Nettle, Stinging

Nettle, Stinging

Stinging Nettle is an herbaceous perennial with widely spreading bright yellow rhizomes and stolons. It can grow 3 to 7’ tall in the summer with soft green leaves and dies to the ground in the winter. The leaves and stems are very hairy with both stinging and non-stinging hollow hairs. The tips of these hairs break off when touched, transforming the hair into a needle that injects several chemicals including: acetylcholine, formic acid, leudotrienes, moroidin, and histamine. These compounds cause a painful sting from which the plant gets its name. It can be found in every state, but Hawaii and found especially in areas that receive high rainfall.

Bonide Solutions