Laportea canadensis (L.) Wedd.

Herbs , annual or perennial, rhizomatous, with tuberous roots, 3-15 dm, sparsely to densely covered with stinging hairs and nonglandular, nonstinging hairs, stipitate-glandular hairs absent. Leaf blades narrowly to broadly ovate, 6-30 × 3-18 cm, base rounded, truncate, or broadly cuneate, not auriculate, margins regularly serrate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences with staminate and pistillate flowers in separate panicles, proximal panicles staminate, distal panicles pistillate. Staminate flowers ca. 1-1.5 mm across; tepals5, equal in length; stamens5, opposite tepals; filaments slightly longer than tepals. Pistillate flowers ca. 0.5 mm; tepals 2-4, appressed, inner pair as long as ovary; ovary compressed, nearly orbicular to crescent-shaped; style persistent, feathery, 2-3 mm or more. Achenes strongly compressed, ± orbicular, ca. 2-3 mm. 2 n =26.

It is a temperate plant. It grows in rich moist soil in woods and along stream banks. It suits hardiness zones 3-8.

The young leaves and shoots are cooked and eaten. The leaves have stinging hairs that lose their sting after cooking. The leaves can be used for tea.

Can be grown by seedlings.