Industrial hemp is an incredibly useful plant, one said to have literally tens of thousands of applications.
Industrial hemp and marijuana are both types of cannabis that are very closely related, but there are some major differences between the plants and how they are generally grown.
Industrial hemp farmers tend to aim to grow the plants up, not out as is the case with medicinal cannabis – and the taller, the better when grown for fiber. This is because some of the great value of industrial hemp in fibre based applications is primarily in its stalk. Industrial hemp is also grown at quite high density.
Another very important difference is industrial hemp has very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an intoxicating compound present in much higher quantities in marijuana. Industrial hemp, legally speaking, generally has less than 1% of THC (the maximum legal level varies between jurisdiction) where plants grown as marijuana produce between 5 – 20 % THC.
Industrial hemp can grow to 5 metres high, with very long fibers. The stem is comprised of the outer “bark” or bast, sought after for textiles; and the inner material callled hurd, which is used for other applications. Another very valuable component of industrial hemp is the seed, which is technically a nut.
Industrial hemp is a very hardy plant, able to be be grown in areas where other crops will fail. It can withstand periods of drought, heat and frost and also be cultivated without pesticides or other chemicals in many instances – however, it can be subject to attack by insect pests. It doesn’t have huge water requirements or a great need for ongoing care. The plant grows quite quickly, achieving heights of 4 metres in four months.
The plant is easy to work with and can be readily transformed into an amazing array of products and used in a multitudes of applications, including:
stock fodder
animal bedding
garden mulch
ropes and cordage
fibreboard
insulation
plastics
a form of concrete (hempcrete)
clothing and textiles
paper
restoring fields depleted of nutrients
cleaning up toxins in contaminated soils
food for human consumption
cooking oil
biofuel
medicines – particularly cannabidiol
cosmetics and skin care
water filters
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