Ramie
Boehmeria nipononivea
Family: Urticaceae
What it is like
Boehmeria nipononivea is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft). It is in flower from September to October. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1.5
Where it is found
Thickets and roadsides at elevations of 200 - 1200 metres in S Anhui, Fujiang and Guangdong Provinces, China.
E. Asia - China, C. and S. Japan.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Root - cooked. Leaves - cooked.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The plant is used as a medicine to relieve fevers and infections of the urethra.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Other
Rating:
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.
Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.
How it is grown
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. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in a warm sandy soil that is very well-drained. 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. We are not sure if this species is dioecious or monoecious.
Propagating it: 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.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Although members of the nettle family, plants in this genus do not have stinging hairs.