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Boehmeria japonica
Urticaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Boehmeria japonica

Boehmeria japonica

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although members of the nettle family, plants in this genus do not have stinging hairs[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

Boehmeria japonica ranges from the temperate zone of central China (hardiness zone 6) to the subtropical and tropical regions of southern China and Taiwan. Succeeds in a warm sandy soil[2] that is very well-drained[3]. Plants are found in a wide variety of habitats in the wild, including swamps in sandy soils plus dry hillsides and walls[4]. Usually a dioecious species, though mainly female plants with some male inflorescences are also known. Female plants are also known to produce seed without fertilization by male pollen (Apomixis). In general both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required[5, 4].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse, only just covering 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. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Boehmeria+japonica>

Pollinators

Apomixy

References

  1. [1]An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada — Britton. N. L. Brown. A. · Dover Publications. New York. · 1970 · ISBN 0-486-22642-5 ↩︎Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
  2. [2]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]The Old World species of Boehmeria (Urticaceae, tribus Boehmerieae). A taxonomic revision — Wilmot-Dear C.M. & Friis I. · 2013 · http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea ↩︎A comprehensive revision of the genus.
  5. [5]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
  6. [6]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  7. [7]CosIng — http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↩︎CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.