Special differences between bemeria, cultivation techniques, advice on reproduction and transplantation, pest and disease control, interesting facts, species. Who among us in childhood did not burn on nettle leaves, how unpleasant it was, but we were told about the extreme usefulness of this plant. It is interesting that there is her relative, which has long been grown in rooms - Bemeria. This representative of the green world practically does not correspond to our childhood ideas about burning grass, and how little we know about him, we will take a closer look.
Bemeria (Boehmeria), or as it is also called Bomeria, has a herbaceous, semi-shrub or shrub form of growth, sometimes even low trees are found. The plant has a long life cycle and is included in the Uricaceae family. The settlement of this representative of the flora is very extensive, it includes in the seed almost all territories of both hemispheres, where the subtropical and tropical climate prevails. This genus also contains up to 160 of the same plants. Interestingly, as a garden crop, bemeria is grown in the state of Texas (USA).
It got its name in honor of Georg Rudolf Boehmer, a professor of botany from Germany, who lived in the 18th century. He was the first to turn his attention to the anatomy of representatives of the plant world, in his works the scientist investigated the cellular tissue of plants, the properties of seeds and nectaries. People often call it "false nettle" or "home nettle" for its non-stinging leaves.
It should be borne in mind that if bemeria grows in natural conditions, then its height can even reach 5-9 meters. The stems are generally upright and branched. Possessing soft, non-burning, velvety pubescence. Their insides are hollow, but due to the appearance of the shoots and the presence of a brownish tone at the base of the bark, some people get the impression that the stems are formed by durable woody material.
Bemeria has beautiful decorative leaf plates, which are edged along the edge with denticles, their shape is broadly ovate or oval, with a pointed tip at the top. Unlike real nettle, bemeria has no stinging hairs on its leaves, which is why it bears the names given to it by the people. In diameter, the size of the leaf plate reaches 30 cm (which is 1.5–2 times larger than ordinary nettle leaves). The color of the foliage is bluish, the entire surface is permeated with a pattern of veins, and between them the leaf tissue has bulges, which once again resembles the leaves of the nettle known to us. The arrangement of the leaves on the stem is opposite, criss-cross, exactly the same as that of the "burning relative". There is also a smell that all representatives of the nettle family have.
In rooms, "false nettle" rarely blooms, but under conditions of natural growth, it has green or whitish flowers, from which racemose inflorescences are collected, and sometimes in the form of branched panicles, which are so similar to nettles. Their length reaches half a meter, and they are usually located in the axils of the leaves. The plant is dioecious - that is, it has opposite-sex buds. Often in shape, flowers in inflorescence groups resemble small beads-balls.
But in decorating rooms, bemeria is loved by designers precisely because of its decorative foliage, often placing a pot with a plant in spacious rooms, foyers of buildings or in conservatories. Also, the plant is famous for its unpretentiousness and high growth rate. It will look good such a green-gray background for other flowering representatives of the flora. Even a novice florist can easily cope with the cultivation of "false nettle".
Bemeria cultivation conditions, care
- Lighting and location. Bemeria loves to bask in the sun, so keep the plant pot on the south, southwest, or southeast window. However, light shading does not harm her. But with the arrival of the summer months, when the sun becomes too aggressive, it will be necessary to shade the bush with light curtains at midday. If you notice that the stems of your beauty have become weak and drooping, and the leaves begin to crumble, then this is a consequence of low illumination - transfer the bomber to a brighter place.
- Content temperature. In the spring-summer period of the year for "false nettle" it is better to maintain the room temperature of the thermometer (usually they fluctuate between 20-25 degrees). With the arrival of autumn, it is necessary that the temperature does not drop below 16-18 degrees. However, bemeria is afraid of the action of the draft and cold air. A sharp change in temperature will simply "freeze" this green bush, and a massive drop of foliage will begin. At the same time, it is not possible to save the plant by traditional methods (transfer to a warmer room, etc.).
- Air humidity when growing, bomeria should be high enough, since the plant is a resident of tropical lands. Frequent spraying with warm, soft water will be required, especially during the hotter months of summer. If hard water is used, then whitish spots from dried drops of liquid will remain on the leaves.
