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Smooth Hedge-nettle

Stachys tenuifolia

Found in wooded brownwater river bottoms and edges. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

59
Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
About 25 feet
Light
Deep shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Usually moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
June to August
Fruiting season
September to October

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 31 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Stachys

  • Clepsis peritanaGarden Tortrix
  • Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
  • Euptoieta claudiaVariegated Fritillary, (?)Gulf Fritillary
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Megalographa bilobaBilobed Looper Moth
  • Ogdoconta cinereolaCommon Pinkband Groundling
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Endothenia montanana
  • Endothenia nubilana
  • Pelochrista womonana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
16BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Stachys

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Stachys

  • Ortalis vetulaPlain Chachalaca
  • Spinus tristisAmerican Goldfinch
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Lamiaceae
Flower color
Pink or white
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Single crown
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Smooth Hedge Nettle

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNR
Global rankG5
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources