Hemp
Your shopping cart is currently empty. If you would like to make a purchase today, add items to your shopping cart. Search Term. Advanced Search. On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as 2 to 3 acres of cotton. Hemp fiber is stronger and softer than cotton, lasts twice as long as cotton, and will not mildew.
What is hemp?
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. Although all three products—hemp, marijuana, and hashish—contain tetrahydrocannabinol THC , a compound that produces psychoactive effects in humans, the variety of cannabis cultivated for hemp has only small amounts of THC relative to that grown for the production of marijuana or hashish.
The hemp plant is a stout, aromatic, erect annual herb. The slender canelike stalks are hollow except at the tip and base. The leaves are compound with palmate shape, and the flowers are small and greenish yellow. Seed-producing flowers form elongate, spikelike clusters growing on the pistillate, or female, plants. Pollen-producing flowers form many-branched clusters on staminate, or male, plants.
Hemp originated in Central Asia. Hemp cultivation for fibre was recorded in China as early as bce and was practiced in the Mediterranean countries of Europe early in the Christian era, spreading throughout the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages.
It was planted in Chile in the s and a century later in North America. Hemp is grown in temperate zones as an annual cultivated from seed and can reach a height of up to 5 metres 16 feet.
Crops grow best in sandy loam with good drainage and require average monthly rainfall of at least 65 mm 2. Crops cultivated for fibre are densely sowed and produce plants averaging 2—3 metres 6—10 feet tall with almost no branching. Plants grown for oilseed are planted farther apart and are shorter and many-branched. In fibre production, maximum yield and quality are obtained by harvesting soon after the plants reach maturity, indicated by the full blossoms and freely shedding pollen of the male plants.
Although sometimes pulled up by hand, plants are more often cut off about 2. Fibres are obtained by subjecting the stalks to a series of operations—including retting , drying, and crushing—and a shaking process that completes separation from the woody portion, releasing the long, fairly straight fibre, or line. The fibre strands, usually over 1. The fibre, longer and less flexible than flax , is usually yellowish, greenish, or a dark brown or gray and, because it is not easily bleached to sufficiently light shades, is rarely dyed.
It is strong and durable and is used for cordage —e. In Italy some hemp receives special processing, producing whitish colour and attractive lustre, and is used to make fabric similar to linen.
Hemp fibre is also used to make bioplastics that can be recyclable and biodegradable, depending on the formulation. The edible seeds contain about 30 percent oil and are a source of protein , fibre , and magnesium.
Shelled hemp seeds, sometimes called hemp hearts, are sold as a health food and may be eaten raw; they are commonly sprinkled on salads or blended with fruit smoothies.
Hemp seed milk is used as an alternative to dairy milk in drinks and recipes. The oil obtained from hemp seed can be used to make paints, varnishes, soaps, and edible oil with a low smoke point. Article Media. Info Print Print. Table Of Contents. Submit Feedback. Thank you for your feedback. Introduction Physical description Cultivation and processing Products and uses Other hemps. Hemp plant. See Article History. Alternative Titles: Cannabis sativa, Indian hemp, industrial hemp.
Read More on This Topic. Probably the most widespread plant having psychedelic properties and used in cults is Indian hemp, Cannabis sativa, which grows all…. Get exclusive access to content from our First Edition with your subscription.
Subscribe today. Learn More in these related Britannica articles: drug cult: Hemp, mushrooms, cacti, and their derivatives. Probably the most widespread plant having psychedelic properties and used in cults is Indian hemp, Cannabis sativa , which grows all over the world except in very cold climates. It is used in religious practices in India and Africa and….
Flax, hemp, jute, and kenaf are characterized by a high proportion of long, flexible bast fibres that are readily separated and purified from the other materials in the plant. Consequently, such fibres have long been used for textiles and rope making. Most of this fibre reaching…. Hemp , one of the most ancient plants domesticated in India, is an example of a multipurpose plant: oil is obtained from its seeds, fibres from its stalk, and the narcotic hashish from its flowers and leaves.
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There are many different varieties of the cannabis plant. Hemp—also called industrial hemp—refers to the non-intoxicating (less than % THC). A variety of Cannabis sativa L, hemp is a dioecious plant, which means it can be separated into male and female plants. These plants have served a wide variety.
The marijuana plant has many uses apart from drug use. Hemp has as low as 0. In fact, hemp produces a cannabinoid called CBD. CBD is a nonpsychoactive component of the cannabis plant, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, and actually blocks the high typically associated with marijuana.
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.
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.
What Is Hemp?
You might know that the Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp, which effectively legalized CBD, too. Although cannabis the drug and industrial hemp both derive from cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol THC , they are distinct strains with unique compositions and uses. In short, neither hemp nor CBD will get you high. Hemp has been grown for thousands of years in Asia and the Middle East, but it also has a history in the U. For example, hemp was used by the U.
General Hemp Information
This week, Congress agreed to the final version of the Farm Bill, and President Trump is expected to sign the legislation within days. But this is not your typical farm bill. While it provides important agricultural and nutritional policy extensions for five years, the most interesting changes involve the cannabis plant. Typically, cannabis is not part of the conversation around farm subsidies, nutritional assistance, and crop insurance. For a little bit of background, hemp is defined in the legislation as the cannabis plant yes, the same one that produces marijuana with one key difference: hemp cannot contain more than 0. For decades, federal law did not differentiate hemp from other cannabis plants, all of which were effectively made illegal in under the Marihuana Tax Act and formally made illegal in under the Controlled Substances Act—the latter banned cannabis of any kind. However, there remain some misconceptions about what, exactly, this policy change does. This allowed small-scale expansion of hemp cultivation for limited purposes. The Farm Bill is more expansive. It allows hemp cultivation broadly, not simply pilot programs for studying market interest in hemp-derived products.
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Industrial hemp is a strain of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products and compounds. It is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 10, years ago. It can be refined into a variety of products, including hemp derived CBD , paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics , paint, insulation, biofuel , food , and animal feed.
The Farm Bill, hemp legalization and the status of CBD: An explainer
Hemp actually refers to the industrial variant which is cultivated for its fiber, hurd, and seeds, as well as the other natural healing compounds found in its leaves. The seed is mainly used in dietary products. Hemp seeds are typically hulled and use in variety of ways. Seeds can be eaten raw, ground into a meal, made into milk, and are even used to make protein powder. Hemp seeds can also be pressed and made into oil. Canada is the biggest producer of hemp seeds with over 84, acres licensed for cultivation in Most of the hemp strains grown in Canada are called Finola. Over time, more farmers are experimenting with dual use varities which can be used for both seeds and stalks. When harvested correctly, the fiber is actually stronger than steel. The stalk and its fiber are used mainly in clothing, construction materials, paper, and more. The magazine found there to be more than 25, industrial uses for hemp. Applications of hemp stalk include apparel, bags, rope, netting, canvas, and carpet.
What’s the Difference Between CBD and Hemp?
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. For example, the seed can be used as a food protein and the outer stem provides fibre for ropes and canvas for tents.
What is Hemp?
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.
Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC IHM is a global company that produces quality natural fiber and other cellulose based products for major growth markets. IHM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hemp, Inc. Hemp Inc. By empowering Hemp farmers and entrepreneurs with knowledge, processing infrastructure and support, we can help create thriving local communities in which the American Small Family Farm is once again a vital economic entity. Hemp University is key to the Hemp Revolution by focusing the efforts of its teachers and content on Family Farms and Small Businesses. Knowledge is Power, and by sharing knowledge, we grow together.