Wood Nettle
Scientific
Name: Laportea canadensis
Family:
Urticaceae (Nettle Family)
Habitat: Rich
woods
Blooms: July to
August
I have always
had a soft spot in my heart for coves ---
the abrupt stream valleys you find in these parts where the sun barely
reaches the bottom on winter days. Salamanders and rare plants
share my fondness, and I have spent many long hours poking around in
deep, damp hollers in search of both.
Unfortunately,
nettles love coves too. Some nettles are harmless --- the
translucent stems and short stature of Clearweed are a common sight in
cool, shady woods. But the two stinging species quickly block
their less caustic relatives from your mind.
Wood Nettles
can be found in just about any cove in our region. Their coarsely
toothed leaves and inconspicuous flowers mark them as nettles.
Meanwhile, the leaves alternating up their stems distinguish them from
our other stinging species --- the aptly named Stinging Nettle.
When I first
heard that the Stinging Nettle was introduced from Europe, I was
intrigued. Why would anyone carry a plant across the Atlantic
Ocean that sets your skin tingling with pain? Dipping into
several books on wild edible and medicinal plants, I quickly discovered
that Stinging Nettles make a delicious cooked green and can be used to
cure arthritis. Some sources suggest that Wood Nettles can be
used in a similar manner. Be sure to cook well, though, to
deactivate the sting!
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