[susan]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been acquiring and growing a number of different nettle species over the last year with the aim of attracting our lovely Admiral butterflies and successfully feeding any caterpillars.

One of these is the introduced annual nettle, Urtica urens. Last autumn I sowed seeds for this nettle and now have plants in several pots plus hanging baskets. I still have a tray of about 24 plants that are extra to my needs and would like to give them away in lots of 4 starter plants per interested person ( there are 6 lots to give away ie. 24 plants).

To try and make this as uncomplicated as possible the process will hopefully go something like this:

* if you’re interested email me at susanemailclark @ gmail dot com to confirm. I will provide my postal address.
* then send me a self addressed prepaid postage bag ($5.50, size 3, 325 x 255mm, has no bubble wrap interior) – you will be able to fold this bag so it can be sent in a standard envelope. I will be able to fit 2 standard margarine containers in this bag with 2 plants apiece, ensuring you will receive them in good condition and with minimal root disturbance necessary.
* once I receive the bag I will post out and let you know via email and the forum.
* I’m going to post a couple of photos (under ‘photos’) to give an idea of plant size and postage details

As this nettle is an annual it will set seed sometime in later summer, giving you the potential to grow your own plants (not hard) for another year.

Phew! Please let me know if there’s any glaring omissions.

Susan (Hibiscus Coast)

[Terry]

The picture is of Urtica Dioica not Urtica Urens. Annual Nettle Urtica Urens looks nothing like those nettles in the container.

[Leejane]

Hello, does anyone have a big clump of nettles that I could buy or swap for a bottle of wine or 2? I am working on a film! Thank you

[susan]

Hi Rebecca,

Where abouts are you?

How lovely seeing a Red admiral:) Your swampy, shady spot sounds like an ideal nettle growing spot. I guess the main things I’d be thinking about are: will it matter if the nettles spread, and what types could be planted? Will the area need to be fenced off in some way from pets and kids?

I’ve got a mix of different nettles in a sizeable patch to attract the butterflies, and to give them a choice where to lay their eggs. From observation some of the nettles produce more fodder for voracious caterpillars than others, and at different times of the year. U. dioica the introduced spreading perennial is great for feeding lots of hungry caterpillars but does have its reputation to contend with. The native Urtica australis has huge leaves compared with another native U. incisa. Seeds are available for these through the Shop, plus I have some U.incisa plants that would be free to a good home (as well as the above dioica).

Yesterday I planted out some Buddleias, to further ensure that any visiting admirals stick around for awhile.

Please feel free to ask any questions – after all we’re all learning.

Susan:)

Ps: I’ve noticed a dismaying number of paper wasps around, too.

[bextar]

Hi Susan

I have a little over one acre and am interested in growing nettles in a shady, swampy part of it. Would that be a suitable spot? Do you have any seed or is it better to grow plants? I saw a red admiral yesterday and was reminded of growing nettles for them. Would these nettles be suitable for red admirals? Also we have a lot of paper wasps here I am trying out wasp traps Ive seen on youtube but no luck yet (its only been one day though). There are thousands of wasps around here it seems – any tips for getting rid/reducing their numbers? THank you Rebecca

[susan]

Thanks Jacqui, one thing that is clear, is that it is difficult to find clear info:) The offer still stands for anyone interested.

Susan

[Jacqui]

My personal opinion would be that it would be up to the person receiving the plant to ensure they don’t break any rules. I just looked up a couple of sites, Weedbusters where nettles – all species of Urtica – aren’t listed.

http://www.weedbusters.org.nz/

Also the National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA), a cooperative agreement between the Nursery and Garden Industry Association, regional councils and government departments with biosecurity responsibilities.

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/NPPA

I couldn’t find it there either.

If someone contacts you to get plants, then that person will know which regional council area they are in and could look up that website to see what the local regulations are. I did a quick look on the Auckland Council site (and that’s a nightmare since it’s quite a job to be merging all the previous cities) and it doesn’t show up there.

As I say, this is not official advice, just my personal thoughts. Good luck with it and keep up the good work.

Jacqui

[Terry]

Yes Susan! The last I heard, it was banned in some districts/areas but not others. As I live on the opposite side of the world it does not effect me. However, I understand you need to be careful so as not to get into any legal problems. Good luck!

[susan]

Thanks for your reply Terry. It’s good to have that info on dioica vs urens. I was keen to have it myself, as it will provide a reliable amount of food for any caterpillars that might eventuate – I was fortunate in that someone from the forum sent me some plants last summer.

You’re right about needing to plant it in a responsible way. Planters are certainly the way to go as they are movable and you don’t need to worry about escapees – I will be able to be a bit more relaxed with my dioica in pots/baskets, but my garden patch will need more monitoring.

I would still be happy to send out plants to members who would like to set up a nettle garden, but have found it difficult to find clear info on the regulations surrounding dioica. If anyone having info about the different council regulations could share this, I’m sure it would be helpful:)

Susan

[Terry]

Susan, I don’t think you need to worry about giving out these plants unless they are to areas where they are already banned by local councils. If you encourage people to plant them in raised beds or large tubs to stop them spreading (U Dioica spreads mainly through root stock less by seed) all should be well. This nettle is very common in the UK and is found almost everywhere and causes no real problems to agriculture. Modern systemic herbicides destroy the plants easily. There is an awful lot of scaremongering from the NZ agricultural lobby that we don’t suffer with over here as it is a native plant. Overall this is the best Stinging nettle of the lot and I use it exclusively in my Yellow Admiral project where I grow it in deep large seed trays and large Tubs. When the plants have been stripped by the larvae I just place the trays and tubs outside of the Butterfly House and the Nettles regenerate naturally, except in the winter of course. I will add one thing here, I find U Urens far more rampant than U Dioica once established, but harder to grow in tubs and pots. It prefers less restricted areas. U urens is also smaller thus not providing enough food for my many larvae.

[susan]

Yes, definitely U. dioica – the long tooth on the end of a leaf gives it away. Also over the last week the plants in the tray and baskets have really taken off. This seems to be more in line with dioica’s rampant ability to go forth and invade.

Sorry folks, no give aways after all.

If anyone has Urtica urens seeds I would be interested. It would be great to have it in a mix of nettles for the Admirals.

Thanks again Terry for helping avoid an embarrassing mistake.

Susan

[susan]

Thanks Terry. Oh dear, I had just presumed that the seeds sown were those of Urtica urens as the source of them appears to be experienced in matters of nettles and admirals:/ I will be able to make a direct comparison with my patch of establishing Urtica dioica down in the bottom garden. If I have any doubts I’ll post a better photo. I certainly don’t want to be sending out U. dioica as it’s quite a different proposition compared to the more controllable annual version. More soon.

Susan

[Terry]

I may be wrong as the picture is rather small on the forum but the Nettles in the picture look suspiciously like Urtica Dioica. The leaves are to pointed and edges serrated to be Urtica Urens. Possibility for Urtica Incisa as well which is closer to Dioica in shape.

[Jacqui]

Pictures here

Free Urtica urens starter plants

Thanks Susan. I’m sure someone will be very happy with your offer. I’ve moved this post to the PLANTS category.

[Author]

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