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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Gympie-gympie is the common name for Dendrocnide moroides, an Australian rainforest plant whose fine stinging hairs can cause severe pain. The sting is not usually described as deadly, but symptoms can be intense and may last well beyond the initial contact. If you suspect a sting, avoid rubbing the area and seek medical advice; call triple zero (000) for signs of a severe allergic reaction.
What is the Gympie-gympie tree?
Gympie-gympie (Dendrocnide moroides) is a stinging tree in the nettle family, Urticaceae. Queensland sources describe it in rainforest, especially along forest edges and in disturbed areas. It can grow to about two metres. Its broad, hairy leaves may range from thumbnail-sized to more than 50 centimetres wide, and its fruit can resemble mulberries. Young leaves may carry more stinging hairs. These appearance clues are not a reason to approach or handle a suspected plant. Healthdirect Australia’s overview and the Queensland Poisons Information Centre’s plant guide describe the species and its habitat.
How does it compare with the giant stinging tree?
Gympie-gympie and the giant stinging tree are related, but they are separate species. The giant stinging tree is Dendrocnide excelsa. Healthdirect describes it as growing over 30 metres, compared with up to two metres for D. moroides. Queensland Poisons Information Centre distinguishes them by where the leaf stalk meets the leaf.
| Feature | Gympie-gympie | Giant stinging tree |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Dendrocnide moroides | Dendrocnide excelsa |
| Height described by Healthdirect | Up to two metres | Over 30 metres |
| Leaf-stalk attachment, according to Queensland Poisons Information Centre | Some distance from the leaf margin | At the leaf margin |
These features help explain the distinction; they are not a safe field-identification method. Do not touch a plant to inspect it. The available sources do not establish a controlled pain ranking between species, or prove that Gympie-gympie is the world’s most painful plant.
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Why does a Gympie-gympie sting hurt?
Fine hairs on the leaves and twigs can penetrate skin. Queensland poison information describes the hairs as hollow and silica-tipped; contact can cause severe stinging or sharp tingling. Pain may be felt beyond the contact site, and the affected area can remain intermittently sensitive. Healthdirect says symptoms may intensify over the first 20 to 30 minutes and leave a swollen, red area for eight hours or longer. Pain and sensitivity can persist for days or months, with duration varying from person to person.
In a 2021 summary from the Australian Research Council, University of Queensland researcher Professor Irina Vetter described the plant’s trichomes as fine, needle-like appendages that inject toxins on contact. Laboratory research published in Science Advances in 2020 identified pain-inducing peptides in Australian Dendrocnide stinging hairs. The peptides affected mouse sensory neurons and sodium-channel activity in laboratory experiments. That finding helps explain the sting’s biology; it does not establish a treatment for people.
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What do hospital records tell us about stings?
A retrospective Cairns Hospital review examined 48 stinging-tree presentations over three years. The study, published in Emergency Medicine Australasia in 2023, reported that 87% of patients described moderate or severe pain, 96% had stings to limbs, and 60% received opioid analgesia in hospital. These figures describe that hospital’s reviewed presentations, not the rate or severity of stings across Australia.
Of 29 patients in the review who received dilute hydrochloric acid, nine reported good or complete relief. Because this was an observational review rather than a controlled trial, it cannot show that acid caused the relief or that applying acid is safe or effective as home first aid. The authors noted the lack of clear first-aid or definitive-treatment recommendations.
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What should you do after a suspected sting?
Australian public-health guidance says there is no agreed first-aid treatment for stinging-tree stings. Queensland Health’s 2025 Primary Clinical Care Manual likewise says there is no clear first-aid or definitive-treatment recommendation. Take these practical steps while arranging appropriate care:
- Do not rub or scratch the area. Rubbing may worsen the problem by breaking hairs.
- Do not smear liquid wax directly on the skin. Healthdirect warns that liquid wax can break the hairs and make removal harder; Queensland Health also cautions against applying wax directly.
- Seek medical advice after a suspected sting. A clinician can advise on pain relief and whether hair removal is appropriate. Healthdirect mentions hair-removal wax strips as one possible way to remove fine hairs, not as a cure or proven treatment. The clinical manual also describes removal methods for clinicians.
- Call triple zero (000) for signs of anaphylaxis. These include difficulty breathing, tongue or throat swelling, wheeze, persistent cough, a hoarse voice, dizziness or collapse.
The public guidance is Australian-specific. For more detail, see Healthdirect’s stinging-plant advice and Queensland Health’s Primary Clinical Care Manual, 12th edition.
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How can you reduce the chance of contact?
Healthdirect advises wearing long thick pants, long sleeves, a hat and thick gardening gloves where stinging plants may be present. Clothing can collect hairs, so handle and remove it carefully rather than brushing it against exposed skin. Avoid touching suspected plants, even if a leaf or fruit looks familiar.
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