Hemp (Cannabis sativa, Sp. Pl.: 1027 (1753))

Family: Cannabaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 1027 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Cannabis

Vegetable: False

Observations: C. Asia to Xinjiang and Pakistan

Description

Hemp, botanically known as Cannabis sativa, is a versatile and ancient plant species that has been cultivated for thousands of years. First described in 1753 by the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal work “Species Plantarum,” the plant belongs to the Cannabaceae family.

Native to Central Asia, hemp has spread across various regions, from the arid landscapes of Xinjiang in China to the diverse terrains of Pakistan. Its adaptability to different climates and soil conditions has allowed it to be cultivated globally, making it one of the most widespread species in human agriculture.

Hemp is renowned for its robust stalks, which yield fibers strong enough to be used in the production of textiles, ropes, and even construction materials. Additionally, hemp seeds are a nutritious food source high in essential fatty acids and proteins. The plant also serves as a significant source of oil, which is used in foods, cosmetics, and industrial applications.

Beyond its industrial and nutritional uses, hemp has a historical significance for its medicinal properties. Its leaves, flowers, and seeds have been utilized in traditional medicine to treat a myriad of ailments. The plant’s various phytochemicals are a subject of ongoing research, particularly for their potential in modern medical applications.

Furthermore, the environmental benefits of cultivating hemp are considerable. It acts as a natural weed suppressor, improves soil health, and requires lesser pesticides and herbicides compared to other crops. Consequently, it is considered a sustainable option for eco-friendly agriculture.

In summary, hemp (Cannabis sativa) is a multifaceted plant with significant historical, economic, and ecological importance. Originating from Central Asia, it has made a substantial impact across the globe through its versatile applications and environmental benefits.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig hamp, hamp
Fra: cannabis, chanvre, chanvre cultivé, chènevis chanvre
Eng: grass, hashish, hemp, marijuana, mary jane, pot, maryjane
Deu: hanf
Lit: sėjamoji kanapė
Ita: canapa
Por: cânhamo-indiano, haxixe, marijuana
Swe: hampa
Est: harilik kanep
Ell: kannaouri, kannaourka, kannavi
Ces: konopí seté
Swa: m’bangi
Lav: sējas kaņepe
Nld: hennep
Sme: ruoivvis
Cym: cas-gan-fursen, cywarch, meirion
En: Hemp, Marijuana, Cannabis, Imbanje, गजि, Mary Jane, Grass, Hashish, Pot, Maryjane, Indian hemp
Ab: Аныцә
Af: Dagga
Sq: Kanabis
Am: እጸ ፋርስ
Ar: قنب مزروع
Hy: Մշակովի կանեփ
Az: Əkin kənafı
Eu: Kalamu
Be: Каноплі пасяўныя
Bn: গাঁজা
Br: Kanab
Bg: Посевен коноп
Ca: Cànem, Cànyem
Zh: Dama, 大麻
Kw: Kewargh
Hr: Indijska konoplja
Cs: Konopí seté
Da: Hamp, Almindelig Hamp
Nl: Hennep
Et: Harilik kanep
Fi: Hamppu
Fr: Chènevis chanvre, Kaya, Chanvre cultivé, Cannabis, Chanvre, Chènevis, Chanvre indien, Zamal
Ff: Banngo
De: Hanf
El: Kannaouri, Kannaourka, Kannavi
Ha: Ƙare aiki
He: קנאביס סאטיבה
Hi: गाँजे का पौधा
Hu: Közönséges kender
Is: Hampjurt, Hampur
Id: Hennep
It: Canapa, Canapa comune
Ja: Asa
Kn: ಗಾಂಜಾಗಿಡ
Ko: Sam, 삼
Lv: Sējas kaņepe
Li: Kemp
Lt: Sėjamoji kanapė
Ms: Pokok ganja
Mr: गांजा
Ne: गाँजा
Se: Ruoivvis
No: Hamp
Pa: ਭੰਗ
Fa: شاه‌دانه ساتیوا
Pl: Konopie, Konopie siewne
Pt: Cânhamo-indiano, Haxixe, Marijuana
Ro: Cânepă indiană
Ru: Конопля посевная
Sg: Bângi
Sn: Mbanje
Sk: Konopa siata
Es: Navadna konoplja, Cáñamo, Hachís, Marihuana
Sw: M’bangi
Sv: Hampa
Zh-tw: 大麻
Te: గంజాయి మొక్క
Th: กัญชง
Tr: Hint keneviri
Uk: Коноплі звичайні
Wa: Tchene
Cy: Cas-Gan-Fursen, Cywarch, Meirion
Za: Daihmaz

