Photo by Gary Kurtz
Wood nettle is a native plant that typically reaches a height of 2 to 4 feet and can spread about 1 to 3 feet wide. Its flowers are quite small, measuring less than 1/8 inch across, and are white to greenish with five tiny petals. The plant has separate male and female flowers, with male flowers forming loose clusters and female flowers forming more compact clusters. The leaves of wood nettle are oval to egg-shaped, up to 6 inches long and 4 inches wide, with serrated edges and a sharply pointed tip. They are attached to long stalks and covered with fine stinging hairs. Wood nettle thrives in moist, shaded environments, commonly found on low-lying forest floors, alongside streams and creeks, and in bottomlands. It prefers rich, moist soils and often forms dense patches in hardwood forests. (LS)