Kenaf, Hemp and Marijuana By Paula Szilard Back in the spring of 2007 I ordered what I thought were hibiscus seeds from a major seed house. I started them early and transferred them to several patio containers. I shared them with my friend Nancy Styler. As I recall, they grew to be about 6 ft high and had the most gorgeous dark pink flowers, typical of hibiscus. The foliage, though, was very unlike that of hibiscuses. The leaves were palmately lobed, deeply cut, strongly serrated and they looked suspicious. In fact, before they bloomed, I wondered what I had gotten us into. Nancy especially took a lot of razzing, notably from DBG staff visiting her garden. Leaves aside, what we had was not marijuana. Anyway, whoever heard of marijuana with such pretty flowers? What we had was Kenaf, or Hibiscus cannabinus, also referred to as Indian hemp, an annual in the Malvaceae family. Kenaf has been grown as a fiber crop for thousands of years in tropical and subtropical Africa, its original home. It likely spread to  Asia by human contact and now grows wild on both continents. Used for rope and cordage, fishing nets, and sacking, it has long fibers just like hemp. There is considerable variation in different cultivars of this plant. The flower color varies from cream, light pink or apricot to burgundy, with blossoms appearing as the days get shorter. The leaves range from heart shaped to palmate, if you will, marijuana-like. Kenaf, Hemp and Marijuana By Paula Szilard Back in the spring of 2007 I ordered what I thought were hibiscus seeds from a major seed house. I started them early and transferred them to several patio containers. I shared them with my friend Nancy Styler. As I recall, they grew to be about 6 ft high and had the most gorgeous dark pink flowers, typical of hibiscus. The foliage, though, was very unlike that of hibiscuses. The leaves were palmately lobed, deeply cut, strongly serrated and they looked suspicious. In fact, before they bloomed, I wondered what I had gotten us into. Nancy especially took a lot of razzing, notably from DBG staff visiting her garden. Leaves aside, what we had was not marijuana. Anyway, whoever heard of marijuana with such pretty flowers? What we had was Kenaf, or Hibiscus cannabinus, also referred to as Indian hemp, an annual in the Malvaceae family. Kenaf has been grown as a fiber crop for thousands of years in tropical and subtropical Africa, its original home. It likely spread to  Asia by human contact and now grows wild on both continents. Used for rope and cordage, fishing nets, and sacking, it has long fibers just like hemp. There is considerable variation in different cultivars of this plant. The flower color varies from cream, light pink or apricot to burgundy, with blossoms appearing as the days get shorter. The leaves range from heart shaped to palmate, if you will, marijuana-like. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) This case of mistaken identity brings to mind another potential identity problem, much discussed with the recent legalization of hemp and marijuana in Colorado. The proponents of hemp made a strong case that hemp is really a different plant. But is it really? Botanically it’s the same species—Cannabis sativa. Some authorities recognize hemp as a subspecies—Cannabis sativa ssp. sativa. The cannabis some of us smoke is Cannabis sativa ssp.indica. Hemp likely originated in temperate parts of Asia. Historically, one of the most useful food and fiber plants, hemp is major fiber crop in many parts of the world. Our Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. (That’s a good thing because hemp paper is said to be more durable.) it is used to make a myriad of products including rope, textiles, canvas, oil, foods of various types, paper, etc. In America hemp was a major fiber crop from Colonial times until 1937 when the Marijuana Tax Act regulated the industry in an effort to reduce marijuana production. Restrictions were eased during World War II when the United States could no longer import abaca and jute and needed fiber for the war effort. This law was later declared unconstitutional and was replaced by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, a law still in effect today. Hemp To this day, officially, the United States government recognizes no difference between marijuana and hemp. The Canadian government began issuing licenses for growing hemp for fiber and food in 1998. Current production is worth around $100 million annually, some of it in the form of seed, not fiber. The seeds are very nutritious. Per 100 grams (about ¾ cup), they contain about 30 grams of protein, but are relatively high in fat, though mostly mono- and polyunsaturated. The seeds are also high in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and are often pressed into oil. When I saw the hulled seeds for sale at Costco, I bought a package, imported from Canada and marketed under the name Hemp Hearts. Though this product has a deliciously mild, nutty flavor, especially when toasted, I will proceed with caution so as not to wreck my diet. What is bizarre about the many hemp products for sale in the United States, be it cigarette paper, writing paper, textiles and food products is that it’s perfectly legal to sell them here, but it’s not legal to grow hemp here. It seems senseless to let other countries reap all the benefits of this new-but-old crop. China is the world’s largest producer. All in all thirty plus countries now produce hemp, including most of Western Europe. In the United States some states have already investigated the economic benefits of growing hemp. Nine states have now legalized hemp. Individual growers are forging ahead in states like Colorado where hemp has been legalized despite the fact that they won’t be able to insure their crop. A report by the United States Department of Agriculture issued in 2000 entitled Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential concluded that long term demand for products made of hemp is “thin” and “small” and likely to remain so. That was 13 years ago. Perhaps it’s time to take another look! Please note the use of the term “industrial hemp,” to create a bit more distance between this crop and its intoxicating sister. So what is the essential difference between Marijuana