How much sun does Heartleaf Nettle need?

Heartleaf Nettle grows best in part sun conditions.

Where is Heartleaf Nettle native?

Heartleaf Nettle (Urtica chamaedryoides) is native to AL, AR, FL, GA and 12 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.

What pollinators does Heartleaf Nettle attract?

Heartleaf Nettle draws butterflies.

Is Heartleaf Nettle HOA-friendly?

Heartleaf Nettle is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

Heartleaf Nettle

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Urtica chamaedryoides

Last reviewed: October 2026

Toxicity unknown

Heartleaf Nettle (Urtica chamaedryoides) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

6"–24" H × 6"–18" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

AL, AR, FL, GA and 12 more states

Pollinators

butterflies

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 460 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Picture natives in your own yard

Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Heartleaf Nettle.

Try it with your yard

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Cross Timbers Edwards Plateau Southern Texas Plains Texas Blackland Prairies East Central Texas Plains Western Gulf Coastal Plain South Central Plains Eastern Temperate Forests Ozark Highlands Central Irregular Plains Southeastern Plains Interior Plateau Interior River Valleys and Hills Mississippi Alluvial Plain Mississippi Valley Loess Plains Southern Coastal Plain

Heartleaf Nettle is a small annual wildflower that grows low to the ground with heart-shaped leaves. Despite its name, this native Texas plant is not particularly stinging and provides important habitat for butterflies. It naturally dies back each winter and reseeds itself in spring.

In an HOA neighborhood

Heartleaf Nettle is an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement. Maintenance level: moderate. Tidiness: 2 out of 5.

Works well in: front yard, foundation, street edge, mid zone.

Requires seasonal replanting
May have messy dieback

Wildlife value

This plant serves as a host plant for several butterfly species and provides nectar for pollinators during its blooming period.

Common questions

How much sun does Heartleaf Nettle need?: Heartleaf Nettle grows best in part sun conditions.
Where is Heartleaf Nettle native?: Heartleaf Nettle (Urtica chamaedryoides) is native to AL, AR, FL, GA and 12 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Heartleaf Nettle attract?: Heartleaf Nettle draws butterflies.
Is Heartleaf Nettle HOA-friendly?: Heartleaf Nettle is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Heartleaf Nettle? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

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