Industrial Hemp Plant Description

Plant Description

Industrial hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa L. This annual herbaceous plant with a slender stem, ranging in height from four to fifteen feet and a stem diameter from 1/4" to 3/4". Hemp is a member the mulberry family. The innermost layer is the pith, surrounded by woody material known as Hurd. Outside of this layer is the growing tissue which develops into hurd on the inside and into the bast fibers on the outside. The stem is more or less branched, depending on how densely the crop is planted. When sown thickly the stems do not branch. The leaves are of a palmate type and each leaf has seven to eleven leaflets with serrated edges.

 

The strong taproot penetrates deeply into the soil. However, if the soil conditions are unfavorable, the main root remains short, and lateral roots become more developed.

 

 

Industrial hemp flower types are described as monoecious and dioecious. Monoecious plants have the male and female flowers on the same plant. (e.g. USO14). There should be only a small amount of male flower on the bottom of the flower head.

Dioecious plants have male and female flowers on separate plants. (e.g. Finola) After pollinating, the male plants die.

A third type of cultivar, known as Female Predominant, is a dioecious type (e.g. Alyssa) that has 85%-90% female plants. Hemp produces many different ratios of intersexual plant types that can increase roguing requirements.

Pictures of Monoecious and Male Flowers:

 

 

 

 

 

Presently in Canada, the grain industry is driving the development of the hemp crop. The basic hemp seed product is the shelled seed, sometimes referred to as the "hemp seed nut." The other major hemp food products are hemp seed nut butter, which resembles peanut and other nut butters, and cold-pressed hemp seed oil and hemp seed flour. These basic products can be consumed alone or used with or instead of other grains, seeds, nuts, and oils in any appropriate recipe.

Pressed Hemp seeds are approximately 30 to 35% oil by weight. The seed cake is about 25% protein. The hemp seeds also have marketable protein and fiber profiles that add to its overall profitability. Hemp seed contains oil that is of interest for its nutritive properties, including a favorable balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and relatively high contents of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and antioxidants. Hempseed oil is also being used in various cosmetic products and could potentially be used in industrial applications such as inks, paints, and fuel. Hempseed meal has recently found a use in the brewing of specialty hemp beers.

Hemp oils are also gaining favor in health care market because the oils significant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids that make it ideal for body lotions and moisturizers.

Industrial hemp is a new crop to Canada that lends itself to the agriculture industry by being rural based and has the potential for total crop utilization for grain and fibre processing. The fibre because of its bulky nature and cost of transportation lends itself to developing processing and value added industries, which in turn will enhance the development of rural infrastructure