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Cannabis sativa - L.

Hemp

Author	L.	Botanical references	74, 200
Family	Cannabidaceae	Genus	Cannabis
Synonyms
Known Hazards	The plant is a narcotic[19, 76]. Its action is almost entirely on the higher nerve centres, it can produce an exhilarating intoxication with hallucinations and is a widely used street drug[4]. It has also been widely used in the past by mystics and sages wanting to communicate with the higher forces of nature. The nature of its effect does depend much on the temperament of the individual[4]. The use of cannabis is considered to be less harmful than alcohol or tobacco by many people, nevertheless its use has been banned in many countries of the world including most western countries, New Zealand and Australia.
Range	W. Asia - Iran to India. A casual in Britain[17].
Habitat	Fluvial deposits on crags and stony slopes[74]. It is occasionally found as a casual on waste ground in Britain[17]. It is especially found as a weed of nitrogen-rich soils near human habitations[238]
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	4 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Annual growing to 2.5m by 0.8m.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves; Seed.

Edible Uses: Oil.

Seed - raw or cooked. It can be parched and eaten as a condiment or made into cakes and fried[2, 85, 177, 183]. The seed is quite tasty, but it is very difficult to separate from the husk. We have tried grinding the seed, husk and all, and eating it this way, but it does then have a very gritty texture[K]. The seed contains about 27.1% protein, 25.6% fat, 7.4% carbohydrate, 6.1% ash[179]. A nutritional analysis is available calculated on a zero moisture basis[218]. A highly nutritious edible oil, rich in essential fatty acids, is obtained from the seed[105, 183]. Leaves. Used in soups[269]. The leaves contain 0.215% carotene[179].

Composition

Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.

Seed (Dry weight)

• 487 Calories per 100g
• Water: 0%
• Protein: 31.4g; Fat: 29.6g; Carbohydrate: 31.9g; Fibre: 23.5g; Ash: 7.1g;
• Minerals - Calcium: 139mg; Phosphorus: 1123mg; Iron: 13.9mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
• Vitamins - A: 518mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.37mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.2mg; Niacin: 2.43mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
• Reference: [218]
• Notes: 

Medicinal Uses

Analgesic; Anodyne; Anthelmintic; Antibacterial; Antiperiodic; Antispasmodic; Cancer; Cholagogue; Demulcent; Diuretic; Emmenagogue; Emollient; Febrifuge; Hypnotic; Laxative; Narcotic; Ophthalmic; Sedative; Tonic.

Hemp, or more appropriately cannabis since the form grown for fibre contains much less of the medicinally active compounds, has a very long history of medicinal use, though it is illegal to grow in many countries since the leaves and other parts of the plant are widely used as a narcotic drug[4]. The leaves and the resin that exudes from them are the parts mainly used, though all parts of the plant contain the active ingredients[4]. Cannabis contains a wide range of active ingredients, perhaps the most important of which is THC. The principal uses of the plant are as a pain-killer, sleep-inducer and reliever of the nausea caused by chemotherapy, whilst it also has a soothing influence in nervous disorders[4]. Although cannabis does not effect a cure for many of the problems it is prescribed to treat, it is a very safe and effective medicine for helping to reduce the symptoms of many serious diseases. For example, it relieves the MS sufferer of the distressing desire to urinate, even when the bladder is empty. As long as it is used regularly, it also greatly reduces the pressure in the eye to relieve the symptoms of glaucoma. The whole plant is anodyne, anthelmintic, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, antiperiodic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diuretic, emollient, hypnotic, hypotensive, laxative, narcotic, ophthalmic and sedative[4, 7, 21, 46, 147, 176, 178, 192, 238, 243]. It is used to relieve some of the unpleasant side effects suffered by people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer - in particular it is very effective in removing the feelings of nausea and indeed helps to create an appetite and positive attitude of mind which is so important to people undergoing this treatment[K]. It has also been found of use in the treatment of glaucoma[200, 222, 238] and relieves the distressing constant desire to urinate that is suffered by many people with multiple sclerosis. Given to patients suffering from AIDS, it helps them to put on weight[238]. Since it strongly increases the desire for food it has been found of benefit in treating anorexia nervosa. It is used externally as a poultice for corns, sores, varicose veins, gout and rheumatism[218, 238]. Few plants have a greater array of folk medicine uses. Cannabis has been used in the treatment of a wide range of conditions including alcohol withdrawal, anthrax, asthma, blood poisoning, bronchitis, burns, catarrh, childbirth, convulsions, coughs, cystitis, delirium, depression, diarrhoea, dysentery, dysmenorrhoea, epilepsy, fever, gonorrhoea, gout, inflammation, insomnia, jaundice, lockjaw, malaria, mania, menorrhagia, migraine, morphine withdrawal, neuralgia, palsy, rheumatism, scalds, snakebite, swellings, tetanus, toothache, uteral prolapse, and whooping cough[269]. The seed is anodyne, anthelmintic, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, emmenagogue, febrifuge, laxative, narcotic and tonic[218]. It is used to treat constipation caused by debility or fluid retention[238]. The seed is an important source of essential fatty acids and can be very helpful in the treatment of many nervous diseases. A high content of very active antibacterial and analgesic substances has been found in the plant[240]. It has bactericidal effects on gram-positive micro-organisms, in some cases up to a dilution of 1:150,000[240].

