I had the tea as a kid... Nature class

And cooked up like spinach. Water drained 3 times , butter and salt added.

It was good...haven't done it since though

Sorry Aix, haven't done much with smart and knot weeds.

I find the wide leaved woodland/wetland species more palatable of them. Nor never sought their tea as flavorful, though it contains many good oxidants. Got bit by an Australian nettle, who's needle tubes that delivery the itch are larger and more durable, that long after the itch was gone exposure to hot or cold water to them was very,very sensitive(painful) - like a year.

I 100% agree with you.

I one time collected several gallons of tender spring stinging nettle tops and served them up to my fraternity brothers (I was on cooking duty that weekend) and claimed it was spinach.

Not one out of 18 suspected that it was anything but.

I fixed them just like I do any other green. Salt and pepper, butter, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Boil until tender.

Laughed a lot at these reply's but Boco had the best one, Zims were good too. I crashed a dirt bike in a big patch of nettles all sweaty and in a tea shirt when I was young, I hate nettles! I would never plant them! They come up in my rhubarb patch and are a pain the way the roots travel underground and start a new terrible plant!

A "Tea" shirt you were wearing...LOL!

I have to agree with the many so far. I hate and dread getting into that stuff. It is all over here and I will more times than not get right in the middle of it before I realize what I have done. Have seen it over 6 ft tall here many times.

I have heard it is full of good things, but I will have to take others word for it. If it itches as bad inside as it does outside, I would rather be dead.

Worst was on the Illinois river squirrel hunting. Got into at least an acre of it taller than I am. Got out and headed for the river. Stripped down and jumped in. My buddy thought I was crazy but it wasn't long he was doing the same.

I had one pop up in my garden this year, ill google how to do tea, i hear mullien tea is good for the lungs

I eat them in the spring sautéed in butter along with fireweed shoots, sugar and bit of onion. Good with fish.

They tend to grow here on the river bank. Often times in contaminated soils, like where they used to dump the honey bucket over the bank. They appear to filter the soil, I notice they grow around my steam house too.

They are high in nitrogen so good for the garden . My chickens love it. I use some in my compost, and have made tea for the garden as well.

As far as tea. I am surprised you as a Kanuck dont drink the Labrador tea. Here we call it Tundra tea. I drink it every morning mixed with oolong tea and my fireweed honey.