Boehmeria cylindrica: Country Or Region Of Origin
Canada, central and eastern U.S.A.
Plant Profile: Boehmeria cylindrica
Taxonomy: Boehmeria cylindricaNames
Bog Hemp, Smallspike False Nettle
Phonetic Spelling:
Genus:Boehmeria
Species:cylindrica
Family:Urticaceae
False Nettle is a perennial species indigenous to Canada and North America. While it resembles stinging nettles, such as Urtica dioica and Laportea canadensis, it is distinct in that it does not have the stinging hairs found on the underside of its opposite leaves. This plant thrives in lightly shaded areas with moist, nutrient-rich loamy soil.
Boehmeria cylindrica Feature Summary
Boehmeria cylindrica Image Gallery
Tags
#wildlife plant
#small mammals
#wind pollinated
#larval host plant
#food source herbage
#butterfly friendly
#pollinator garden
#question mark butterfly
#eastern comma butterfly
#red admiral butterfly
Similar Plants
Boehmeria cylindrica is often confused with:
Boehmeria cylindrica Feature Summary
Attributes
Canada, central and eastern U.S.A.
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.
Perennial
Flowers
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.
White
Green
Insignificant
Spike
Summer
Fall
< 1 inch
Leaves
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.
Green
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Lanceolate
Serrate
Dentate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Light green round or 4 angled smooth to slightly pubecent.
Green
Angular
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Moist
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Butterflies
Pollinators
Small Mammals
Boehmeria cylindrica Image Gallery
Boehmeria cylindrica Attributes
Boehmeria cylindrica: 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.
Boehmeria cylindrica: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Boehmeria cylindrica Flowers
Boehmeria cylindrica: 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.
Boehmeria cylindrica: Flower Color
Green
White
Boehmeria cylindrica: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Boehmeria cylindrica: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Boehmeria cylindrica: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Boehmeria cylindrica Leaves
Boehmeria cylindrica: 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.
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Color
Green
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Boehmeria cylindrica: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Boehmeria cylindrica: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Boehmeria cylindrica Stem
Boehmeria cylindrica: Stem Description
Light green round or 4 angled smooth to slightly pubecent.
Boehmeria cylindrica: Stem Color
Green
Boehmeria cylindrica: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Boehmeria cylindrica: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Boehmeria cylindrica: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Boehmeria cylindrica Whole Plant Traits
Boehmeria cylindrica: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Boehmeria cylindrica Cultural Conditions
Boehmeria cylindrica: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
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)
Boehmeria cylindrica: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Boehmeria cylindrica Landscape
Boehmeria cylindrica: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Boehmeria cylindrica: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