Other Uses

Fibre; Paper; Repellent.

A drying oil is obtained from the seed. It is used for lighting, soap making, paints, varnish etc[4, 7, 21, 46, 57, 171]. In the temperate zone, oil is produced from females which have been left to stand after the fibre-producing males have been harvested[269]. A varnish is made from the pressed seeds[269]. Seed is harvested from the female plants when most of it falls off when the plant is shaken. Best time of day to harvest seed is in early morning when fruits are turgid and conditions damp. As fruits dry out by mid-day, seed loss increases due to shattering. Usually stems are cut and the seeds shaken out over canvas sheets or beaten with sticks to extract the seeds[269]. A fibre is obtained from the stem. It is strong and very durable[171] and is used in making coarse fabrics, rope etc[1, 7, 21, 46, 57, 61]. Male plants produce the best fibres and they are harvested when the plants turn brown and the flowers begin to open[123, 171, 269]. When used for making paper the stems are harvested in the autumn and either retted or steamed until the fibres can be removed. The fibre is cooked for 2 hours or more with lye and then beaten in a ball mill or Hollander beater. The paper is off-white in colour[189]. A good companion plant for cabbages and other brassicas, it repels the cabbage white butterfly[4, 18, 20, 201] and also secretes a volatile essence from its roots that inhibits pathogenic micro-organisms in the soil[201].

Cultivation details

Cannabis is very adaptable to soil and climatic conditions[269]. It prefers a rich loamy soil with plenty of humus[171] but it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1] and also in calcareous soils[171]. When grown for fibre, it requires a mild temperate climate with at least 67cm annual rainfall, with abundant rain whilst the seeds are germinating and until young plants become established[269]. Cannabis thrives on rich, fertile, neutral to slightly alkaline, well-drained silt or clay loams with moisture retentive subsoils, it does not grow well on acid, sandy soils[269]. Of the many types of hemp, some are adapted to most vegetated terrains and climates[269]. Cannabis is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation range of 30 to 400cm, an average annual temperature range of 6 to 27°C and a pH in the range of 4.5 to 8.2[269]. Plants require little cultivation, except for weeding during early stages of growth. Hemp grows rapidly and soon crowds out weeds[269]. After the plants are 20 cm tall, weeding is abandoned. Hemp tends to exhaust the soil of nutrients, though some nutrients are returned to the soil after plants are harvested[269]. Hemp is commonly cultivated for its fibre, edible seed and oil in many areas of the world, it is also a socially acceptable drug in areas of Asia and the Middle East[238]. However, it is illegal to grow in Britain and many other western countries (plus Australia and New Zealand) because it contains certain narcotic principles and is a commonly used narcotic drug[20, 123, 238]. As Cannabis sativa has been cultivated for over 4,500 years for different purposes, many varieties and cultivars have been selected for specific purposes, as fibre, oil or narcotics. Drug-producing selections grow better and produce more drug in the tropics; oil and fibre producing plants thrive better in the temperate and subtropical areas. Many of the cultivars and varieties have been named as to the locality where it is grown mainly. However, all so called varieties freely interbreed and produce various combinations of the characters. The form of the plant and the yield of fibre from it vary according to climate and particular variety. Varieties cultivated particularly for their fibres have long stalks, branch very little, and yield only small quantities of seed. Varieties which are grown for the oil from their seed are short in height, mature early and produce large quantities of seed. Varieties grown for the drugs are short, much-branched with smaller dark-green leaves. Between these three main types of plants are numerous varieties which differ from the main one in height, extent of branching and other characteristics[269]. At least one variety has been selected for its virtually insignificant content of the narcotic principles[141]. This form is monoecious whereas most other forms are dioecious[141]. There is also said to be a tall Chinese form that has no narcotic effect[179]. However in 1999 even these varieties are illegal to grow in Britain without a special licence. Certain varieties do not form many side-shoots and these are the forms most commonly grown for their fibre[123]. Plants grown in warmer climates tend to be best for medicinal use, whilst those grown in more northerly latitudes produce the better fibre[4]. The seed is very attractive to birds and is often included in bird seed mixtures[7].

