Wood Nettle is a native North American perennial that grows 2–4 feet tall in rich, moist forest understories. Its alternate, broadly ovate leaves and stinging trichomes distinguish it from the introduced Stinging Nettle, which has opposite leaves. It grows in dense colonies along streams and bottomlands, often indicating undisturbed, fertile woodland soil. The tender young shoots are edible after boiling and were an important spring vegetable for many Indigenous nations.
Best time to see a Wood Nettle
The best time to see a Wood Nettle is May–August, when about 67% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 13,876 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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