Boehmeria cylindrica (L.) Sw.

False Nettle

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

False Nettle is a native herbaceous perennial in the Nettle family (Urticaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. False Nettle occurs along streams and rivers, around lakes and ponds, in swamps, in low woods, and in wet roadside ditches. It is a perennial with a slender rhizome. Stems are erect, 2-3 feet in height, pubescent with non-stinging hairs, green in color, and freely branched. The leaves are +/- opposite, petiolate, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, with toothed margins. The leaves vary from almost glabrous to pubescent and scabrous. Flowers are produced in spike-like inflorescences from the axils of the leaves. Flowers occur in well separated or crowded clusters. Flowers are unisexual with staminate and pistillate flowers occurring in the same clusters. Each flower has 4 small yellowish-green tepals. The fruit is an achene enclosed in the persistent perianth and surrounded by corky tissue. False Nettle is a larval food plant for Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma), Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) butterflies.—A. Diamond

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Native FACW+ (NWPL) G5 (Global Rank)

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