and hemp? What we have here are basically thousands of years of human selection of cultivars most suitable to hemp production on the one hand and cultivars most suitable as intoxicants on the other. So we have a situation where the hemp cultivars generally have extremely low quantities of THC (Tetrahydrocannabiniol, the active substance in Marijuana) mostly around 3/10 % or definitely less than 1%, along with qualities that make it a better fiber crop. Since the 1930’s there has been deliberate breeding to produce varieties low in THC. Researchers tell us that the practical uses of this plant came first and the intoxicating qualities were discovered much later in human history. Because of its status as an illegal drug, the selection and breeding process for the plant’s intoxicating qualities has taken place underground and has emphasized increasing the levels of THC. For a sense for how skillful these breeders were, you might be interested in reading the chapter on Cannabis in Michael Pollan’s book, The Botany of Desire. As a result, we now have a plant with extremely high THC levels, typically 3 to 20 %. That’s the difference in a nutshell. That and the fact that the plants that intoxicate are generally a little bushier and not quite as tall. Otherwise these cultivars look quite similar. So, the long and short of it is that you really can’t be sure which plant you have unless you have a laboratory analysis done. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) This case of mistaken identity brings to mind another potential identity problem, much discussed with the recent legalization of hemp and marijuana in Colorado. The proponents of hemp made a strong case that hemp is really a different plant. But is it really? Botanically it’s the same species—Cannabis sativa. Some authorities recognize hemp as a subspecies—Cannabis sativa ssp. sativa. The cannabis some of us smoke is Cannabis sativa ssp.indica. Hemp likely originated in temperate parts of Asia. Historically, one of the most useful food and fiber plants, hemp is major fiber crop in many parts of the world. Our Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. (That’s a good thing because hemp paper is said to be more durable.) it is used to make a myriad of products including rope, textiles, canvas, oil, foods of various types, paper, etc. In America hemp was a major fiber crop from Colonial times until 1937 when the Marijuana Tax Act regulated the industry in an effort to reduce marijuana production. Restrictions were eased during World War II when the United States could no longer import abaca and jute and needed fiber for the war effort. This law was later declared unconstitutional and was replaced by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, a law still in effect today. Hemp To this day, officially, the United States government recognizes no difference between marijuana and hemp. The Canadian government began issuing licenses for growing hemp for fiber and food in 1998. Current production is worth around $100 million annually, some of it in the form of seed, not fiber. The seeds are very nutritious. Per 100 grams (about ¾ cup), they contain about 30 grams of protein, but are relatively high in fat, though mostly mono- and polyunsaturated. The seeds are also high in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and are often pressed into oil. When I saw the hulled seeds for sale at Costco, I bought a package, imported from Canada and marketed under the name Hemp Hearts. Though this product has a deliciously mild, nutty flavor, especially when toasted, I will proceed with caution so as not to wreck my diet. What is bizarre about the many hemp products for sale in the United States, be it cigarette paper, writing paper, textiles and food products is that it’s perfectly legal to sell them here, but it’s not legal to grow hemp here. It seems senseless to let other countries reap all the benefits of this new-but-old crop. China is the world’s largest producer. All in all thirty plus countries now produce hemp, including most of Western Europe. In the United States some states have already investigated the economic benefits of growing hemp. Nine states have now legalized hemp. Individual growers are forging ahead in states like Colorado where hemp has been legalized despite the fact that they won’t be able to insure their crop. A report by the United States Department of Agriculture issued in 2000 entitled Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential concluded that long term demand for products made of hemp is “thin” and “small” and likely to remain so. That was 13 years ago. Perhaps it’s time to take another look! Please note the use of the term “industrial hemp,” to create a bit more distance between this crop and its intoxicating sister. So what is the essential difference between Marijuana and hemp? What we have here are basically thousands of years of human selection of cultivars most suitable to hemp production on the one hand and cultivars most suitable as intoxicants on the other. So we have a situation where the hemp cultivars generally have extremely low quantities of THC (Tetrahydrocannabiniol, the active substance in Marijuana) mostly around 3/10 % or definitely less than 1%, along with qualities that make it a better fiber crop. Since the 1930’s there has been deliberate breeding to produce varieties low in THC. Researchers tell us that the practical uses of this plant came first and the intoxicating qualities were discovered much later in human history. Because of its status as an illegal drug, the selection and breeding process for the plant’s intoxicating qualities has taken place underground and has emphasized increasing the levels of THC. For a sense for how skillful these breeders were, you might be interested in reading the chapter on Cannabis in Michael Pollan’s book, The Botany of Desire. As a result, we now have a plant with extremely high THC levels, typically 3 to 20 %. That’s the difference in a nutshell. That and the fact that the plants that intoxicate are generally a little bushier and not quite as tall. Otherwise these cultivars look quite similar. So, the long and short of it is that you really can’t be sure which plant you have unless you have a laboratory analysis done.

