Regional Varieties

Northern Hemp

The Northern Hemp variety, also known as C. borealis, are mostly grown north of 60° north latitude. It can adjust to harsh cold weather and very short summers. This group of hemp varieties was first grown in Finland and colder parts of Russia.

The Northern Hemp has a very short stalk. It rarely exceeds 1.5 m (5 feet) in height. It mates much sooner than some of the varieties. The varieties in this group are one of the earliest to be farmed for profit. However, it contributes very little to today’s hemp industry. Northern Hemp is mostly cultivated for its fiber or oil.

Central Russian Hemp

The Central Russian Hemp, also known as C. medioruthenica, mostly comprises the hemp varieties across Europe and Asia. It is commonly found between 50° and 60° north latitude. Farms in Russia, Poland, and Ukraine grow varieties from this group. Moreover, Scandinavian countries and northern Germany developed their cultivars from the Central Russian Hemp varieties. Modern cultivation of hemp in the European region, central Asiatic regions of Russia, northern Germany, and Poland belong to this group.

The Central Russian Hemp flourishes in climates with short vegetation periods, longs days, and high precipitation. It requires 90-110 days for the seed to mature. It is around 1.2 m – 2.7 m (4 feet – 9 feet) in height. Varieties in this group have lightly branching stalk with an average of 5-9 leaflets. It produces a large number of seeds but not suitable for fiber production.

Southern or Mediterranean Hemp

The Southern or Mediterranean Hemp, also known as C. australis, is found throughout central, southeastern, and southern Europe. Most valuable, modern species are from this group. The Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Hungarian, and Russian varieties belong to this type of hemp. It is often cultivated below the 50° northern latitude because the seeds do not ripen in the colder climate up north.

The Southern or Mediterranean Hemp group has the longest stalks at around 2.4 m – 4.6 m (8 feet – 15 feet) which branches out if the plant is free standing. It has large leaves with nine to eleven leaflets. The seeds require 130-150 days for the seed to mature. It yields a large amount of fiber but produces lower seed production than the Central Russian types.

Asiatic Hemp

The Asiatic Hemp, also known as C. asiatica, are varieties grown in most of China, Japan, Thailand, and Korea. Hemp varieties in this group spread throughout Asia due to its ability to grow in mostly wet or mountainous lands of Asia.

The Asiatic Hemp develops shorter stalks which is around 2.4 m – 3 m (8 feet – 10 feet). It has several short stalk segments and branches out more than the other varieties. The bright, pastel-green leaves are commonly large with nine to thirteen leaflets. Average vegetation period is between 150 – 170 days. Development and cultivation of the Asiatic Hemp are conducted in the continent as most have little economic value in Europe.

Wild Hemp

Wild Hemp, also known as C. spontanea, are subspecies found in most central Asian regions and the Volga and Ural Russian regions. Some varieties are also found in Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey, and Romania.

As the name implies, Wild Hemp varieties are not commonly cultivated. Wild Hemp interbreeds easily with the cultivated types which degrade the biological makeup of the latter. Its stalks are commonly less than a meter (3 feet) in height. It has an unusually large number of branches.

Other Regional Varieties

Hemp is quite a common word that it is used to refer to fibrous plants other than Cannabis sativa. However, these other plant types should not be confused with the species related to cannabis. Species such as Canada hemp (Apocynum cannabinum), Indian hemp (Corchorus capsularis), Manila hemp (Musa textilis), Mauritius hemp (Furcraea foetida), and New Zealand hemp (Phormium tenaz) are also known as “hemp” in their respective localities. However, they are unrelated to cannabis.

Varieties and Cultivars for Different Purposes

Fibre

The Northern Hemp and Mediterranean Hemp varieties, which are popular across Europe, are known to be good sources of fiber. Hemp fiber is a big part of the hemp economy in different parts of Europe. The two varieties adapt well to the different climates of the continent.

Polish Cultivars, such as Bialobrzeskie and Beniko, were developed by the The National Institute of Natural Fibers yield high fiber amounts. Most are used in different products such as cordage, military fabric, yarns, and fiber boards.

Moreover, the current French cultivars derived from Fibirimon were bred for their high-fiber content. Fibirimon is also used by other countries to develop their own cultivars for fiber production.

Yunma 7 which is grown along with the other cultivars in different areas of China contains high-quality fiber. China is considered as the hemp powerhouse and one of its main exports is fiber.

Seeds

Chinese cultivars are known to produce a high amount of seeds. Their Yunma cultivars) (Yunma 1 to Yunma 5) are farmed in different parts of China for seed production.

French hemp varieties are known to produce high amounts of seeds. This makes the country the leading source of hemp seed which reaches up to 59% of the global demand.

Oils

Hempseed oils are typically abundant in cultivars found in Eastern European areas and France. Moreover, Austria is one of the leading producers of oils next to France in Europe due to their research in cultivars growing locally.

Paper

Cultivars bred and distributed by Fédération Nationale des Producteurs de Chanvre are mainly grown for their pulp which can be used for specialty papers and boards. France is the leading producer of hemp pulp and paper in Europe which are the leading hemp product demands in the region.

Textile

Cultivars from Serbia such as the hybrids Kompolti Hybrid TC and Uniko B.

Yugoslavia is also replacing foreign cultivars with domestics ones which allow larger seed production for planting. Currently, the only registered domestic cultivar is Novosadska konoplja

Building Material

Hemp core, also known as “shiv”, is an abundant source of silica which binds well with lime. This unique component of certain varieties in the UK. Moreover, Great Britain is known to produce high hemp hurds from their varieties which are viable ingredients of some wall insulators.

The United States is also getting in on the new bio-concrete, aptly known as HempCrete. It is still illegal to grow hemp in the United States. So, raw materials for HempCrete are typically sourced from popular cultivars in Canada. Finola, CFX-2, and X-59 are just some of the popular cultivars in Canada.

Cultivars from the former USSR used for the creation of steel cable cores, ropes, and cordage.

Plastics

Hemp is now becoming a good source of bioplastics. Recent studies, mostly in Australia, are beginning to consider hemp as a natural source of plastic materials. Cultivars growing in the country are good sources of cellulose which can be used to create biodegradable plastic. Hemp varieties in Australia are good sources of hemp hurds which can be 85% cellulose. This makes it a big source of the raw material. Companies like ZEO are able to create 100% eco-friendly plastic materials from the varieties of hemp in the area.

Medical

Unlike marijuana, which is used in medicine for its high THC content, hemp is used in medicine using its oils and seeds. Eastern European cultivars which produce a high amount of hempseed oils are good sources of medicinal nutrients. Hempseed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acid which helps prevent heart diseases.

The Yunma cultivars in China and Fibrimon cultivars in France yield a high amount of seeds. Hemp seeds contain high levels of vitamin A, C, and E. Other minerals such as potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium can be sourced from hemp seeds as well.

Food

In recent years, Australia and New Zealand have legalized the use of hemp seed into foods. Varieties in both countries have been grown in decades as industrial products. However, recent studies have proven that the seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals. It is now considered as a superfood and is set to energize the hemp industry in Australia and New Zealand.

Yugoslavia’s Novosadska konoplja is also used by some farmers for birdseed production.  

Final Thoughts

It is necessary to determine hemp varieties to appropriately choose the correct cultivar. Choosing the right variety should be based on your region and climate. Moreover, consider what kind of raw materials are strongest in the economy such as seeds, oils, fiber, etc. Consult the local seed distributor for more information.

Sources

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