Intro: Erect perennial commonly seen in swamp forests, bottomlands, bogs, marshes and ditches.

Stems: Stems usually several in a clump arising from a woody crown, 4-angled or round, unbranched and light-green, usually smooth and definitely lacking stinging hairs.

Leaves: Leaves opposite (occasionally alternate), long-petiolate, oval, to 4 in. long, with 3 noticeable veins, coarsely toothed.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in ascending, dense spikes arising from leaf axils, each usually with a small leaf at the tip; male and female flowers often on separate spikes; green or greenish-white, minute, and in small, dense, ball-shaped heads.

Fruits: Fruit a small achene.

Comments: This species is sometimes mistaken for stinging nettle (Urtica or Laportea species), but there are no stinging hairs.

Height: 2-5 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial commonly seen in swamp forests, bottomlands, bogs, marshes and ditches.

stems: Stems usually several in a clump arising from a woody crown, 4-angled or round, unbranched and light-green, usually smooth and definitely lacking stinging hairs.

leaves: Leaves opposite (occasionally alternate), long-petiolate, oval, to 4 in. long, with 3 noticeable veins, coarsely toothed.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in ascending, dense spikes arising from leaf axils, each usually with a small leaf at the tip; male and female flowers often on separate spikes; green or greenish-white, minute, and in small, dense, ball-shaped heads.

fruits: Fruit a small achene.

comments: This species is sometimes mistaken for stinging nettle (Urtica or Laportea species), but there are no stinging hairs.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern & central North America