Bog Hemp Boehmeria cylindrica
Other Common Name(s):
- Description
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False Nettle is a perennial plant that is native to Canada and North America. It looks like stinging nettles Urtica dioica or Laportea canadensis but lacks the irrigating hairs on its opposite leaves. It prefers the light shade and moist rich loamy soil.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Boehmeria cylindrica var. cylindrica
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. drummondiana
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. cylindrica
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. cylindrica, Boehmeria cylindrica var. drummondiana
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. cylindrica
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. drummondiana
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. cylindrica
- Boehmeria cylindrica var. cylindrica, Boehmeria cylindrica var. drummondiana
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Boehmeria
- Species:
- cylindrica
- Family:
- Urticaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, central and eastern U.S.A.
- Wildlife Value:
- This is a larval host plant that supports Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), and Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) caterpillars. Questionmark butterflies have an interesting life cycles: overwintered adult Question Mark butterflies lay eggs from spring until the end of May. These will appear as summer adults from May-September, laying eggs that then develop into the winter adult form. The winter adults appear in late August and shelter for the winter starting the cycle all over again. Adult Question Mark butterflies feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, and carrion only visiting flowers for feeding when absolutely necessary. Fly larva (Neolasioptera boehmeriae) form spindle shaped galls on the leaves. Mammals browse the foliage of this plant.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Spike
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Mid-summer to early fall tiny greenish white apetalous wind pollinated flowers appear. They form head-like clusters in upward pointing spikes that are 1/2" to 3" long found in the upper leaf axils. Plants are usually dioecous with male and female plants separate.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite (occasionally alternate) leaves with coarsly serrate margins 4" long and 2 1/2" wide with long thin petioles. There is a central vein and two parallel secondary veins. Does not have stinging hairs like other nettles.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Light green round or 4 angled smooth to slightly pubecent.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
