Recognize this Plant?

Not the dandelion of course, but the plant behind it. Like so many plants that are responding to the long awaited rain, the stinging nettles are coming up fast. If you have met nettles you surely remember the experience. This plant burns your skin in a way that is unforgettable. It is the bane of hikers wearing shorts. Learning to recognize this plant can save you a lot of pain.

You might wonder why I have it around. The new spring leaves when cooked are a powerful spring tonic. Nettle broth is the greenest thing I have ever tasted. However, it's my love of butterflies that makes the plant so attractive. Several species use it as the food source for their caterpillars.

I keep this plant that can be so unfriendly around, but I know where it is, and what it looks like. I give it a wide berth. I watch for jewel weed whose juicy stems can immediately neutralize its sting. Yes, this plant is armed and dangerous, but we have a truce.