1 named cultivar

‘Kogane Mushi’Golden Ramie

shrub

Golden Ramie

The Story

Plant Bio

Boehmeria nivea, or ramie, is a vigorous deciduous shrub from eastern Asia growing eight to ten feet high and as wide. Broad heart-shaped leaves are rough green above and, in the common form, strikingly white-felted beneath. It belongs to the nettle family but has no stinging hairs. Greenish flower clusters in July and August are insignificant.

It is grown worldwide as a fibre crop rather than an ornamental: the bark yields ramie, a strong silky flax-like fibre used in textiles. As a garden plant its appeal is the bold white-backed foliage and the speed with which it fills space, and its size means it needs siting as the shrub it is rather than as filler.

Uses & Benefits:

Large heart-shaped leaves with white-felted undersides that flash when the wind turns them.

The world's source of ramie fibre, and a plant that makes a ten-foot screen in a single season.

Fast dense growth gives summer cover and shade in warm-climate plantings.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Shrub

Height

108 inches

Width

108 inches

Light

Partial Sun, Shade

Zones

7, 8, 9, 10

Water

Medium

Humidity

Average to high

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Eastern Asia

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Planting

How to Grow

Plant in spring in full sun to part shade.
Choose fertile soil with steady moisture.
Allow eight to ten feet of space in each direction.
Water regularly through the growing season.
Cut stems to the ground in late winter.
Remove spreading growth at the edges to contain it.

Pro Tip

Cut it to the ground each late winter; it regrows to full height in a season and the young foliage is far better than old growth.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Give it space for a ten-foot shrub 📏
Keep the soil steadily moist 💧
Cut it to the ground in late winter ✂️
Site it where the white leaf backs catch the wind 🍃

Don't

Treat it as a ground cover ❌
Let it dry out through summer ❌
Plant it where its spread cannot be checked ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Cut Back
Water

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Bold foliage screen in a large plantingFibre and useful-plant collectionFast seasonal backdrop in a warm garden

Companion Plants

CannaBanana Elephant's Ear MiscanthusCastor Bean

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Golden Ramie questions

What zones can Golden Ramie grow in?

Golden Ramie is hardy in USDA Zones 7–10. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Golden Ramie deer resistant?

Not reliably. Deer may browse Golden Ramie, especially tender spring growth — plan on repellents or fencing where pressure is high.

When does Golden Ramie bloom?

Golden Ramie typically blooms in midsummer; flowers insignificant through late fall. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Golden Ramie need full sun?

Golden Ramie does best in part shade.