Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has a bad reputation for leaving terrible stings on unsuspecting hikers who brush up against it. Despite its sting, nettle is an edible, medicinal, and all-around useful plant!

Here in southeastern Ontario, plants are beginning to emerge after a long and cold winter. It's wonderful to see the landscape transform with spring growth. In this post, I discuss some common spring plants and their uses.