Older nettle leaves

[garyc]

I'm about to gather some nettles for cordage, rather than waste the leaves I'd prefer to use them. I was going to eat the tops with dinner and dry the older leaves (with the stems for cordage) and use them to make tea. Any other ideas?

I'm assuming the older leaves aren't good for eating, although I've never tried!

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[Robson Valley]

I make Greek dolmades (aka = cabbage roll made with a grape leaf).
Not much time before the expanded grape leaves mature and get really woody.
They feel OK, they cook OK, but you want to peel the dolmades open and eat the filling!
Often, I won't pick leaves until the filling is made then chew on a couple of raw grape leaves
for age & texture. They taste like grapes, anyway.

I can believe that nettle leaves will do exactly the same thing. The mature ones with be really woody.
We have a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) here. Excellent cordage fiber.
The hollow stinging hairs contain formic acid as is found in bee stings.
Just me, but as a tea flavoring, I'll pass on it.

 

[Janne]

They are quite fibrous. Full flvoured.
I used to make a soup or stew them as a side veg to meat, but always ran them through a blender.
Good roughage for the old intestine!

The only thing to keep an eye out for are larvae and spiders.