Stinging nettle
Laportea aestuans

Family: Urticaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 1.5 m high. The stems are woody below and fleshy above. There are leaves in the upper part. The stem is covered with stinging hairs. The leaves are 10-15 cm long by 8-12 cm wide. They are broadly oval. They taper to the tip. The leaves have stinging hairs. The flowering groups have flowers of both sexes.

There are 50 Laportea species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in waste places and can grow on walls. In southern Africa is grows between 250-1,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Bahamas, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central America (country/location of origin), China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Madagascar, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, St Lucia, Suriname, Taiwan, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Auni huni, Hom-hom, Hunhon, Nhafitiram, Zootie

Synonyms

Fleurya aestuans Gaudich; Fleurya perrieri Leandri; Laportea bathiei Leandri; Urtica aestuans L.; Urtica hirsuta Vahl; Urtica schimperiana Steud.;