False Nettle
Boehmeria cylindrica
native
Other Names:
Bog Hemp, Smallspike False Nettle
False Nettle is a native plant found throughout Virginia and in much of the United States. The caterpillars of Comma, Question Mark, and Red Admiral butterflies feed on the foliage, as do caterpillars from the Flowing-line Hypena moth. Despite its name, False Nettle is in the nettle family. The stinging nettle plants for which False Nettle is sometimes mistaken have sharp hairs like hypodermic needles which inject histamine and trigger an autoimmune response in humans that is very painful. However, in Africa, gorillas can handle stinging nettles and eat them with seemingly no ill effects.
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