Stinging Nettle
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common name
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Stinging Nettle
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Also called
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N/A
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scientific name
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Urtica Dioica
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classification
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Plantae - Magnoliophyta - Magnoliopsida - Rosales - Urticaceae
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hazard type
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skin irritant
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range & frequency
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Can be found in most of North America, but not terribly common here (extremely common in parts of Europe).
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Description
If you're the sensitive type, here's one more reason to dress up like a mummy before heading outdoors. The leaves and stems of this weedy plant are covered in tiny hollow hairs that work as hypodermic needles to inject an inflammatory brew. (Sources disagree whether the ingredient is formic acid or a mixture of histamine and acetylcholine.) As you might expect, the effect is not pleasant. An instant stinging or burning sensation is followed by an itchy rash not unlike a mosquito bite.
The dose delivered is extremely variable - don't assume, because your first brush barely tickled, that the next one won't be a whopper. However, overall the effect is usually short-lived (sometimes the itch will last as long as 24 hours, but usually it fades within minutes) and not nearly as uncomfortable as, say, poison ivy.
Stinging nettles are difficult to distinguish from members of the mint family, which are not only harmless but often tasty. The difference when placed on the tongue is extreme.
Nettles usually grow to about a meter in height, and can be found in dense clusters.
Mitigation
1. Avoidance
Avoidance is usually easy as stinging nettles are not all that common in New England.
Learn to recognize stinging nettles. Mint stems have a square cross-section, nettles do not.
2. Protective Clothing
If you are in area where you suspect stinging nettles may be present, wear shoes, socks, and long pants to minimize the risk of accidental contact.
3. Treatment
Probably because the burning and itching usually go away fairly quickly no matter what treatment is applied, a large number of home remedies are fiercely advocated. The traditional anti-irritants (urine, spit) are well represented, as well as such items as baking soda (for those who believe that the toxin is formic acid - they don't explain how the baking soda is supposed to enter the skin to counteract it). My personal preference is to ignore it. Small children may need treatment with hugs, kisses, and a shiny distraction. Topical analgesics or anti-inflammatories are widely used too.
Conclusions
If fear of this plant keeps you indoors in New England, you really are paranoid. But isn't it time we had a talk about the dust mites living in your pillow? And how about the toxic solvents sublimating from your plastic computer keyboard as you read this?
Reference Materials
Wikipedia: stinging nettle
