Wood Nettle

$5, 4-inch pot

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Height	2 to 3.5 ft
Spacing	2 ft
Sun Exposure	Shade to Part Shade
Soil Conditions	Medium Wet to Wet
Bloom Color	Greenish White
Bloom Time	July, Aug
Companion Plantings	White Vervain, Common Beggar-Ticks, Solomon’s Seal
Special Attributes

Laportea canadensis

Don’t let the stinging hairs and bad reputation of Wood Nettle belie the many ecological services this plant provides; in dense patches it is an important groundcover, and is host to many caterpillar species, including the Eastern Comma, Red Admiral, and Question Mark butterflies. Many other insects also benefit from this plant.

The stiff hairs on the stems and leaves cause a light burning/itching sensation when rubbed against, but this is short-lived. It is often confused with the invasive exotic Urtica dioica, Stinging Nettle, which has only opposite leaves, whereas the native Wood Nettle has alternate leaves on the middle to lower half of the plant and opposite leaves towards the top (confusing, I know). Wood Nettle also has wider, more attractive leaves.

This plant has been used medicinally to treat many ailments, including fever, urinary problems, diarrhea, and dysentery. Cooking or boiling the leaves will destroy the irritant, which can then be added to stews or made into a tea. Wood Nettle needs full to part shade and moist, fertile soil that is high in organic matter. If planting in poor soil, consider amending with compost.

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