Propagation

Seed - sow in early spring in the greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Seeds germinate well at low temperatures, but not below 1°C[269]. The seed can also be sown outdoors in situ in mid spring.

Cultivars

No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Alternative Lighting: Plant Oils and Waxes.

Permaculture.info Details of this plant in the Permaculture.info project, a community plant and permaculture database.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[19] Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3
Not very comprehensive, but easy reading.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. 0
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.

[85] Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[123] ? Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition. 0
It contains a few things of interest to the plant project.

[141] Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986 ISBN 0704909820
Some suggested alternative commercial crops for Britain. Readable. Produced by a University study group.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press 0 ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.

[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 0
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[189] Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 1988
A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.

[192] Emboden. W. Narcotic Plants Studio Vista 1979 ISBN 0-289-70864-8
A lot of details about the history, chemistry and use of narcotic plants, including hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[243] Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993
Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.

[269] Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of plants.

Readers Comments

Fiber Plants

JAG Fri Jun 1 10:29:03 2001

hemp is the primary fibre crop, being used for food and soap and energy

learn more about the myriad products being made today from this most prolific grower!

http://www.hemp-union.karoo.net

Cannabis sativa

Bruno DĀ“almeida Sat Jun 23 11:29:12 2001

IĀ“m not a "user" of this plant, but since tobacco and alchool are institutionalized why not Cannabis sativa? Reasons are obvious - it reduces stress, itĀ“s a "non violence inducing" drug (unlike alchool for ex.) and does not causes dependence (unlike nicotine or cafeine and theobromine - chocolate). I work in the Biotecnology area, and do think this issue sould be reviewed. Besides, it would end up with small "dealers" that earn money by selling Cannabis in the streets, sometimes being the plant chemicaly adulterated.

Cannabis sativa

Mon Sep 10 20:22:54 2001

I don't know if you know but cannabis is actually the most botaniocally advanced plant in the world today and has many more uses than stated here to read a good book on the subject see 'the emporer wears no clothes' -i forget the author it's on amazon have a look.

Fiber Plants

gordon soaring hawk Tue Apr 1 23:48:06 2003

Apocynum cannabinum - dogbane. As a native American artist, I have extensively used dogbane for fiber material. It is easily separated from the stalks and produces a very strong fiber. I have seen nets used for catching rabbits created by the Paiute Indians. These works of art contain over two miles of hand-made cordage. unfortunately, the state of Utah deems this plant to be a noxious weed, and it is being extirpated along much of its former range. It is getting harder to find, but it rivals the best linen in its strength and softness. I use it for cordage, bowstrings, and lashings for arrows, spears, and other artifacts.

