Description Though it won’t ever top a list of showy native plants, smallspike false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica) makes a good supporting character if you’re looking for an interesting medium-height filler for some shade. This clump-forming perennial usually grows 3 to 4 feet tall, with upright stems that carry toothed, bright green leaves and short spikes of tiny, tightly packed greenish white flowers through the summer. It would be easy to mistake the plant for a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), but there’s no harm if you touch or brush by it; it doesn’t have any stinging hairs (hence “false nettle”). This species is best placed in a low-traffic spot, though, because it’s normal for the leaves to look rather tatty as the summer progresses; that’s because it’s the host plant for several native butterflies, including question marks and red admirals. This species is native to much of eastern and central North America; these seeds are from plants growing wild here, in Bucks County, PA. Right at home in a woodland setting (or a shady garden), smallspike false nettle can reportedly take full sun if the soil is dependably moist. My plants are doing well in average soil on the edge of a wooded area, where they get a few hours of morning sun and shade for the rest of the day. Perennial; Zones 3 to 9. Collected in late September 2025. At least 20 seeds. PA ecotype. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