- Watering. "Indoor nettle" is a fairly moisture-loving representative of the flora and therefore will need to regularly carry out abundant soil moisture. In no case should you overdry the earthen room, since a lack of moisture will lead to the fact that small holes will appear on the beautiful leaves of the bemeria, which will spoil its decorative appearance. However, the flood of soil will have a bad effect on the bush. In winter, especially if the plant is kept at low heat values, watering is significantly reduced and the next moistening is carried out only when the top layer of soil in the pot dries out.
- Fertilizer it is introduced for "false nettle" during the period when its growth begins to intensify (it usually occurs in the spring-summer months). Use top dressing for ornamental deciduous plants. The frequency of fertilization is once a month. However, according to many growers familiar with bomeria, that it grows all year round, the feeding regime should not change throughout the year.
- Transplantation and selection of soil. Bemeria has a high growth rate, and each owner determines the time for transplanting himself, focusing on the state of his green pet. That is, as soon as the need arose due to the fact that the roots of the plant have mastered the entire earthen lump provided to them. At the bottom of the new pot, a drainage layer of expanded clay or pebbles is laid, but holes are first made in the bottom for the drainage of moisture not assimilated by the plant.
The soil mixture for planting is taken with an acidity in the range of pH 5, 5-6. The plant is not particularly demanding on the composition of the soil and you can use ordinary soil for indoor plants. But many growers make up the substrate on their own, mixing the following components:
- sod soil, humus, peat soil and river sand (in a ratio of 1: 2: 1: 1);
- deciduous soil, humus soil, sod, coarse sand (in proportions 2: 1: 4: 1).
Breeding rules for bomeria at home
You can get a new bush of "room nettle" by dividing the overgrown or cut the cuttings.
Branches for grafting are cut at any time of the year and their length should be 8-10 cm (no more than 15). Cuttings are planted in a peat-sandy substrate. Seedlings can be wrapped in a plastic bag. Rooting occurs in 3-4 weeks. Once the plants are sufficiently rooted, young bemerias can be planted in separate pots with a diameter of no more than 9 cm and soil suitable for growing adult specimens.
When dividing the bush, you will need to carefully remove the bemeria from the pot and divide the root system into parts with a sharpened knife, leaving a sufficient number of stems for each cut. Sections for disinfection are powdered with crushed activated carbon, and they are planted in separate containers with drainage and substrate prepared at the bottom. A patch of "false nettle" will take root thoroughly if the planting is carried out at the same depth as the parent bush.
Difficulties in cultivating bommeria
Most often, the plant can be attacked by spider mites or aphids. In this case, the following symptoms will appear:
- yellowing and deformation of foliage, its subsequent fall;
- the formation of a thin cobweb, which is visible from the back of the leaf plate and on the stems;
- the surface of the leaves becomes covered with a sticky substance.
To combat harmful insects, it is necessary to treat the leaves and stems with solutions of laundry soap diluted in water or a couple of drops of rosemary essential oil. You can use tobacco tincture. A little of the drug is applied to a cotton swab or disc, and the pests are manually removed. If the lesion is very strong, then insecticide treatment is carried out (for example, Actellik or Aktara).
It also happens due to a waterlogged substrate, black spots appear on the edge of the leaves. Leaves begin to fall off when there is insufficient light or hypothermia of the plant.
Types of indoor nettles
- Large-leaved Bemeria (Boehmeria macrophylla)sometimes called "Chinese hemp". From this popular nickname, it is clearly evident that this is a native of Chinese lands, namely from the territory of the Himalayas. An evergreen shrub or tree-like plant with juicy stems, at a young age, shimmering with a green color, and over time, becoming brown. The height of this variety can reach 4–5 meters. The leaf plates are large and look very impressive. The shape of the leaves is broadly oval, with wrinkles along the veins. The color of the foliage is bright green, rich grassy or dark green. There is a reddish tint along the central vein, the surface is rough. The flowers in the axillary inflorescences are inconspicuous, shimmering in greenish-whitish tones. The outlines of dense inflorescences are racemose or in the form of spikelets.
