Hemp plants

February 15, There's been a lot of discussion about hemp recently, since the Farm Bill made it legal for farmers to grow industrial hemp for the first time since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act or, practically speaking, since the Marihuana Tax Act. There are still quite a few restrictions and regulations associated with growing hemp, but the fact that hemp is now legal — while marijuana is not — has raised a lot of questions. That puts us in a position to help answer some of the most common hemp questions. Hemp and marijuana are, taxonomically speaking, the same plant; they are different names for the same genus Cannabis and species. By comparison, marijuana typically contains 5 to 20 percent THC.

Is hemp the same thing as marijuana?

Industrial hemp is made up of varieties of Cannabis sativa L. Marijuana, hemp and cannabis are common names for plants of the genus Cannabis. The term "hemp" is used for cannabis plants that are grown for nondrug use, such as Cannabis sativa L. There are three species of the hemp plant: Cannabis sativa L. Deltatetrahydrocannabinol THC , the active ingredient of marijuana, is the main difference between the different species. Cannabis sativa L. Varieties have a THC content of less than 0.

Hemp is a non-psychoactive form of cannabis. It is low in THC. Many fibre and grain products and industrial uses have been made from Cannabis sativa L. Cannabis indica has poor fibre quality and is used to make drugs for recreation and medicine.

The plant is relatively short, conical and densely branched. Cannabis ruderalis is not common in North America. Cannabis ruderalis will produce flowers based on its age rather than the light cycle photoperiod.

This kind of flowering is also known as auto flowering. Hemp is an annual broadleaf plant with a taproot. Hemp generally requires days for its growth and should receive around inches Soil moisture will affect the ability of the root to penetrate deep into the soil profile, hemp can demonstrate adaptations to a variety of soil moisture conditions.

In some soils the taproot may penetrate inches cm deep. In compacted or wet soils, the taproot remains short and the plant produces more lateral, fibrous roots.

A hemp root is well equipped to grow deep into the soil profile to pick up nutrients that have been left behind by previous crops or nutrients that have leached down in the soil profile. This attribute of the large root is also beneficial in finding water in dry years or in sandy soils. Hemp plants are warmth-loving thermophilic and sun-loving heliotropic.

Bio-mass and seed production will be reduced if plants do not receive enough sun and warmth throughout the growing season. Hemp leaves are compound palmate with serrated leaflets. The lower leaf pairs usually occur in an opposite leaf arrangement on the stem. Depending on variety and growing conditions, the first pair of true leaves usually have a single leaflet.

The number gradually increases up to a maximum of about thirteen leaflets per leaf usually seven or nine. At the top of a flowering plant, the number of leaflets diminishes to a single leaflet per leaf. Depending on weather and growing conditions, hemp may be slow to establish and grow in the first few weeks of the growing season. Hemp can grow up to 7 to 10 cm a day during this vegetative growth period which usually occurs in July and early August in Canada.

Under ideal growing conditions hemp can germinate and emerge within three to five days. Growth Stages of Hemp.

The primary outer bast fibres in the phloem tissues surrounding the hollow woody core of hemp stalks is similar to bark on a tree. These long, strong fibres surround the hemp stalk and are low in cell binding lignin. The bast fibres have properties similar to other fibre crops like flax. The bast fibres are known for their length, strength, durability, absorbency, anti-mildew and antimicrobial properties.

The core, or woody part of the stem, contains the hurd which is high in cellulose. Hurd can be up to twice as absorbent as wood shavings, making it an excellent animal bedding and garden mulch.

It can be easily blended with lime to create a strong yet lightweight concrete or plaster hempcrete. It is biodegradable and possesses anti-mildew and antimicrobial properties. In monoecious type, the plant population has both male and female plant parts on the same head. Industrial hemp is normally dioecious which means a plant will have either all male or all female flowers on it. The plants rely on the wind to complete pollination anemophilous.

Prior to flowering, the sex of the plant is indistinguishable except for some general trends in growth habit. For example, in less crowded growing conditions, the female plants tend to be shorter with more branching than the male plants. The male plants will often break off easier when pulled due to less fibre at that growth stage. When inflorescence development begins, male flower primordium hangs from long multi-branched loose clusters, formed of small individual flower buds along an axis up to 30 centimeters long.

The female primordium is identified by the enlargement of a tapered, curved, tubular bract floral sheath.

Female flowers are more tightly clustered and have two long white, yellowish or pinkish stigmas protruding from each bract. Each seed forms inside a bract. The flowers of female plants are arranged in racemes and can produce hundreds of seeds. Female flowering and seed set are indeterminate. The seeds continue to develop and mature over an extended period of time. There will be both ripe and immature seeds on the same plants at time of grain harvest.

