3 Wild Spring Greens You Can Harvest Now
How to enjoy the generosity and health benefits of nettle, ivy and cleavers
Bealtaine Blessings to all you Cailleacha! The fixed date for the festival of Bealtaine is May 1st, but astronomically it falls this year on Monday 5th, so we get to celibrate it twice! I hope the good weather holds, because I have a lot of wood gathered from all over my garden to add to my bonfire tonight. In Ireland, the month of May is also known as Bealtaine, which makes me a Bealtaine baby, as I was born in May.
As we celebrate the first day of summer (and birthdays… these days, I welcome not the gathering of years — there have been so many, after all — but the fact that I am still here, still part of this gorgeous physical realm, still well), I am also very aware that we are entering the period our ancestors would have known as ‘the hungry gap’. The crops would have been sown and perhaps just sprouting, the wild plants blooming but not fruiting, and winter supplies would have been running low. I feel this more keenly as I watch my own garden rotate through the seasons, and know the anxiety of awaiting my seeds to show signs of life, although of course, today we are no longer dependent on the growing cycle for our food.
However, nature is not unkind, and there is plenty of foraging to be had, if you know where to look, and are willing to make the effort. I recommend following the Wild Biome Project on Instagram if you want to learn just how astonishingly bounteous and generous our wild plant allies are right now.
Three wild plants that have responded to my invitation to share my garden this year for the first time are nettle, ivy, and cleavers, so I think it only fair to introduce them here. These plants are often seen as invasive weeds that are hard to banish, but they have many uses, and they are our friends, not our enemies.
Nettle - neantóg
Many of us spent our childhoods in fear of the nettle due to its savage sting. I remember the strange bumpy rash and the desperate search for dock leaves to soothe it. We were always getting stung because we played out more, and roamed far and wide; there were no screens and no parental anxiety that kept us housebound. Incidentally, I recently learned that plantain is much more effective than dock leaves as a rememdy. But the nettle is a most useful plant and generous ally, and there is far more to it than just its sting.
According to Niall Mac Coitir, the word ‘nettle’ has Anglo-Saxon origins meaning ‘needle’; this refers either to the stinging hairs, which are hollow tubes that act like hypodermic needles injecting the solution that causes the sting and rash into the skin, or to the plant’s fibres that were harvested and used as thread, or woven into cloth. 1
Common nettles (urtica dioica) grow very tall and the fibres in the stems are thus long and very strong. These fibres can be dried and twisted together to make cordage, or spun and woven to make cloth. In Ireland, and in Europe, fragments of clothing made from nettle fibres have been found that date back to the Bronze age. Nettles can also be used to make a natural green dye.
Nettle as healer
Medicinally, the nettle was thought to cleanse the blood, and cure skin complaints such as rashes and boils, and even drunk as a tea in Ireland to heal measles. The sting of the nettle was believed to help with rhreumatic joints, paralysis, circulatory issues, and epilepsy. In fact, the famous herbalist and wise-woman Biddy Early made a poultice for swollen limbs that included nettle, cabbage leaf and watercress bound with egg-white.
Today, we know that nettle is more nutritious than the superfood, spinach. According to the USDA, consuming 100g of blanched stinging nettle will provide 28% of your daily fibre requirement, 5% towards your protein intake, 48% of calcium, 8% iron, 5% Vit B6, and 14% magnesium. 2 Nettle is a rich source of vitamins A, B, C and K; minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium, and many other nutrients that act as antioxidents which fight inflammation, aging, and some deseases. 3
Nettle in myth
In Irish mythological lore, the nettle often features as a symbol of desolation and human abandonment. For example, in the Fate of the Children of Lir, when the second period of three hundred years expires, Fionnghuala and her brothers leave Iorrus Domhnann and set out homeward to Sioth Fionnachaidh, where they had originally lived in prosperity with their father, Lir.
they were in the point of Iorrus Domhnann until the time they had to spend there expired. And then Fionnghuala said: ‘It is time for us to go to Sioth Fionnachaidh, where Lir is with his household, and all our people.’ ‘We like that,’ said they.
And they set out forward, lightly and airily, until they reached Sioth Fionnachaidh; and they found the place deserted and empty before them, with nothing but unroofed green raths, and forests of nettles there; without a house, without a fire, without a residence. 4
It’s a similar story when Oisín relates his return to Almhuin, his father, Fionn mac Cumhaill’s home, to St. Patrick after leaving Tir na nÓg, only to find 300 years had passed, everyone he knew and loved had passed on, and the once great fort lay in ruins.
