Urtica holosericea

A large perennial that is liked by butterflies and other native insects.(You\'ll hate it as it is a very large stinging nettle.) I\'ve seen it in Carpinteria on a north slope mixed with Ribes speciosum, Umbellularia, Rubus ursinus, Quercus agrifolia and Sambucus mexicana. In Los Osos I walked past a patch of Ceanothus griseus into a patch of Salix lasiolepis (in shorts) , I was stung to discover the plants growing with the Salix(and above my head) were Urtica. The foliage looks something like Catnip, or Catmint, flowers are rather ugly green-yellow. If you need to protect a water source, e.g., a pond, from people, stinging nettle has merits. This plant will go drought dormant and disappear until water reappears.