- Silver boemeria (Boehmeria argentea) is a plant with a shrub or tree-like growth, reaching a height of 5–9 cm. The leaves are distinguished by large parameters, oval in shape and have a silvery dusting. The color of the foliage is quite decorative - the general background is bluish-green with a silvery spot and the same silver edge. Their size is large, reaching up to 30 cm in length. They are located on the stems alternately. Racemose inflorescences grow from leaf sinuses and are collected from small flowers. The native habitat is in the Mexican lands.
- Boemeria cylindrical (Boehmeria cylindrica). This variety is distinguished by a herbaceous form of growth and a long life cycle. The height that it can reach is measured 90 cm. Leaves on the stems are placed opposite. Their outlines are oval with a sharpness at the top, there is a rounding at the base.
- Boemeria biloba (Boehmeria biloba). It is a perennial with evergreen non-falling foliage. Its growth form is shrubby with height parameters of 1–2 meters. The stems are cast in a greenish-brown color scheme. The leaf plates are shaded with a bright green color, their sizes are large, reaching 20 cm in length, the shape is oval-ovate, but the top has an elongated outline, and at the base they are heart-shaped-rounded. The surface of the leaves is rough, and the edge is decorated with jaggedness. The homeland of growth is considered to be the territory of Japan.
- White Bemeria (Boehmeria nivea) often called Rami, it considers subtropical Asian territories to be its native habitat. This variety, like the previous one, is a herb with a long life cycle. Its stems are upright, numerously branched, with slight pubescence. In shape, the leaves resemble small hearts, the surface of which is covered with small whitish hairs. The color is quite decorative - the top is dark emerald with scattered pubescence, and from the lower surface there is a shading of silver due to the dense pubescence, reminiscent of felt. Leaf sizes can reach 15–20 cm in length. The attractiveness of foliage (especially young, and not yet particularly formed) is provided by a wrinkled vein pattern decorated with a reddish tone. The flowers have a greenish or whitish tint and inflorescences are collected from them in the form of panicles located in the axils of the leaves. The size of the inflorescences varies between 40-50 cm, and they hang to the ground. At the very beginning of the flowering process, the flowers are cast in a snow-white color, but over time they become brown and dry quickly, but do not fly around, but remain on the plant for a long time. And after that, they resemble lichens hanging on stems rather than flower formations. The fruit grows oblong. This variety has become widespread due to its spinning properties. It was also grown in Europe as an industrial crop.
Interesting facts about homelessness
Bemeria has long been widespread in China as a culture with spinning properties. And on those lands, a number of varieties are grown, serving as a source of special fiber, which is actively used in industry.
Snow-white bemeria fiber has a fairly high density and practically does not undergo putrefactive processes, therefore it is often used as a raw material for the manufacture and manufacture of ropes. In ancient times, sails were sewn from this fiber.
The gloss of ramie fiber is very similar to the gloss of silk cuts and is very easy to dye without losing its silky properties. This is used in the textile industry for the manufacture of expensive fabrics.
We all love to wear jeans, but few people know that the composition of the fabric from which the traditional "cotton" or "levis" are sewn usually contains the fiber of white bemeria, which makes the fabric soft, comfortable and well "breathable".
The same derivative is found in paper products.
It is interesting to know that ramie fiber is one of the oldest materials that people have used since ancient times. If we take historical and archaeological finds as evidence, then this immediately becomes clear - near Kiev, in the burials of the Scythians, dated to the beginning of the 3rd century BC, in the Ryzhanov Kurgan, remains of textile fabrics containing similar fibers were found.
In Europe, fabrics made of white bemeria fibers came only during the reign of Elizabeth I - Queen of England, who lived in the 16th-17th centuries, in those days it was the "golden age" for the old woman of Great Britain. During the reign of this royal person, fabrics from "Chinese nettles", as the Rani were called, were brought to England from China and Japan. And merchants brought similar fabrics to the Netherlands from the island of Java, which in France were called batiste or Netel-Dock. And even the industrialists of Holland made a lot of fabrics, the raw material for which was the fiber of the wound.
In the USSR, they tried to cultivate wounds for the same use (in pre-revolutionary Russia, white-flowered bemeria was cultivated on an industrial scale), but nothing happened.
For more about large-leaved bomeria, see this video:
