Distribution and biology of small nettle in the UK

Small nettle is poorly competitive broad-leaved weed in cereals with value to biodiversity. Find out how to identify and control it.

Small nettle (Urtica urens) is more common in broad-leaved crops than in cereals and in spring rather than winter crops. It is poorly competitive in vigorous cereal crops. Plants are susceptible to frost but seeds can germinate at low temperatures and plants can overwinter in sheltered areas. Seeds can be transported by ingestion by animals or in soil. The seedbank is persistent.

• It has value to biodiversity

It is an annual dicotyledon, 10–60 cm tall. The plant is compact in habit, with dark-green pointed toothed leaves, covered in stinging hairs.

Plant: The leaves are rounder and more pointed and toothed than those of common nettle.

Flower: The male and female flowers are borne on the same plant in little clusters close to the stems.

Small nettle is found up to an altitude of 500 m on well-cultivated arable land, especially in leaf crops as it germinates in spring, and in gardens, farmyards and other cultivated soils.

It likes well-drained neutral soils high in nitrogen.

• Seed longevity: >5 years
• Seed weight: 0.4 mg
• Seeds/flower: 1
• Seeds/plant: 100–1,000

It is susceptible to hoeing in row crops.

For advice on herbicides, please speak with your agronomist or adviser.

When was this information last updated?

This page is based on content from the encyclopaedia of arable weeds publication. Since it was first released in 2008, the publication has been redesigned several times but not revised. However, it remains a good foundation for general information on the distribution and biology of weeds.