Botanic Information.

Together with hops, the hemp plant represents the cannabaceae family (cannabinaceae) belonging to the order termed urticales. Recently, the cannabaceae family has been included and their classification was added to the moraceae family. Hemp’s origin is asia, from which it spread out all over the world – with exception to the desserts, tropics and polar regions. Hemp is  a one-year-plant that only grows a stem, according to sort and location, that is that is more or less branched  and can reach a 2-7 metre height.

Hemp is a dioecious (hermaphroditic) plant. The male plants (Femelhanf) are less developed than the female ones (Hanfhenne), that are more branched, fuller with leaves and that also ripen later. Ever so often, intermediate gender forms appear (intersexes) that are hereditary. A difference is made between female growth types with male and female blossoms (female monoecious) or exclusively male blossoms. Or, male growth types (male monoecious) with male and female blossoms or exclusively female blossoms.

Many, partially very sturdy secondary roots branch off from the 30-40 cm long taproots. They reach a length of 200 cm and spread out up to 115 cm into the ground. With good soil this can increase up to a debth of approx. 200 cm. Root development may seem robust, but compared to the extent and speed by which the upper parts grow, it is much lesser developed.

The green, when mature, woody stem is covered with hairs and glands and has an angular form. According to sowing density, the diameter measures approx. 6  - 60 mm.15 - 35 fibre bundles develop in the phloem (bast) and enclose the entire woody core in one to two rows. The virgin fibre bundles spread throughout the entire sprout, whereby the secondary plants, sown later, only grow in comparison only half so high and are therefore of lesser value. The long-fibre-bundle harvest, with lengths of up to 200 cm, depends on the ratio of virgin fibre bundles.

The long stemmed, palmate compound leaves with darkgreen upper and light green under side are formed from 1 – 11, or generally 5 – 9 toothed, small lanceolate leaflets. Upper and lower side are covered with glands and hair.

The small inconspicuous inflorescences (cymes e.g. panicles) are found on shorter branches of the upper axilla. The male blossoms are made up of only five hanging stamens with large anthers and five petals correspondingly. In the calyx, female blossoms possess a reduced periath (stipule of bracts) that encloses two pistils and an ovary, cuplike at the basis. At maturity, they are enclosed by sepals forming a beak at it’s apex. Two long styles protuberate from that beak. This plant depends mainly on wind pollination .

The one-seed, superior, round stemmed indehischent  fruit is classified as a nut. It is 2-6 mm long and has a diameter of 2-4 mm. The seed, germinating both by light and darkness (day-neutral) possesses an apical meristem that constiutes most of the size in the curved embryo.

Hemp grows best in zones with temperate climate (13-22° C), but will also thrive in higher or lower climates.

Young plant will not be affected by moderate night frost from -3 to -5° C.

Hemp is suitable for cultivation  in temperate zones, in the mediteranean and in the sub-tropics (Körber-Grohne 1988).

Meyer’s Conversation Dictionary reports 1868 positively about German hemp “In Germany, hemp is predominantly grown in Baden, in the Rhine pastures and the  vallies of the Black Forest. (… ) Also in Westphalia, Hannover, Thuringia, Schwabia and many more German areas hemp is cultivated, woven and manufactured to linen°. Hemp grows even further in the north. “The Koenigsberger hemp is of excellent quality (… ) the resulting ropes or nets do not rot and are therefore in great demand.°

(Source: Reuter 1987, Nova-Institute, Meyer’s, Hempro Int.)