The hemp plant is one of mother nature’s works of art. It has a wide range of uses that throughout history has been an essential part of countless cultures. Whether you are considering starting your own CBD business, becoming a hemp farmer, or simply enjoying its benefits, learning more about the hemp plant is a great way to obtain the knowledge you need.
Hemp and cannabis are the same species of plant but classified differently. The main difference between the two is the percentage of THC. Hemp is legally defined as a cannabis plant that contains 0.3% THC or less, while cannabis that contains more than 0.3% THC is classified as marijuana. Since Naturally Restored CBD products are made from hemp, our discussion below will focus on this side of cannabis.
Cannabis Plant Anatomy
Hemp/cannabis begins as a simple seed and grows into a plant with more than 25,000 uses. The following is a brief anatomical overview of the plant that makes beneficial CBD products like ours possible.
Cannabis Strains
Sativa and Indica make up the cannabis plant’s two most common strains.
Sativa strain plants have thick, long light-colored leaves and orange- or red-colored buds that are wispy and long. These strains of hemp are bred for their extremely low THC levels.
Isolate CBD oil extracted from the sativa hemp goes through a THC removal process. This gives you a pure CBD product. There is also an abundant amount of Vitamin A, C, E, D, and K in sativa hemp.
Sativa medicinal strains assist with:
- Reducing anxiety
- Reducing depression
- Stimulating appetite
- Providing pain relief
- Increasing focus and creativity
Indica plant strains have broad, deep-colored, wide leaves. Their buds are bunched together and are purple in color.
Indica medicinal strains assist with:
- Relaxing the muscles
- Improving sleep patterns and REM frequency
- Reducing stress
- Reducing nausea
- Improving the mood
Sativa
Indica
Cannabis Plant Gender Differences
Female and male hemp plants share similar characteristics with only a couple of differences in their flowers and stalks. Although both are tall with large fan leaves, the female plant has a dense resin-covered elongated cola that generates seeds, while the male plant contains pollen covered flowers that are loosely held on the stalk.
The female plant has a more rigid fibrous stalk that is used in industrial applications such as manufacturing rope, paper, and insulation. The more resilient and flexible stalk of the male however is preferred for making cloth towels and bedsheets due to its softer feel.
CBD Hemp Plants
With the growing popularity of CBD, the hemp plant has made a prominent comeback in recent years. CBD, or cannabidiol, lacks psychoactive effects and has been used successfully for:
- Anti-nausea
- Pain relief
- Anti-anxiety
- Anti-inflammatory
- Seizure reduction
Hemp plants grown specifically for CBD are honored for their high CBD content. The female plant is preferred for CBD farming to avoid cross male plant pollination. Male plants are not desired in the field as pollination of the female plants will lead to seed production which substantially decreases the cannabinoid content of the plant.
A mature female CBD hemp plant can reach a height of 16 feet and is usually ready to harvest in September to early October. Hemp plants grown for CBD are typically machine harvested by large tractors that resemble corn combines. After naturally drying, hemp is further dried in an industrial rotary dryer.
The Hemp Plant Used for Making CBD Hemp Extract
After the hemp plant is harvested, CBD oil can be extracted from different parts of the plant. Full-spectrum CBD hemp oil is produced through extracting CBD and other naturally occurring nutrients from the entire hemp plant including:
- Fatty acids
- Terpenes
- Flavonoids
- Antioxidants
- Cannabinoids
These components work synergistically together to support well-being.
The Swiss Army Knives of Plants
Other types of hemp products only use specific parts of the plant. For instance, seeds have an excellent nutritional value yet can be burned as a clean-burning fuel. The Stalks are used to make a variety of goods from rope and paper to clothing and linen. In addition to CBD production, leaves are steam distilled for the production of hemp essential oils which are of the most expensive oils in the world. Lastly, the root system of hemp has powerful antioxidant properties and can help rid the body of harmful toxins.