Stinging nettle

About

Stinging nettle is a plant that can be recognized even with closed eyes. It grows throughout Ukraine: in willow thickets, deciduous and mixed forests, in weedy places, near homes and livestock. It prefers disturbed soils rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, so in the mountains, dense thickets of nettles often grow near homes, kolibas, and places where livestock is kept. The plant is shade-tolerant and quickly spreads through creeping rhizomes.

The stem is upright, 50–200 cm tall, with opposite, ovate-lanceolate leaves that have large teeth along the edges. The entire plant is covered with both ordinary and stinging hairs. Stinging nettle: some plants have only male inflorescences that stick up, while others have female ones that droop after flowering. The flowers are small and greenish. It blooms from June to September. In spring, it is one of the first to regrow, just two to three weeks after the snow melts.

The stinging hair is a tiny "needle" with a brittle tip. Upon contact, the tip breaks off, and the hair injects histamine and other irritating substances into the skin. This causes burning, itching, redness, and swelling, which usually resolve on their own within a few hours or days.

In villages, young spring nettle leaves have long been added to green borscht, soups, and fillings, and are also dried for herbal teas. During cooking, the stinging hairs lose their potency. On the trail, it is better to wear long pants, and when resting near a koliba, be careful where you sit.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries

Slovakia · Czechia · Poland · Ukraine · Romania · Hungary · Austria · Serbia

Mountain ranges

Slovak Ore Mountains, Strážov Mountains, Moravian-Silesian Beskids, Greater Fatra, Low Tatras, Lesser Fatra, Slovak Central Mountains, Volovec Mountains, Štiavnica Mountains, Kysuce Beskids

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Safety

Stinging hairs cause burning, itching, and redness of the skin — usually resolves on its own. If a large area of the body is burned or signs of an allergy appear, consult a doctor.

In folk tradition

Young spring leaves are traditionally added to green borscht, soups, and fillings, and dried for herbal teas.

Protection and rules

Not protected. Collecting plants is prohibited in nature reserves and protected areas of national parks.

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