Wood Nettle Laportea canadensis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Urtica canadensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- lah-POR-tee-ah kan-ah-DEN-sis
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Wood nettle is a native erect perennial herb in the Urticaceae family . Found naturally in forests or natural areas in rich woods, moist bottomlands of rivers and streams.
It thrives in rich moist soils with partial to deep shade. The plant grows in dense large sweeping areas to a height of 2 to 4 feet. Propagate it by seed or by dividing its spreading rhizomes in the spring. With conspicuous stinging hairs on the above-ground parts of this plant, it is well known for its ability to cause painful contact dermatitis. Wear gloves when handling this plant though the stinging and burning usually subsites in about an hour.
It may not be an ideal choice for a heavily managed landscape but the dense thickets provide cover for wildlife and this plant also a great larval host plant for butterflies. It would work well in a boundary planting, a woodland garden, or planted along a slope or in a riparian area.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant is used by many beneficial insects and so may get some galls on the leaves or flowers though they may look alarming, are harmless.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Laportea
- Species:
- canadensis
- Family:
- Urticaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Fibers were extracted and woven into fabric by indigenous people.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central & East Canada to Mexico
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant provides cover for wildlife is a larval host plant for butterflies. The Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) appear as overwintered adults from spring until the end of April and they lay eggs. The summer form emerges from May-September and lays the winter form. These adults appear in September and find a location to overwinter for the next year. Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) have two broods from March-October, they overwinter from October-March in southern Texas.
- Edibility:
- Only collect young shoots in the spring. Wear gloves and soak young shoots and leaves in clean water to remove dirt. To remove the stinging hairs blanch, steam, boil in salted water, or chop up and saute. Serve in soups or as a green vegetable. Crowhurst, A. 1972. The Weed Cookbook. Lancer Books, Inc. New York, 190 pp.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Fruit Description:
- Black, dry shiny seed.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Self-fertile, separate male and female flowers are inconspicuous appear in the summer. Male flowers are shorter, less than 1/8" across white to green with 5 petals. Female flowers are loose and lacy with 4 green sepals that resemble curly leaves in longer clusters and clustered at the top of the plant.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Medium to dark green, alternate, simple, ovate coarsely toothed 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. Young leaves are covered in stinging hairs older leaves tend to have hairs concentrated on the bottom surface.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stinging hairs are white on medium green stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Poisonous to Humans
- Spines/Thorns
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. Contact with the stinging hairs causes intense burning, itching, or stinging lasting usually less than an hour.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Mixture of chemicals, not well understood
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Stems
