Fun Facts & Curiosities
A closer look at the plant itself, a handful of surprising facts, and a few popular stories about hemp history worth setting straight.
Inside the plant
Every part of the plant has a purpose. Tap a point to discover it.
Flower
Where the seeds begin.
Eight things worth knowing
At the Ellora Caves in India, sixth-century murals have survived roughly 1,500 years thanks to a plaster mixed with hemp fibre.
In 1533, England's Henry VIII passed a law requiring landowners to grow hemp — with fines for those who refused.
The word "canvas" comes directly from the Latin word for hemp — cannabis.
BMW has used natural-fibre panels, including hemp, in some of its car models since the early 1990s.
Chinese court official Cai Lun is traditionally credited with refining papermaking around 105 CE, using a pulp that included hemp waste.
Hemp is one of the fastest-growing field crops — reaching harvest-ready height in around 100 days.
Archaeologists have recovered paper fragments containing hemp fibre dating back to the 2nd century BCE — among the oldest paper ever found.
France grows more hemp than any other country in Europe, producing well over half of all hemp fibre harvested across the EU.
Myth & truth
A few popular stories about hemp history are more legend than fact. Tap each card to flip it.