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Nettle, Urtica dioica Family: Urticaceae
Common Nettle / Stinging Nettle
Urtica dioica


Flowering time: June-August. Perennial.

Very common throughout Britain and Ireland, especially on phosphate-enriched soils

Whole plant is covered with stinging hairs releasing an irritant juice when broken. Dioecious yellow-green flowers in leaf axils. Spreads by means of fleshy, yellow rhizomes. An important food-plant for the caterpillars of Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral butterflies.

Similar: Small Nettle, Urtica urens


Nettle, Urtica dioica     Nettle, Urtica dioica
Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica
Holton Lee, Dorset. October 2012

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