Kenaf, Hemp and Marijuana

Paula Szilard

Back in the spring of 2007 I ordered what I thought were hibiscus seeds from a major seed house. I started them early and transferred them to several patio containers. I shared them with my friend Nancy Styler. As I recall, they grew to be about 6 ft high and had the most gorgeous dark pink flowers, typical of hibiscus. The foliage, though, was very unlike that of hibiscuses. The leaves were palmately lobed, deeply cut, strongly serrated and they looked suspicious. In fact, before they bloomed, I wondered what I had gotten us into. Nancy especially took a lot of razzing, notably from DBG staff visiting her garden.

Leaves aside, what we had was not marijuana. Anyway, whoever heard of marijuana with such pretty flowers? What we had was Kenaf, or Hibiscus cannabinus, also referred to as Indian hemp, an annual in the Malvaceae family. Kenaf has been grown as a fiber crop for thousands of years in tropical and subtropical Africa, its original home. It likely spread to
Asia by human contact and now grows wild on both continents. Used for rope and cordage, fishing nets, and sacking, it has long fibers just like hemp.

There is considerable variation in different cultivars of this plant. The flower color varies from cream, light pink or apricot to burgundy, with blossoms appearing as the days get shorter. The leaves range from heart shaped to palmate, if you will, marijuana-like.

Kenaf, Hemp and Marijuana

Paula Szilard

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus)

This case of mistaken identity brings to mind another potential identity problem, much discussed with the recent legalization of hemp and marijuana in Colorado. The proponents of hemp made a strong case that hemp is really a different plant. But is it really? Botanically it’s the same species—Cannabis sativa. Some authorities recognize hemp as a subspecies—Cannabis sativa ssp. sativa. The cannabis some of us smoke is Cannabis sativa ssp.indica.

Hemp likely originated in temperate parts of Asia. Historically, one of the most useful food and fiber plants, hemp is major fiber crop in many parts of the world. Our Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. (That’s a good thing because hemp paper is said to be more durable.) it is used to make a myriad of products including rope, textiles, canvas, oil, foods of various types, paper, etc.

In America hemp was a major fiber crop from Colonial times until 1937 when the Marijuana Tax Act regulated the industry in an effort to reduce marijuana production. Restrictions were eased during World War II when the United States could no longer import abaca and jute and needed fiber for the war effort. This law was later declared unconstitutional and was replaced by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, a law still in effect today.

Hemp

To this day, officially, the United States government recognizes no difference between marijuana and hemp. The Canadian government began issuing licenses for growing hemp for fiber and food in 1998. Current production is worth around $100 million annually, some of it in the form of seed, not fiber. The seeds are very nutritious. Per 100 grams (about ¾ cup), they contain about 30 grams of protein, but are relatively high in fat, though mostly mono- and polyunsaturated. The seeds are also high in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and are often pressed into oil. When I saw the hulled seeds for sale at Costco, I bought a package, imported from Canada and marketed under the name Hemp Hearts. Though this product has a deliciously mild, nutty flavor, especially when toasted, I will proceed with caution so as not to wreck my diet.

What is bizarre about the many hemp products for sale in the United States, be it cigarette paper, writing paper, textiles and food products is that it’s perfectly legal to sell them here, but it’s not legal to grow hemp here. It seems senseless to let other countries reap all the benefits of this new-but-old crop. China is the world’s largest producer. All in all thirty plus countries now produce hemp, including most of Western Europe.

In the United States some states have already investigated the economic benefits of growing hemp. Nine states have now legalized hemp. Individual growers are forging ahead in states like Colorado where hemp has been legalized despite the fact that they won’t be able to insure their crop. A report by the United States Department of Agriculture issued in 2000 entitled Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential concluded that long term demand for products made of hemp is “thin” and “small” and likely to remain so. That was 13 years ago. Perhaps it’s time to take another look! Please note the use of the term “industrial hemp,” to create a bit more distance between this crop and its intoxicating sister.

So what is the essential difference between Marijuana and hemp? What we have here are basically thousands of years of human selection of cultivars most suitable to hemp production on the one hand and cultivars most suitable as intoxicants on the other. So we have a situation where the hemp cultivars generally have extremely low quantities of THC (Tetrahydrocannabiniol, the active substance in Marijuana) mostly around 3/10 % or definitely less than 1%, along with qualities that make it a better fiber crop. Since the 1930’s there has been deliberate breeding to produce varieties low in THC. Researchers tell us that the practical uses of this plant came first and the intoxicating qualities were discovered much later in human history.

Because of its status as an illegal drug, the selection and breeding process for the plant’s intoxicating qualities has taken place underground and has emphasized increasing the levels of THC. For a sense for how skillful these breeders were, you might be interested in reading the chapter on Cannabis in Michael Pollan’s book, The Botany of Desire. As a result, we now have a plant with extremely high THC levels, typically 3 to 20 %. That’s the difference in a nutshell. That and the fact that the plants that intoxicate are generally a little bushier and not quite as tall. Otherwise these cultivars look quite similar. So, the long and short of it is that you really can’t be sure which plant you have unless you have a laboratory analysis done.

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus)

Hemp