It has large heart shaped, crenate leaves covered on the underside with white hairs that give it a silvery appearance. A second type, Boehmeria nivea var tenacissima , is known as 'green ramie' or 'rhea' and is believed to have originated in the Malay Peninsular. This type has smaller leaves which are green on the underside and it appears to be better suited to tropical conditions. The stems of ramie grow to a height of 1 to 2.5 m. The crop is generally propagated vegetatively, using rhizome or stem cuttings.
Production begins to decline once roots become overcrowded.
Roots suffering overcrowding require thinning out or the area must be replanted. The crop is tolerant of a range of soil types but is reported to be sensitive to waterlogging. Well established plants can tolerate moderate drought and frost but grow better where these are absent. The crop prefers slightly acid soil conditions with pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5. As productivity is high, ramie can rapidly deplete the soil of nutrients so it is therefore important to either return the plant residues to the soil or add organic or inorganic fertilisers.