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Boehmeria macrophylla
Also called False Nettle, False Nettles And Allies, False Nettles
Boehmeria virgata subsp. macrophylla is a perennial herb in the nettle family, native to tropical Africa and the western Indian Ocean, grown mainly for its strong fibre rather than as an ornamental. It is a wild plant of forests, thickets, streams and roadsides, not a common garden or houseplant.
Boehmeria virgata subsp. macrophylla is a subspecies of Boehmeria virgata, a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae. This herbaceous plant perennial is native to tropical Africa and the western Indian Ocean. Some sources say that it is also native to China.
The flowers are dioecious or monoecious. Its flowering season is from June to September. It is commonly found in forests, thickets, along streams and roadsides. It is characterized by the opposite leaves, spike-like inflorescences, and fruiting perianths with a rounded base.
The fibre of the stem is shiny, white and strong, and is used for making sacks, bags, rough clothes, nets, and rope. It is possibly useful for textiles. The woody parts are moderately hard but too small for woodworking; however they make a good fuel. Boehmeria virgata subsp. macrophylla has some applications in traditional medicine, including as a tonic, for treating boils and for dermatitis. It is also used as an insecticide.
Smallspike false nettle · Boehmeria depauperata · Hawai'i false nettle · Large Leaf Falsenettle · Chinese grass · Boehmeria ramiflora · Native Ramie · False nettle
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Boehmeria virgata subsp. macrophylla by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
