Indian hemp
(Apocynum cannabinum)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | not listed |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Wetland Indicator Status |
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| Great Plains | FAC - Facultative |
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| Midwest | FAC - Facultative |
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| Northcentral & Northeast | FAC - Facultative |
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Description |
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Indian hemp is a 2′ to 5′ tall, erect, perennial forb rising on a single stem from a taproot and long rhizomes. It often forms colonies. The stems and leaves contain a milky juice. The stems are erect, reddish-brown, branching above the middle, and often covered with a whitish, waxy bloom. The lower stem is hairless, the upper stem hairy. Leaves are opposite, untoothed, and egg-shaped or roughly egg-shaped but two or more times as long as wide with more or less straight sides. They are on short leaf stalks. The stalks of the main stem leaves are ⅛″ to ⅜″ long. The leaf blades are 2″ to 4⅓″ long, up to 1½″ wide, usually erect or ascending, sometimes widely spreading, with a short, sharp, abrupt point at the tip. The upper surface is hairless and dark green. The underside is pale is usually hairy. The hairiness of the leaves is variable. The inflorescence is a branched cluster with many flowers at the ends of the smaller stems. It usually does not extend beyond the leaves. The flowers are ⅛″ to ¼″ wide, fragrant, and erect on flower stalks that are just over ⅛″ long. The 5 white or greenish white petals are united at the base to form an urn-shaped cylinder with 5 lobes. The lobes are erect to spreading and do not curve backward. The fruit is a pair of 4″ to 8″ long slender seed pods. |
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Height |
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2′ to 5′ |
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Flower Color |
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White or greenish white |
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Similar Species |
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Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) is a shorter plant. The leaves droop downward. The inflorescence usually extends beyond the leaves. The flower is larger, bell-shaped, with pink vertical stripes. The corolla lobes bend backward strongly. |
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Habitat |
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Dry to moderate moisture. Prairies, roadsides, railroads, open sites. |
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Ecology |
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Flowering |
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July to August |
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Pests and Diseases |
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Dogbane saucrobotys moth (Saucrobotys futilalis) larvae create conspicuous nests by weaving together leaves. |
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Use |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 5/1/2023 | ||||
Nativity |
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Native |
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Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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| Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
| Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
| Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
| Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
| Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) | ||
| Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) | ||
| Superorder | Asteranae | ||
Order |
Gentianales (gentians, dogbanes, madders, and allies) | ||
Family |
Apocynaceae (dogbane) | ||
| Subfamily | Apocynoideae | ||
| Tribe | Apocyneae | ||
| Subtribe | Apocyinae | ||
Genus |
Apocynum (dogbanes) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Apocynum cannabinum var. angustifolium Apocynum cannabinum var. glaberrimum Apocynum cannabinum var. greeneanum Apocynum cannabinum var. hypericifolium Apocynum cannabinum var. nemorale Apocynum cannabinum var. pubescens Apocynum cannabinum var. suksdorfii Apocynum hypericifolium Apocynum pubescens Apocynum sibiricum Apocynum sibiricum var. cordigerum Apocynum sibiricum var. farwellii Apocynum sibiricum var. salignum Apocynum suksdorfii Apocynum suksdorfii var. angustifolium Apocynum suskdorfii |
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Common Names |
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American hemp bowman’s-root choctaw-root common dogbane dogbane hemp dogbane Indian hemp Indian physic Indianhemp Indianhemp dogbane Indian-hemp prairie dogbane rheumatism-weed |
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Glossary
Axil
The upper angle where the leaf stalk meets the stem.
Corolla
A collective name for all of the petals of a flower.
Rhizome
A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.
Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this plant. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Dan W. Andree |
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Blooming Dogbane Plant... |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Plant |
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Inflorescence |
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Leaves |
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Infructescence |
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Slideshows |
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| Apocynum sibiricum PRAIRIE INDIAN HEMP Frank Mayfield |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this plant. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Common Woodnymph Cercyonis pegala feeding on Apocynum cannabinum flowers Meena Haribal |
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About
Uploaded on Jun 30, 2009 In late June and July Common Woodnymph - Cercyonis pegala, is common sight in the meadows. I had never seen this species feed on any flowers, generally Satirids do not feed as adults. But I was surprised to see freshly emerged Woodnymphs nectaring from Apocynum cannabinum flowers. |
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| Soft as Silk - Strong as Steel: The living heritage of Apocynum Cannabinum OregonDOT |
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About
Uploaded on Sep 21, 2011 This video tells to story of how a partnership between state, federal and tribal organizations helped preserve the historic Apocynum Cannabinum or Dogbane plant in Oregon's Willamette Valley. |
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