Tammy Kusuplos, age 13, of Dover, Del., for her question:

 ARE THERE MANY KINDS OF STINGING NETTLES?

A stinging nettle is a plant that can cause a person great discomfort. There are six species of the plant in the United States.

The stems and leaves of the nettle are often armed with hollow hairs that are filled with a stinging liquid. The brittle, gland tipped hairs can be broken easily, and the liquid, if it gets on a person's skin, can produce a burning sensation that can last for anywhere from a few minutes to many hours.

All nettles have little greenish flowers that grow in clusters. The common nettle has heart shaped leaves that grow opposite each other on the stem of the plant.

Nettle plants grow wild where the soil is rich and moist. Plants can grow up to three or four feet in height. North American plants are taller and more slender than those found in Europe, and the leaves are also narrower and not as hairy.

In Europe the nettle is used to make soup.