Safety note: Stinging hairs on leaves and stems cause burning pain and skin irritation on contact. Wear gloves when handling.
Heartleaf Nettle is a native annual nettle of moist, shaded forests in the southeastern United States, distinguished from Stinging Nettle by its smaller size, more delicate stature, and heart-shaped to broadly ovate leaves. It grows in bottomland forests, moist ravines, and woodland edges, often forming small colonies in rich, moist soil. Despite being an annual, it provides the same ecological functions as perennial nettles — supporting butterfly larvae and providing nutritious foliage to browsing wildlife.
Habitat
Moist bottomland forests, shaded ravines, rich woodland edges
Diet
Larval host for red admiral butterfly; foliage occasionally browsed by deer
How common
Uncommon
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