Tall fast-growing annual with palmate leaves and slender stems grown for bast fibre, hempseed oil, hempseed food, and CBD. Industrial cultivars are bred to contain less than 0.3% THC and are regulated separately from drug cultivars.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 4–11 | −34.4 °C to 10 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| RHS hardiness rating | H6 | −20 °C to −15 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 4–8 | −29 °C to −1 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–7 | −15 °C and warmer | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
As a tender annual, Industrial hemp doesn't overwinter — the zone range shows where the growing season supports it. See the RHS rating for its actual cold tolerance.
Growing notes
- Bast fibre extracted from the stem produces some of the strongest natural plant fibres known — used for canvas, rope, paper and increasingly for hempcrete construction
- WARNING: Legal status varies sharply by jurisdiction — industrial hemp under 0.3% THC is now permitted in many countries under licence, but cultivation usually requires registration, seed certification and inspection. Drug cultivars remain restricted or illegal in most jurisdictions. Always check national and local law before sowing
- Outcompetes almost all weeds — historically a “cleaning” rotation crop on farmland
- Edible hempseed (whole or hulled hearts) and cold-pressed hempseed oil from industrial cultivars are legal foods in most markets
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Industrial hemp against your zones