“And when I knew by their talk that Finn was not living or any of the Fianna, it is downhearted I was, and tired, and very sorrowful after them. And I made no delay, but I turned my face and went on to Almhuin of Leinster. And there was great wonder on me when I came there to see no sign at all of Finn's great dun, and his great hall, and nothing in the place where it was but weeds and nettles.” And there was grief on Oisin then. 5
In early Christian lore, there is a tale about the wholesomeness of nettles and St. Colmcille. He encounters a woman cutting nettles, and when he asks her what she is doing, she explains that she has nothing else to eat while her one cow is calving. Shamed by her humble diet whilst he as a holy man and servant of God eats so well, he determines to follow suit, demanding of his servant only pottage with nettle. However, in fear of his master’s health, the servant deceives him, hollowing out the mixing spoon so he can surreptitiosly add meat juices.
Columcille happened to be going round in lona, and he saw the old woman cutting nettles to make pottage thereof. “What is it causes that, O wretched one?” saith Columcille. “O darling Father,” saith she, “I have (only) one cow, and she is in-calf, and this is what serves me while expecting it for a long time.” Columcille then determines that pottage of nettles should serve him more so long as he was alive… And he saith to his servant “Pottage,” saith he, “from thee every night, and bring not the milk with it.” “It shall be done,” saith the cook. He bores the mixing-stick of the pottage, so that it became a pipe and he used to pour the meat-juice into the pipe down, so that it was mixed through the pottage. That preserves the cleric's appearance. 6
Nettle as nutrition
When the nettle grows tall, I hope to gather it for cordage making, but that is for later on in the season. Just now, while the nettle is young and tender, I like to use the nettle for making tea, soup, and pesto.
How to make nettle tea
Gather your nettles. Wear thick protective gloves to avoid being stung. Pick only the tender new tips of the plant before it flowers, with about 2 to 3 sets of leaves, and avoid plants along the sides of roads.
Remove the leaves and discard the stalks. Rinse leaves in a colander, then place into a pan, add boiling water, and continue to boil for five minutes or so. Strain before drinking.
Nettle tea smells and tastes quite earthy and ‘green’. I like it, but if you’re not sure, try adding a few mint leaves. I love this combination.
You can also dry the leaves for tea making. Either leave the leaves on the stalks and hang somewhere dry in small bunches until the leaves become crispy, about 1 to 2 weeks. Or remove the leaves and air dry on racks somehwere sunny, if you are that lucky, or in an oven on a very low temperature (you don’t want to destroy all those valuable nutrients by roasting!) until crispy.
N.B. If you don’t want the hassle of picking and drying nettle leaves for tea making, there are many brands available online. I am loving Sugarloaf Botanics Bealtaine Tea Blend Nettle, Peppermint and Daisy right now!
How to make nettle and potato soup
Saute a small chopped onion in a tablespoon of virgin olive oil until transparent and soft. You can add your nettle leaves at this stage with a bit of water so nothing sticks, or you can add them nearer the end of cooking, if you prefer.
Add some chopped potatoes, and cover with water or stock. You could also add carrots, turnips, parsnips, whatever you have available. Simmer till your veggies are tender.
At this stage, I would add my nettle leaves, about 400 - 500g, and blend until smooth. Add more liquid, if you prefer a thinner texture. You could add a splash of milk or cream, if you like.
Add seasoning, and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley and some warm crusty bread.
How to make nettle pesto
Blanch about 200g fresh nettle leaves in water for about 5 minutes. Drain and gently squeeze out water by pressing in a clean tea towel.
Combine your blanched nettles with 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 40g Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and some olive oil in a food processor, or mini chopper. You could also grind your ingredients in a pestle and mortar, if you prefer. These quantities are a guideline, adjust to suit your own taste.
Serve with pasta, as you would your regular pesto, or use to dip bread into, or drizzle over grilled veggies.
N.B. If you look up nettle recipes online, many miss out the blanching step completely, as the process of grinding up the leaves is thought to be enough to destroy the sting. This may be so, but I would err on the side of caution. Nettle is too nutritious and plentiful not to use at all, a real gift from nature and the land. But when I went into the woods with Willow and Wild, some people were sensitive to the nettle even after it was cooked, experiencing a very slight tingle in the mouth.
