Common Nettle
Common Nettle
Female catkins
Female flowers
Male catkins
Male catlin and male flower
4-merous male flowers
Leaves
Angled stem and stinging hairs
Purple-tinged form
Urtica dioica
Stinging Nettle
Urticaceae
May to September
It is found throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Common Nettle
It grows almost everywhere, including, woodland, scrub,
grasslands, hedgerows and waste ground.
It is a weed of cultivated ground and thrives on
nitrogen-rich soils.
It may be on the increase.
Common Nettle is a native, persistent, rhizomatous and
stoloniferous perennial herb, growing up to 2m.
Female and male flowers are on separate plants and both
are small.
Female flowers appear star-like.
Male flowers are green with 4 cream stamens.
Leaves are toothed and lanceolate.
Stems range from slightly ridged to distinctly angular.
The hairs are stinging!
Young shoots are deep green and used by forasgers as a
substitute for spinage
Previous page: Common Milkwort
Next page: Common Rock-rose
Common Nettle
Female catkins
Female flowers
Male catkins
Male catlin and male flower
4-merous male flowers
Leaves
Angled stem and stinging hairs
Purple-tinged form
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