Safety note: Stinging hairs cause burning pain and skin irritation on contact. Wear gloves when handling.
Slender Nettle is a native North American relative of Stinging Nettle, distinguished by its narrower leaves and sparser stinging hairs. It grows across a broad range from the Rocky Mountains to the eastern United States, preferring moist, disturbed habitats. Often overlooked in favor of its more aggressive introduced relative, it plays a similar ecological role supporting butterfly larvae and seed-eating birds.
Habitat
Moist meadows, stream banks, disturbed areas, open woodlands
Diet
Larval host for red admiral butterfly; seeds eaten by small birds
How common
Uncommon
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