Boehmeria nipononivea
Ramie
a perennial member of the Boehmeria genus in the family Urticaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Urticaceae
- Genus
- Boehmeria
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Fertility
- self sterile
- Flower type
- dioecious
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Although members of the nettle family, plants in this genus do not have stinging hairs[4].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Root - cooked[2]. Leaves - cooked[2].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The plant is used as a medicine to relieve fevers and infections of the urethra[5].
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Ramie fibre, obtained from the stem of the plant, is of very high quality and is used to make cloth, ropes and high-quality cloths, and for some industrial material[5].
- Product or use
- Fibre
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, C. and S. Japan.
- Habitat
- Thickets and roadsides at elevations of 200 - 1200 metres in S Anhui, Fujiang and Guangdong Provinces, China[5].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well. Layering. Basal cuttings in late spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Grow them on for their first winter in the cold frame and then plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors at least in the milder parts of this country. This species is very closely related to Boehmeria nivea and is included as a subspecies of that species by some botanists[5]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in a warm sandy soil[1] that is very well-drained[3]. Ramie has been cultivated for its fibre in many areas of China for a long time, with a history that can be traced back at least 3000 years ago[5]. We are not sure if this species is dioecious or monoecious[K].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/