Hemp - plant profile

Names

Hemp, Indian hemp, cannabis, marijuana (English)
'Indian hemp' can also refer to another species called Hibiscus cannabinus, which is used for its fibre

Bhanga, vijaya (Sanskrit)
Bhang, bhangi, ganja, charas, siddhi, jia (Hindi, Bengal, Gujarat and Tamil)

Botanical name: Cannabis sativa
Family: Cannabaceae, the hemp family

The plant

Today Cannabis sativa is being grown legally in parts of Europe and South Asia for the production of hemp for use in making fibres. These varieties of hemp have been selected for the ability to provide good quality fibres and contain very low levels of the cannabinol compounds associated with the psychoactive effects of hemp.
A botanical watercolour painting of hemp.
Image: Hemp plant, watercolour on blue paper.

Hemp is a tall annual plant which can grow up to 5 m high. The plants are either male or female.

Leaves - slightly hairy and divided into 5 to 7 serrated leaflets.

Flowers - on drooping branches or short spikes. The glandular hairs or trichomes on the flowers and floral leaves of female plants produce a resin that is called hashish.

Fruits - oval, containing a seed.