Tropical Dream States. Plant of the Day: Ramie, "Boehmeria nivea"

Being pulled into an unexpected busy spring, I have not been able to volunteer here for a couple of months. Now back, with my very first step into the lush, green conservatory, I felt my mind relaxing into a tropical dream state. I felt the muscles in my body relaxing as if I had just received a long, slow, professional full body massage. It was so great to be back!

Sunken Garden Summer Flower Show

As I walk into the North Garden, I see a reflection of the lushness of the tropical forest, with many plants sprouting, in varying levels of intensity, with new foliage and fruit. Walking around the garden, I easily find bananas, jackfruit, papayas, cherries, cacao pods, peppers, oranges, lines, guava and more. On this beautiful morning, in addition to being reacquainted with the gardens, I had the pleasure of meeting several new Como staff - Frank, Pierre and Terri.

Responding to the floral sensations wafting to my nose, I walk over to the Summer Flower Show, a sensory experience that moves the sight and smell. This flower bonanza is now ongoing until this fall. Periodically, gardening staff will make changes to different areas of the flower displays, so everyone should make sure to stop by at various times over the summer to view their spectacular visions of color and texture.

The plant of the day is Ramie, Boehmeria nivea. This plant is also called the Chinese Silk Plant, Chinese grass, white ramie or green ramie. This plant has been used for thousands of years to produce ramie, a strong, silky fiber, most commonly for various uses of textiles like cloth products like clothes, sheets, towels, napkins, parachute fabric or sails. Other product uses include shoelaces, carpet backing, sewing thread, fish nets, mosquito nets, fire hoses and upholstery. Ramie fibers have stronger tensile strength than flax, wool, silk or cotton, and are said to be resistant to mildew, fungus and bacteria.

Ramie plant in North Garden

In some areas of the world, ramie plants may be fed to rabbits, chicken, cattle, goats or other animals with the feed consisting of the leaves and stem tops of the plant. Ramie leaves are utilized in the preparation of a particular cake considered a delicacy in Vietnam.

In Malaysia, this plant is used medicinally to treat ulcers, dysentery and flatulence. In the Dominican Republic Congo, this plant is used in traditional medicine to treat such maladies as skin conditions, wounds, eye inflictions, diarrhea or rhinitis. In Indo-China and Taiwan, it used as a diuretic and as treatment for a number of disorders like dysuria and urogenital inflammation.

Textiles from ramie are an important component of regional economies around the world. China leads in the production of ramie and exports mainly to Japan and Europe. Other producers include Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Brazil. Products with ramie components are found all around the world.

For more information:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=242351&isprofile=0&
https://www.britannica.com/plant/ramie
http://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Boehmeria_nivea_(PROTA)