Cannabis sativa

J. Dean Hodgson Thu Jan 26 2006

Thanks you for your work. Why would you call marijuana a narcotic? Truly, I think our government has never had reason to ban marijuana, and surely not hemp. James the Obscure

Cannabis sativa

James Jaffrey (Mr Hemp) Tue Feb 14 2006

Re: The Emporer Wears No Clothes. The author's name is Jack Herer I beieve that there are over 20,000 commercial uses for this GOD given wonder plant from paper plastic building materilas oils varnishes sealants textiles etc etc etc. It's time to re-educate the youth in the U.K. that it was law here during the 17th & 18th century that 10% of ALL arable alnd be dedicated to growing Hemp, Cannabis sativa L. The British empire that was was founded and maintained on hemp! Think about that one! All the sails rigging clothing charts varnishes sealant oil for the lamps all from the humble Hemp plant. Our farmers are at their collective wits end looking for alternatives and yet we have the very plant that could help alleviate their situation. Be a part of the solution and buy hemp products wherever possible. This is an excellent site, well done. Jim Jaffrey, (Mr Hemp)

Cannabis sativa

A. Thinker Fri Mar 17 2006

God loves us, and He gave us all we need to survive and even thrive. The proof is in the pot. He never created a more wonderful herb. And I am not just refering to the part I like the most. We could have cheap fuel, clean air, people who are employed and not hungry, angry or violent. We could have less war, more peace, better food through organic enrichment because of this great herb. Why are we so ignorant? We need to utilize what the Good Lord has so gracefully been handed to us. The Greed of the rich will destroy our planet. And they do not care about the welfare of people. How unfortunate.

Cannabis sativa

kenny A Mon Mar 20 2006

we all need to fly, man, like the last guy said, if we were all fried, we wouldnt have all of these problems. the great herb calms us and renews our long gone sense of peace. i believe that the world needs to legalise Gods great gift, so the world may be once again at peace like it was many many years ago.

Cannabis sativa

medman Fri Mar 24 2006

Well, Cannabis has both monoecious and dioecious versions. It is self-fertile in the case of hermaphroditic strains/individuals. Has been found to have a large impact on the PNS, not just the CNS. Is hearty (as an annual) well into zone 3. The native habitat for 3 of the primary subtypes (sativa, indica, and ruderalis respectively) are tropical rainforests, semi-arid mountainous areas, and the Russian Steppes. It does not grow well in extremely acidic or alkaline soils since those conditions prevent key nutrient uptake. When grown in very slightly acidic soils (6.5 to 6.8) it is one of the fastest growing land plants. Although THC used to be thought of as the medicinally active secondary metabolite, more recently it has been found that CBD(a "legal" compound found even in the fiber strains) exerts powerful effects, especially on the PNS and is the metabolite responsible for many benefits especially to MS sufferers.

Cannabis sativa

Billy Barty Wed Apr 12 2006

I would only add that there are two types of the drug-producing version: C. Sativa and C. Indica. C. Sativa's perceptual effects have been noted as being "high"; increasing energy, and stimulating creativity. This is primarily because C.Sat has a lopsidedly high amount of D9-THC vs. the other THCs. C. Indica is almost the opposite. It's effects have been noted as being "stoned", sedate, relaxing and stress-relieving. C.Indica has a much more balanced mix of D9THC vs. the other THCs. C.Sat is tall, lanky, light green with skinny leaves, long to mature, less drug yield. C. Indica is short, squat, dark green with fat leaves, quick maturing, more yield.

Cannabis sativa

Kali Mist Sun Apr 30 2006

A strain called 'KALI MIST' bred by 'Serious Seeds' is very effective with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, leaving you wide-awake and full of energy. This very uplifting Sativa leaves your eyes wide open, white and clear, (no red droopy eyes), no short-term memory loss plus your sight, hearing and memory are noticably enhanced, even with small doses. Kali Mist is a very unique & medicinally useful plant which is quite unlike any that I have ever tested. This plant should be legally available to the sick.

Cannabis sativa

A.Jathoul Sat Mar 31 2007

Billy Party is wrong. C. Ruderalis also makes THC. So does the newly discovered cannabis rasta.

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