Many people consider the golden nettle, which belongs to the mint family, to be just a sometimes annoying weed, although both the leaves and flowers of the wild plant are very tasty. But that's not the only reason why the perennial is sometimes cultivated in gardens; its strong growth and bright yellow flowers also have a high ornamental value. Not to mention another possible use, because in earlier times the golden nettle was considered a medicinal plant.
Is the golden nettle edible?
The golden nettle is edible and tasty. Both its flowers, leaves and roots can be eaten. The plant contains valuable ingredients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements and was previously used as a medicinal plant.
Harvest and use
Basically, all parts of the golden nettle plant, which blooms between April and July, are suitable for consumption. The golden yellow flowers contain a lot of nectar - one reason why the plant is an important pasture for bees. It's not for nothing that golden nettles are also called "bee's suck" - and therefore taste honey-sweet. Maybe you remember the taste from your childhood, because many children have always enjoyed sucking dead nettle flowers. But the tender leaves and young shoots also have a very distinctive taste and taste great both raw in salads and cooked or blanched as wild spinach. From autumn you can also harvest the roots and prepare them as a vegetable - similar to salsify. In principle, harvesting is possible all year round.
Ingredients of golden nettle
The golden nettle not only tastes very good, it also contains a lot of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. In addition to essential oils, flavonoids and saponins as well as tannins and mucilage, golden nettles contain boron, calcium, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur and zinc.
Attention, risk of confusion
If you know what the golden nettle looks like, you probably won't confuse it so quickly. However, caution is still advised, because the forest ziest, which grows in similar locations, looks very similar to the golden nettle. However, it is also edible, although its taste is tarter and more aromatic. However, you can distinguish the plants by their smell before picking, as the forest ziest has a much stronger scent than the golden nettle.
Golden nettle as a medicinal plant
In earlier times, the common golden nettle was in great demand not only as a vegetable, but also as a medicinal plant, especially for colds. An infusion made from its fresh flowers or leaves is said to have an anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect, and the plant is also said to have antibacterial effects. You can also dry the young leaves and enjoy them together with other herbs as a homemade herbal tea mixture.
Tip
If you go collecting in nature, it is better not to pick the golden nettles directly on (busy) roadsides and field edges, as these can be heavily contaminated with pollutants and pesticides.