Stinging nettle
Urtica dioica group · native reference: Urtica gracilis
An upright perennial with opposite toothed leaves and stinging hairs. Correctly identified young shoots are used as cooked greens. Raw plants can sting skin and mouth; this is a preparation-dependent food.
Native range
Urtica dioica sensu lato: temperate Northern Hemisphere. Urtica gracilis: North America; introduced European nettles also occur.
Typical season
Young growth is the culinary reference. No reviewed local picking calendar is assigned; mature stands are valuable wildlife habitat.
Identification
Photograph leaf arrangement, hairs, stems and flower clusters without touching bare-handed. Native North American nettles are treated as Urtica gracilis or U. dioica subsp. gracilis by different references. Handle with gloves and tongs and cook thoroughly; do not taste a raw plant to identify it.