Ivy - eidhneán
Ok, so ivy is not strictly a spring green, it is green all year round. I’m including it in my spring greens because it has only this spring ventured into my garden, and because the use I want it for replaces that of another plant I like.
What I love about it is that it flowers in the late autumn, providing a last feast for pollinators, who go into a frenzy for it, before winter rolls over the land. Once the winter takes hold, it produces copious amounts of little black berries that feed the birds when there is so little available nutrition for them. Nature has it all thought out.
So it is no surprise that in ancient Ireland, as an evergreen, the ivy was seen as a symbol of endurance, fertility and life. According to Mac Coitir, its ‘clinging nature’ was seen as representing loyalty and fidelity, while its binding properties were symbolic of restraint. In winter time, ivy was valued as fodder for livestock, and as such was protected by Brehon Law; those who took too much would be fined a one-year-old heifer.
Ivy as Healer
Ivy, both hedera helix and hedera hibernica, is mildly toxic to humans and pets, although not to livestock or birds, and its sap can irritate the skin, so it is not a plant to be eating. However, in the past it was often used as medicine. It was used to treat corns by making a poultice of the leaves with vinegar, and the leaves were boiled and mixed with fat to treat burns and scalds. According to Mac Coitir, in some parts of Ireland, the berries were eaten to cure aches and pains, and the plant could also be used to heal coughs, colds, bronchitis, relieve inflammation and staunch bleeding. To be on the safe side, I would recommend consulting a trained herbalist, though, rather than self-medicating with ivy.
Ivy in myth
When I was a child, my all-time favourite book that I still adore today was Rosemary Sutcliffe’s Tristan and Iseult which told the story of an Irish princess, Iseult (pronounced Izul, and sometimes spelled as Isolde), who is sent to marry King Marc of Cornwall but flaas in love with Tristan. It is a bit of a love triangle in the sad, beautiful style of King Arthur, Guinivere and Sir Lancelot. This story seems to have been lost from Irish mythology, although it still features as an Arthurian legend. In any case, it is thought that after her tragic death, Iseult’s body is brought back to Ireland and was buried at a place now known as Chapelizod in Dublin, an anglicisation of Séipéal Iosóid.
So, what does this have to do with the ivy? Well, Niall Mac Coitir tells another version of the story in which King Marc brings his grievance for judgement by King Arthur. Arthur decides that Iseult should be with one lover while the leaves are on the trees, and with the other when the trees are bare, and gives the lawful husband first choice. Marc chooses the bare trees, because the nights in winter are longer. The quick-thinking Iseult gets the better of her husband, declaring that “there are three trees that are good, holly and ivy and yew; they put forth leaves while they last, and Tristan shall have me so long as he lives.”
I do love a happy ending — for Iseult and Tristan, anyway, if not for poor old Marc!
Ivy as detergent
I have written before about how I make detergent for washing clothes from conkers. You can read how I do it here:
What is a life worth?
It’s 4am on a Sunday morning. I have been awake for an hour, and I have enough experience of this now to know I can’t fight it. So here I sit in my dark-dappled kitchen, cup of fennel tea on my right, phone and Braiding Sweetgrass on my left. I light a candle; I have been lighting a lot of candles lately, a way, perhaps, of bringing some light into the …
But as I have no conkers left, I have decided to try ivy leaves. They contain saponins, a natural detergent and foaming agent, which is what makes them mildly toxic to humans. However, these saponins can also harvested to make detergents with which we can wash our dishes or clothes. If washing dishes, rinse them after washing to remove the soap.
How to make ivy washing detergent
Gather about 100 large ivy leaves, and rinse to remove bugs and dust.
Cut them up with scissors. This releases the saponins.
Put the cut up ivy leaves into a pan and add a litre of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer for about half an hour.
Turn off the heat and let sit overnight. Then strain into a glass bottle. You can add a few drops of essential oil for fragrance, if you like. If you shake the bottle, you will see a lot of frothy bubbles!
To use, add about 200mls to the drum of your washing machine, and wash your clothes as per the instructions on the labels.
N.B. If this seems like too much work, the inimitable Nancy Birtwhistle has a simpler method. 7 She suggests simply popping the washed and cut up ivy leaves into a fine net bag which you then put in the washing machine drum with your washing. Tie the bag tightly so the leaves don’t get out. She also suggests adding 3 tablespoons of washing soda into the drawer of the washing machine to soften the water and aid the ivy leaves to do their thing. I have found both ivy and conker detergents to be effective, and they are completely non-toxic to the environment. However, they won’t remove stains, you will need a stain remover for that.
