Story: Poisonous plants and fungi

Stinging hairs of ongaonga

Stinging hairs of ongaonga

Ongaonga or tree nettle is covered in needle-like stinging hairs that give off a poison when brushed against. The sting is quite painful and the area around it may go numb for a short period. People have become sick or have died after blundering into a patch of tree nettle. The plant is common on bush margins and in regenerating scrub.

Download the document to read an account of tree-nettle poisoning (70 KB).

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Department of Conservation
Reference: 10055581

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How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff, 'Poisonous plants and fungi - Poisonous native plants', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/document/9773/stinging-hairs-of-ongaonga (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 24 Sep 2007