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Girardinia diversifolia - (Link.)Friis.

Common Name Himalayan Nettle
Family Urticaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards This plant has very virulent stinging hairs[4].
Habitats Waste ground and shrubberies, 800 - 2700 metres in the Himalayas[51]. Moist, shady, forested areas at elevations of 1200 - 3000 metres in Nepal[272].
Range E. Asia - India to China and Malaysia.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Girardinia diversifolia Himalayan Nettle


Girardinia diversifolia Himalayan Nettle

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Girardinia diversifolia is a ANNUAL/PERENNIAL growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). It is in flower from September to October, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). .
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

G. heterophylla. G. palmata. Gaud. Urtica heterophylla.

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Young leaves and inflorescences - cooked as a green vegetable[177, 272]. Care should be exercised when harvesting the leaves because they have stinging hairs. However, these hairs are neutralized by heat and so the cooked leaves are perfectly safe to eat[218].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Eczema  Febrifuge  Miscellany

A decoction of the roots and basal stems is mixed with wine and drunk as a cure for malignant boils[218]. A decoction of the roots, mixed with Centella asiatica, is used to treat gastric troubles[272]. The juice of the root is used to treat constipation[272]. The fresh juice of the leaves is applied externally in the treatment of headaches and swollen joints[240, 272]. A decoction of the plant is used to treat fevers[240]. The ashes of the plant are applied externally in the treatment of ringworm and eczema[272].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Fibre  Miscellany

A fibre is obtained from the stem. It is fine and silky and is used for making coarse cloth, ropes and twine[46, 61, 146, 272]. Yields of fibre are around 600kg per hectare[218].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it can be grown outdoors in Britain. The species type, Girardinia diversifolia ssp diversifolia, is a perennial plant, but the ssp G. diversifolia suborbiculata is an annual[266]. Since the plant can be grown as an annual there is a good chance of success in temperate climates especially if the plants are started early in a greenhouse[K]. Plants can be dioecious or monoecious, though the annual form is generally monoecious[266].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in May. If you have sufficient seed it might be worthwhile trying a sowing outdoors in situ in the middle of spring. Division of roots[272].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: China (Gansu Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Henan Sheng (west), Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng (northwest), Jiangxi Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu (east), Shaanxi Sheng (south), Sichuan Sheng, Xizang Zizhiqu (south), Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng), Korea, Taiwan TROPICAL ASIA: Bhutan, India (Sikkim, Punjab), Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia AFRICA: Madagascar

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(Link.)Friis.

Botanical References

51146266

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Frans Geraets   Fri Jun 13 2008

Hello, we grow some plants outdoors a few years. They shoot out in april and some are now june over a meter. Frans Geraets, Venlo, Holland

S.R.Baloch   Mon Jun 1 2009

Please tel me about value addition of the Giraradinia divesifolia(Himalayan Nettle)

Nisha   Mon Aug 17 2009

i want to know the phytochemistry of Girardinia diversifolia

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