Cleavers - garbhlus
When I went into the woods for Wild and Willow in 2023, the foraging group collected cleavers and steeped them in cold water to make a refreshing cool drink. The smell and taste reminded me of cucmber in water, and I was told it was very cleansing for the adrenal glands.
According to Zoe Devlin’s The Wildflowers of Ireland A Field Guide, 8 cleavers are part of the Bedstraw/ Rubiaceae family. It has narrow leaves with backward-pointing bristles and and pointed tips that grow in whorls around the stem. It scrambles through hedges and over disturbed ground, and is a widespread native annual that thrives from May to September.
In the past, cleavers were gathered to use as bedding material. Because of the little hairs that help it to stick to everything, it was often fashioned into a mat through which milk could be strained. According to mac Coitir, an Irish name name for the plant from Galway, sop an tséaláin, means ‘wispy strainer’.
Cleavers as healer
Cleavers support the lymphatic system in the body, and as a diuretic, it supports kidney function and calms the urinary tract. Mac Coitir claims that in Ireland, it was thought that eating the leaves helped with weight loss. In Irish folk medicine, cleavers was used to cure burns, swelling, bowel inflammation, and stomach ache.
Cleavers as nutrition
Cleavers is related to the coffee plant, so it might not suprise you to know that you can make a fairly good coffee substitute from it. However, it is a fiddly process… those seeds are tiny and it takes a long time just to gather enough to make even one cup of coffee. Its worth a try, though, and this is how you do it.
How to make cleavers coffee
Harvest the seeds when they begin to turn brown on the plant towards the end of summer. You will need about 100g — that is a lot of picking!
Preheat the oven to 180℃/ 160℃ (fan).
Roast the seeds on a baking tray for 45minutes to an hour. They will darken, but take care not to let them burn. You will get a faint coffee aroma from them.
When cool, grind into a fine powder and store in an airtight container.
To make the coffee, put the required amount according to your taste into a cafetiere, let brew, and plunge as you would normally. 9
N.B. I haven’t made this yet, last year I used dandelion root to make a coffee substitute which worked surprisingly well. My friend, Jenni, has made coffee from cleavers, and reports the taste and smell is good, but the texture is watery. From reading on the interweb, it is definitely thought to be one of the better natural coffee substitutes, though.
How to make cleavers detox infusion
This is something you can definitely do now. Fresh cleavers make a delicious cold infusion and gives the body a refreshing and cleansing boost after the winter, and is very simple to make. It has a mild, herbal, cucumber-like sweet flavour.
Gather your cleavers. You will need a good handful or two. Rinse and gently dry them in a clean tea-towel.
Place clean cleavers in a glass jug and pour over 2 litres of cold water. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight. In the morning it is ready to drink. You can strain the cleavers out or leave in. 10
N.B. You can add a few lemon slices, or any other fruit, to the water for a bit of additional flavour and colour, if you like. As with all foraged plants, only take what you need from areas away from roads or that may have been treated with pesticides. Use young fresh plants, and wash them first. Although cleavers are considered safe to consume, it is worth being cautious in case of allergy.
That’s all for this week! Hope you enjoy experimenting with your wild spring greens. Let me know in the comments which wild spring plants you’re working with while you wait for everything else to grow.
Grá,
Niall Mac Coitir. Ireland’s Wild Plants - Myths, Legends and Folklore, The Collins Press, 2018.
Nancy Birtwistle. Clean & Green 101 Hints and Tips for a More Eco-friendly Home, One Boat Pan MacMillan, 2021.
Zoe Devlin. The Wildflowers of Ireland A Field Guide, Gill Books, 2021.
Ali, loved reading all of this! It is so great. I have been inviting nettles into my garden for 3 years now and alas they have arrived this year in 3 spots and I am delighted. I quite like the wee sting as it is good for circulation! Although I find when I gather mindfully and ask permission from the plant I rarely get stung! Isn't it just gorgeous seeing everything springing to life and these beautiful plants inbetween?! X
Would Brigit wear gold hoops? Or possibly pearls? She's coming along! Sending photos to your email this week when a neighbor will help me post them. Of course, she has glorious red hair, but does she braid it or let it down?