WHAT IS CANNABIS SATIVA?

The industrial hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, should not be confused with the marijuana plant, which is its cousin. The appearance, planting patterns, and uses of the two plants are quite different.

Cannabis sativa is an annual belonging to the nettle family. It grows from 5 to 15 feet in height with rich dark-green leaves composed of 5 to 9 serrated, narrow, tapering leaflets that are pointed at the end and measure 2 to 5 inches in length and approximately one-sixth as wide. Hemp is tall, thin plant with most of its leaves concentrated at the top. The plants are planted only inches apart: 900 plants to the square yard. The staminate, or pollen-bearing flowers, and the pistillate or seed-producing flowers are on separate plants.
In contrast to the commercial hemp plant, the marijuana plant is quite dense, leafier, shorter, bushier, and is planted yards apart.

Cannabis sativa will grow almost anywhere, requires little fertilizer, resists pests and crowds out weeds, therefore it is a crop that is relatively easy to grow and does well as an organic crop. The plant grows quickly, requiring only 70 to 110 days to maturity. Due to this fact, industrial hemp is an abundant supplier of its extremely valuable raw materials.