A large number of species included within the genus in the older literature are now recognized as synonyms of Urtica dioica.
Some of these taxa are still recognized as subspecies.

Species in the genus Urtica, and their primary natural ranges, include:
Urtica andicola Webb
Urtica angustifolia Fisch.
ex Hornem.
China, Japan, Korea
Urtica ardens China
Urtica aspera Petrie South Island, New Zealand
Urtica atrichocaulis Himalaya, southwestern China
Urtica atrovirens western Mediterranean region
Urtica australis Hook.f.
South Island, New Zealand and surrounding subantarctic islands
Urtica cannabina L., Western Asia from Siberia to Iran
Urtica chamaedryoides (heartleaf nettle), southeastern North America
Urtica dioica L. (stinging nettle or bull nettle), Europe, Asia, North America
Urtica dioica subsp.
galeopsifolia Wierzb.
ex Opiz (fen nettle or stingless nettle), Europe. (
Sometimes treated as a separate species Urtica galeopsifolia.)

Urtica dubia – illegitimate synonym of U. membranacea
Urtica ferox G.Forst. (
ongaonga or tree nettle), New Zealand
Urtica fissa China
Urtica gracilenta (mountain nettle), Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, northern Mexico
Urtica hyperborea Himalaya from Pakistan to Bhutan, Mongolia and Tibet, high altitudes
Urtica incisa Poir (scrub nettle), Australia, New Zealand
Urtica kioviensis Rogow.
eastern Europe
Urtica laetivirens Maxim.
Japan, Northeast China
Urtica lalibertadensis
Urtica linearifolia (Hook.f.)
Cockayne (creeping or swamp nettle), New Zealand
Urtica mairei Himalaya, southwestern China, northeastern India, Myanmar
Urtica massaica Africa
Urtica membranacea Poir.
ex Savigny Mediterranean region, Azores
Urtica morifolia Poir.
Canary Islands (endemic)
Urtica parviflora Himalaya (lower altitudes)
Urtica peruviana D.Getltman Perú
Urtica pseudomagellanica D.Geltman Bolivia
Urtica pilulifera (Roman nettle), southern Europe
Urtica platyphylla Wedd.
Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Japan
Urtica procera Mühlenberg (tall nettle), North America
Urtica pubescens Ledeb.
Southwestern Russia east to central Asia
Urtica rupestris Sicily (endemic)
Urtica sondenii (Simmons) Avrorin ex Geltman northeastern Europe, northern Asia
Urtica taiwaniana Taiwan
Urtica thunbergiana Japan, Taiwan
Urtica triangularis
Urtica urens L. (small nettle or annual nettle), Europe, North America
Urtica urentivelutina
A large number of species included within the genus in the older literature are now recognized as synonyms of Urtica dioica. Some of these taxa are still recognized as subspecies.
Species in the genus Urtica, and their primary natural ranges, include:
Urtica andicola Webb
Urtica angustifolia Fisch. ex Hornem. China, Japan, Korea
Urtica ardens China
Urtica aspera Petrie South Island, New Zealand
Urtica atrichocaulis Himalaya, southwestern China
Urtica atrovirens western Mediterranean region
Urtica australis Hook.f. South Island, New Zealand and surrounding subantarctic islands
Urtica cannabina L., Western Asia from Siberia to Iran
Urtica chamaedryoides (heartleaf nettle), southeastern North America
Urtica dioica L. (stinging nettle or bull nettle), Europe, Asia, North America
Urtica dioica subsp. galeopsifolia Wierzb. ex Opiz (fen nettle or stingless nettle), Europe. (Sometimes treated as a separate species Urtica galeopsifolia.)
Urtica dubia – illegitimate synonym of U. membranacea
Urtica ferox G.Forst. (ongaonga or tree nettle), New Zealand
Urtica fissa China
Urtica gracilenta (mountain nettle), Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, northern Mexico
Urtica hyperborea Himalaya from Pakistan to Bhutan, Mongolia and Tibet, high altitudes
Urtica incisa Poir (scrub nettle), Australia, New Zealand
Urtica kioviensis Rogow. eastern Europe
Urtica laetivirens Maxim. Japan, Northeast China
Urtica lalibertadensis
Urtica linearifolia (Hook.f.) Cockayne (creeping or swamp nettle), New Zealand
Urtica mairei Himalaya, southwestern China, northeastern India, Myanmar
Urtica massaica Africa
Urtica membranacea Poir. ex Savigny Mediterranean region, Azores
Urtica morifolia Poir. Canary Islands (endemic)
Urtica parviflora Himalaya (lower altitudes)
Urtica peruviana D.Getltman Perú
Urtica pseudomagellanica D.Geltman Bolivia
Urtica pilulifera (Roman nettle), southern Europe
Urtica platyphylla Wedd. Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Japan
Urtica procera Mühlenberg (tall nettle), North America
Urtica pubescens Ledeb. Southwestern Russia east to central Asia
Urtica rupestris Sicily (endemic)
Urtica sondenii (Simmons) Avrorin ex Geltman northeastern Europe, northern Asia
Urtica taiwaniana Taiwan
Urtica thunbergiana Japan, Taiwan
Urtica triangularis
Urtica urens L. (small nettle or annual nettle), Europe, North America
Urtica urentivelutina
Urtica