibrous and are used in small-scale paper making. Nettles are also edible and make a soup rich in protein, vitamin C and iron. Just use the fresh grown tops if you want the leaves to be tender and don't use the fibrous stems. Flogging yourself with stinging nettles sounds ridiculous but it has long been considered a remedy for rheumatism. In herbal medicine the nettle is remedy for arthritis and has recently been discovered to be a useful treatment for enlarged prostate glands (although not for cancer). Nettle shampoo makes for shiny hair and a dandruff free scalp and what would many species of caterpillar do without nettles to chomp on?