Practical
Plants

Laportea canadensis

Canadian Wood Nettle

a perennial member of the Laportea genus in the family Urticaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
self fertile

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves have stinging hairs, much like stinging nettles to which they are related.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves - cooked[1]. Very nutritious and with a delicious flavour, they are used like spinach[3]. Some caution should be observed when harvesting this plant since the raw leaves have stinging hairs. It is perfectly safe to eat the leaves when they are cooked, however, since heat completely destroys the sting[K].

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A decoction of the plant is used in the treatment of fevers[5]. The root is diuretic[5]. An infusion of the crushed roots has been used to facilitate childbirth[5].

Product or use
Birthing aid
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Febrifuge

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A fibre obtained from the stem is used for making nets, cordage etc[6][8][9][3][5]. It is up to 50 times stronger than cotton[2].

Product or use
Fibre

Environment

Range
N. America - Nova Scotia to Ontario and North Dakota, south to Florida and Kansas.
Habitat
Low woods, moist places and banks of streams[7][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have very little information on this plant and do not know how hardy it is, but it succeeds outdoors at Kew and Cambridge Botanical Gardens as well as our trial grounds in Cornwall[K]. It should succeed in most soils in sun or semi-shade.

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. ? Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition.

    ↩

  3. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  7. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  8. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  9. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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