# Ramie (*Boehmeria nivea*)

Ramie is a flowering plant known for its strong fibers that are used to make textiles. It grows tall with heart-shaped leaves and small white flowers, attracting butterflies and bees.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Tropical regions
- **Also known as:** Boehmeria nivea, Chinese Nettle

![Ramie](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Boehmeria_nivea_1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Sphl, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boehmeria_nivea_1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Ramie has tall, upright green stems and large, heart-shaped leaves. Its distinctive feature is the silvery-white, fuzzy underside of its dark green leaves. The flowers are tiny and inconspicuous, appearing in clusters.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Urticaceae
- **Genus:** Boehmeria

## Interesting facts

- Its naturally shiny fibers are sometimes called "vegetable silk" because they are so lustrous.
- Ramie fibers are so strong, they are even used to make paper money in some countries!
- The Ramie plant is super fast-growing, often reaching a height taller than a grown-up!
- This amazing plant can be harvested up to six times in a single year for its fibers!

## Special abilities

- **Super Strong Fibers:** Ramie has incredibly long and strong fibers in its stems that help it stand tall and sturdy, even in windy conditions.
- **Moisture Master:** Ramie's fibers can absorb lots of moisture without getting weak, helping it stay tough in humid places.
- **Leafy Sunscreen:** The underside of Ramie leaves are covered in tiny white hairs, which reflect sunlight and help the plant stay cool.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-250 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Cultivated for its incredibly strong textile fibers for thousands of years.
- **Eaten by:** Ramie Leafminer (*Phytomyza ramie*) — Its larvae tunnel through Ramie leaves, feeding on the plant tissue.
- **Eats:** Brown Planthopper (*Nilaparvata lugens*) — This insect pest sucks the vital sap from Ramie plants, weakening them.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Fiber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fiber): This human use trait identifies species that yield natural fibers, used by humans for textiles, rope, paper, and other manufactured goods.
- [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

## Collections

- [Fibers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fibers)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy looking at ramie plants but avoid touching them without permission as they can be delicate.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Ramie?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Ramie?

100-250 cm

### How wide does Ramie spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Ramie?

0.1-0.3 cm

### When does Ramie bloom?

Summer

### Is Ramie edible?

No

### Is Ramie toxic?

None

### What is Ramie's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Ramie: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ramie)