Monoecious plants have both male and female parts on the same branch or raceme. An ideal monoecious plant will have a few male flowers arranged in whorls at the base of the flower head, while the female flowers are formed at the top. Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance. The Hemp Production eGuide. Why is Hemp Important? Hemp's Environmental Impact. The Sengbusch Classification System. Licensing of Industrial Hemp. THC Sampling and Analysis.

Certified Seed. Variety Selection. Production Systems. Soil Nutrient Analysis. Plant Tissue Analysis. Fertility in Organic Production. Control of Volunteer Hemp. Minor Use Pesticide Program. Crop Condition for Harvest. Harvest Equipment. Combine Settings. Contracting Grain.

Marketing of Fibre Products. Types of Hemp Fibre. Handling Fibre After Grain Production. Salvaging Hemp Fibre. Time of Fibre Harvest. Post-harvest Management of Hemp Fibre. Retting of Hemp Fibre. Fibre Harvesting Equipment. Storing Baled Hemp Fibre. Fibre Quality Considerations. Fibre Processing. Cost of Production. Research Papers. Reference Links.

Hemp Videos. The Hemp Plant. Typical Hemp Roots In compacted or wet soils, the taproot remains short and the plant produces more lateral, fibrous roots.

Opposite Leaf Arrangement Depending on variety and growing conditions, the first pair of true leaves usually have a single leaflet. Background - Hemp's Environmental Impact. Background - The Sengbusch Classification System.

Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. It is one of the. Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family, which consists of three primary species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis.

Hemp , or industrial hemp , is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. Although cannabis as a drug and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol THC , they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content. In those languages "hemp" can refer to either industrial fiber hemp or narcotic cannabis strains.

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Industrial hemp is made up of varieties of Cannabis sativa L. Marijuana, hemp and cannabis are common names for plants of the genus Cannabis. The term "hemp" is used for cannabis plants that are grown for nondrug use, such as Cannabis sativa L.

What’s the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana?

Although hemp and marijuana are both classified biologically as cannabis, there are a number of important differences between them. These differences are evident in the way each variety is used. The differences are also documented in the language, laws, and regulations that apply to both. We break down the anatomy, history, use, and legality of the hemp plant to get to the heart of not only what distinguishes it from marijuana, but also what makes it such a viable, versatile commodity. A variety of Cannabis sativa L, hemp is a dioecious plant, which means it can be separated into male and female plants. Hemp fibers can be used to make items including paper, clothing, furnishing fabric, rope, and building materials.

Hemp vs. Marijuana

Coarse, bushy herb up to 4m tall. Leaves grey-green, up to 12cm long, palmate with lanceolate leaflets, margin serrated. Individual plants either have male or female flowers dioecious. Flowers small, green and clustered. Fruits small, dry and thin-walled achene , contain only one seed. Pollinated by wind. For centuries hemp has provided raw materials for paper, textiles, rope for ships, medicine, oil and much more. It is one of the most useful multi-purpose crops of the temperate world quoted as having over 25, end products.

Hemp , Cannabis sativa , also called industrial hemp , plant of the family Cannabaceae cultivated for its fibre bast fibre or its edible seeds. Hemp is sometimes confused with the cannabis plants that serve as sources of the drug marijuana and the drug preparation hashish.

It is divided into several main categories:. We are no longer taking new applications. The license holder is responsible for notifying the MDA of their upcoming harvest date by filing a Planting Harvest Report.

Hemp 101: What Is Hemp, What’s It Used for, and Why Is It Illegal?

First and foremost: Hemp is not marijuana. Marijuana is not hemp. Oftentimes people believe that hemp is the male plant of marijuana. This is false. Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis. But, hemp and marijuana are different varieties of the Cannabis sativa species. This confusion exists because marijuana was created by selectively breeding Indian hemp for Tetrahyrdocannabinol THC. THC is the major differentiating factor between hemp and marijuana. The major similarity when growing hemp and marijuana is when growing for the cannabinoids. Because these production schemes both desire high concentrations of cannabinoids found in the floral material; the current growing conditions are similar. Just like a marijuana grower, a hemp farmer growing for high concentrations of CBD would want to remove the male plants from the field or facility before pollination. This allows for less seed and higher concentrations of phytocannabinoids in each plant. Under this growing condition, hemp grown for phytocannabinoids like CBD commonly resembles marijuana production patterns.

Hemp vs Marijuana

Short Answer: They are two forms of the cannabis plant that are used very differently. Hemp is different from marijuana in its function, cultivation and application. Many states are slowly legalizing recreational marijuana, but marijuana remains federally illegal. An amendment to the Farm Bill legalized hemp in the U. Today, hemp can be used in variety of ways that marijuana cannot. These include healthy dietary supplements, skin products, clothing, and accessories. Today, you can buy legal hemp products not just online, but in many grocery stores and everyday businesses.