Wood Nettle

(Laportea canadensis)

 

   

 

Color Photograph: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis [L.] Wedd.)

Identification: Flowers minute, green. Male and female flowers separate with female flowers commonly near the top of the plant, and the male flowers near the center of the plant. Both male and female flowers in large, highly branched groups. Stem commonly zig-zags. Stem and leaves with stinging hairs. Leaves alternate, ovate-elongate with coarsely toothed outer margins. Plant 1.5 to 4 feet in height.

Distribution: North Dakota in the west to Nova Scotia in the east, southward to Florida and Kansas.

Habitat: Wood Nettle is found in rich, damp woods.

Flowering period: July to August.

Similar Species: Both False Nettle and Clearweed lack stinging hairs on the stem and leaves. The leaves of Stinging Nettle are opposite, not alternate.

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