# Dwarf Nettle (*Urtica urens*) Dwarf Nettle is a small plant with tiny, stinging hairs. It grows in many places and can be found in gardens and fields. Be careful, as it can give a little sting if you touch it! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Dwarf Nettle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Urtica_urens_002.JPG&width=800) Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Urtica_urens_002.JPG) ## Appearance The Dwarf Nettle is a small, upright plant with soft green, oval-shaped leaves that have serrated edges. Its tiny, green-brown flowers grow in clusters where the leaves meet the stem, making them easy to miss. It differs from other nettles by its smaller stature and generally lighter green foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Urticaceae - **Genus:** Urtica ## Interesting facts - Ancient Romans sometimes used nettles to warm themselves by whipping their skin! - Even though it stings, some butterfly caterpillars munch its leaves for food! - Its tiny hairs act like miniature hypodermic needles, delivering a mild sting! - This plant loves disturbed ground, often popping up where soil has been recently moved! ## Special abilities - **Stinging Shield:** Dwarf Nettle has hollow, needle-like hairs that inject irritants when touched, helping it deter hungry animals. - **Rapid Colonizer:** Dwarf Nettle can grow and produce seeds very quickly, allowing it to rapidly spread in disturbed soils. - **Soil Seeker:** Dwarf Nettle thrives in nitrogen-rich soil, making it a natural indicator of fertile ground for other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 5-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Red Admiral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-admiral) (*Vanessa atalanta*) — Larvae munch its leaves - **Eats:** [Small Tortoiseshell](https://www.snappit.app/explore/small-tortoiseshell) (*Aglais urticae*) — Caterpillars feed on foliage - **Eats:** Wavy-striped flea beetle (*Phyllotreta undulata*) — Adults chew holes in leaves ## Traits - [Herbaceous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbaceous): Herbaceous plants are non-woody plants with soft stems that typically die back to the ground at the end of the growing season. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch the plant without asking an adult, as it can sting. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dwarf Nettle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Dwarf Nettle? 10-60 cm ### How wide does Dwarf Nettle spread? 5-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Dwarf Nettle? 0.1-0.3 cm ### When does Dwarf Nettle bloom? Spring to fall ### Is Dwarf Nettle edible? Yes ### Is Dwarf Nettle toxic? Mild ### What is Dwarf Nettle's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Birch Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/birch-aquarium-california) — California, US · Aquarium - [Birch Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/birch-aquarium) — California, US · Zoo - [Serra Mesa Community Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/serra-mesa-community-park) — California, US · Park [View all places to see Dwarf Nettle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dwarf-nettle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Dwarf Nettle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dwarf-nettle)