Synonyms

• Cannabis americana (Pharm. ex Wehmer)
• Cannabis generalis (E.H.L.Krause)
• Cannabis sativa var. gigantea ((Delile ex Vilm.) Alef.)
• Cannabis gigantea (Crevost)
• Cannabis intersita (Soják)
• Cannabis sativa var. macrosperma ((Stokes) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Cannabis ruderalis (Janisch.)
• Cannabis sativa var. kif (A.DC.)
• Cannabis foetens (Gilib.)
• Cannabis erratica (Siev.)
• Cannabis chinensis (Delile)
• Polygonum viridiflorum (Poir.)
• Cannabis sativa var. kafiristanica ((Vavilov) E.Small & Cronquist)
• Cannabis indica (Lam.)
• Cannabis sativa subvar. indica ((Lam.) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Cannabis sativa subsp. culta (Serebr.)
• Cannabis sativa var. afghanica ((Vavilov) McPartl. & E.Small)
• Cannabis sativa f. afghanica (Vavilov)
• Cannabis sativa f. chinensis ((Delile) A.DC.)
• Cannabis sativa var. indica ((Lam.) Wehmer)
• Cannabis indica var. kafiristanica (Vavilov)
• Cannabis macrosperma (Stokes)
• Cannabis sativa f. vulgaris ((Alef.) Voss)
• Cannabis lupulus (Scop.)
• Cannabis sativa var. vulgaris (Alef.)
• Cannabis sativa var. spontanea (Vavilov)
• Cannabis indica f. afghanica (Vavilov)
• Cannabis sativa subsp. indica ((Lam.) E.Small & Cronquist)
• Cannabis sativa subsp. intersita ((Soják) Soják)
• Cannabis indica var. afghanica (Vavilov)
• Cannabis kafiristanica ((Vavilov) Chrtek)
• Cannabis sativa var. ruderalis (Janisch.)
• Cannabis sativa var. praecox (Serebr.)
• Cannabis sativa var. monoica (Holuby)
• Cannabis sativa f. pedemontana (A.DC.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Albania (introduced)
• Algeria (introduced)
• Altay (introduced)
• Amur (introduced)
• Andaman Is. (introduced)
• Angola (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Assam (introduced)
• Austria (introduced)
• Bangladesh (introduced)
• Belarus (introduced)
• Belgium (introduced)
• Benin (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Botswana (introduced)
• Bulgaria (introduced)
• Buryatiya (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Cambodia (introduced)
• Cameroon (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Central African Repu (introduced)
• Central European Rus (introduced)
• Chad (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• China South-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Chita (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Corse (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Cyprus (introduced)
• Czechoslovakia (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• Denmark (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• East Aegean Is. (introduced)
• East European Russia (introduced)
• East Himalaya (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Eritrea (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Finland (introduced)
• France (introduced)
• Free State (introduced)
• Gambia (introduced)
• Germany (introduced)
• Ghana (introduced)
• Greece (introduced)
• Guinea (introduced)
• Gulf of Guinea Is. (introduced)
• Hainan (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Hungary (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• India (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Inner Mongolia (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Iran (introduced)
• Iraq (introduced)
• Irkutsk (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Jawa (introduced)
• Kamchatka (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Kenya (introduced)
• Khabarovsk (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Krasnoyarsk (introduced)
• KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
• Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
• Leeward Is. (introduced)
• Lesotho (introduced)
• Lesser Sunda Is. (introduced)
• Magadan (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Malawi (introduced)
• Marquesas (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Mauritius (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Morocco (introduced)
• Mozambique (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nepal (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Nicaragua (introduced)
• Nicobar Is. (introduced)
• North Caucasus (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Northwest European R (introduced)
• Norway (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Poland (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Romania (introduced)
• Rwanda (introduced)
• Réunion (introduced)
• Sakhalin (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Senegal (introduced)
• Sicilia (introduced)
• Society Is. (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• South European Russi (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• Sudan (introduced)
• Sweden (introduced)
• Switzerland (introduced)
• Tanzania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Thailand (introduced)
• Tibet (introduced)
• Transcaucasus (introduced)
• Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
• Tuamotu (introduced)
• Tubuai Is. (introduced)
• Turkey (introduced)
• Turkey-in-Europe (introduced)
• Tuva (introduced)
• Uganda (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Vietnam (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Himalaya (introduced)
• West Siberia (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Windward Is. (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Yakutskiya (introduced)
• Yugoslavia (introduced)
• Zambia (introduced)
• Zaïre (introduced)
• Zimbabwe (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Apr 5, 2019 by Jay Ganesh (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 17, 2019 by Diego Lallier (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 29, 2019 by arias edwin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 19, 2019 by Alejandro Salas (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken May 8, 2019 by eljach Geraldine (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 6, 2017 by zadouza (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 1, 2018 by Amit Bisht (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 30, 2016 by Pau Bogado (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 26, 2019 by Reyes Jorge (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Dec 2, 2018 by Skere Skere (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 3, 2016 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 24, 2019 by L’H (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 20, 2020 by John John (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 28, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Apr 3, 2022 by Lily Lheureux (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 14, 2020 by Christophe Maillard (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 27, 2022 by Emmanuel P (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 12, 2022 by Priscila Gomez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 29, 2019 by arias edwin (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Bokske (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Bart Wursten (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jul 15, 2019 by Bogdan Sidorenko (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 23, 2018 by Emir Badoul (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Sep 8, 2015 by Tela Botanica − fanny truteau (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2011 by Photoflora – Jean-Jacques HOUDRE (©)

Taken Aug 6, 2009 by EOL − Pavel Šinkyřík (public)

Taken Nov 27, 2016 by Agos Loperfido (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 25, 2016 by Tela Botanica − _ (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5361880)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:306087-2)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cannabis sativa L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Soil nutriments: 8