Stinging Nettle - Urtica dioica

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Very Small/young Stinging Nettle plant.

Stinging Nettle is a perennial that grows to about 2 to 4 feet high (45-90cm). Its flowers are small and green. It blooms from June to September and is native to many parts N. America. The plant should be handled with gloves only since it has tiny hairs on it that act like hypodermic needles that inject a fluid that causes severe burning and irritation. Although, the young shoots and leaves are actually edible if cooked.

Stinging Nettle is a host plant for the Question Mark, Comma, Red Admiral

Question Marks, Commas and Red Admirals all use Stinging Nettle (as well as False Nettle) and some other plants as hosts.

Since it has stinging hairs on it, it is not an easy plant to grow for butterflies. What I am doing is growing in a large pot that I have placed in the middle of a patch of False Nettle. This way, no one is likely to accidently rub up against it and it will make it more difficult to spread through the garden.

Where to buy Stinging Nettle

Seeds can be bought from Johnny's Seeds. Germination is 10-14 days.

The Nettle family

There are about 45 genera of nettle around the world, with over 1000 species. Most have stinging hairs and insignificant flowers. In the state of Missouri there are 5 genera - Boehmeria, Laportea, Parietaria, Pilea, Urtica and seven species.