What type of weed this is

[Soomroz]

Hello. New member here so forgive me if this isn't the right sub for this type of question.

There is a weed growing in my lawn which is proving to be a pain. It's got tiny thorns and hair on its stem and even with the lightest of touch these penetrate your skin and cause irritation. I tried to uproot it yesterday and I still feel irritation in my fingers. I should have worn gloves .

Anyway, I have attached some pics. My best guess is that it's bramble but any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[roadrunner]

It kind of looks like a type of stinging nettle.

 

[alp]

Yes! Stinging nettle which will giving you several hours of tingling sensation if you're unfortunate enough to brush past just a tiny bit of it. But I have been actually keeping some of them to make fertiliser, just to save a bit of money. Also, to stop the thugs next door visiting my garden at night.

 

[Soomroz]

Thank you guys. I have googled stinging nettle and it is definitely stinging nettle. Glad I dont have to worry about my hands as everyone suggest it would go back to normal after a while.

I'll be careful next time but what baffles me is that some people also consume stinging nettle!

 

[roadrunner]

It looks like it's small enough where you can handle it, because it's not fully matured. Here's some more on the various stinging nettle plants.

 

[JamieB]

They have their uses, but I’d say thick gloves would remove it. Then find the parent plant and remove that, and any others you find.

 

[Marck]

In Britain there are two species of Stinging Nettle commonly encountered. The annual Urtica urens, and the perennial Urtica dioica. The leaves of both can be variable in appearance.

If possible, do leave some Nettle in you garden. It offers many benefits to wildlife and beneficial insects, including being the larval food plant for several butterflies such as the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). If you have a healthy colony you might even harvest some new growth as a nutritious and delicious potherb. When cooked like spinach, the stinging hairs are deactivated.