Boehmeria cylindrica (False Nettle or “Stingless Nettles”)

Description

False Nettles are an essential native perennial for wildlife. They are the larval host of three butterflies: Question Mark, Comma and Red Admiral. It is also the larval host of the Flowing Line Bomolocha Moth and a specialist gall-fly (Neolasioptera boehmeriae). Birds hunt in False Nettles for insects and seeds. http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/ reports that the leaves can be steamed or boiled to eat and that the plants can be used for cordage. (I have not tried it yet..eat at your own risk).

Plant your False Nettles in average to wet soil, in sun or shade.  (They tolerate periodic inundation). Give them room to grow. Many sources give 2′-3′ as the normal height. I have seen much bigger.  If you are raising butterflies, you want to have big plants.  If you want to keep them smaller, water them less or cut them back.  Deer will occasionally browse them, but rarely prevent them from thriving. If deer are excessive, interplant them with one of the Deer Baffles, or  plant them behind shrubbery. They will spread by seed. Plant more than one to enhance cross-pollination.  They are native to many states in the US and in Canada (See the list below or look at the map in the image gallery to see if they are native to your state.  We have been growing False Nettle in the nursery since 1993 or earlier.  We acquired our stock plants by rescuing a native population in Beaufort County, SC from highway construction.

Native to: USA: AL , AR , AZ , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NB , QC
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hypena-manalis
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/false_nettle.htm
https://books.google.com/books?id=etK3DAAAQBAJ&pg=PT25&lpg=PT25&dq=boehmeria cylindrica seedeaters&source=bl&ots=UrxqmKfUvG&sig=IF5Y6B1xgy1Ws9IOy7SNduUIECk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5u662gYHbAhWNuVkKHV3gDYgQ6AEIbDAL#v=onepage&q=boehmeria cylindrica seedeaters&f=false
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/food/edibleplants/nettle/index.html