Species guide
Stinging nettle
Skin irritantUrtica dioica
How to recognise it
Heart- to lance-shaped toothed leaves in opposite pairs on a square stem, all covered in fine stinging hairs. Spreads in dense patches.
Is it dangerous?
The hairs inject a cocktail that causes a stinging, itchy rash on contact — irritating but not dangerous, and it usually settles within hours.
What to do
Rinse the area, avoid scratching, and don't rub the hairs in further; the rash typically fades within a day.
Recorded 2,113,317 times in the wild worldwide.
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