States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaFloridaVirginia
Menu

Indian-hemp

Apocynum cannabinum

Found in forests, woodlands, roadsides, pastures. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

56
Strong

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
2–5 feet
Spread
1.5–2.5 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 2 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 25 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
May to July
Fruiting season
September to October

Recorded in 25 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Apocynum

  • Acronicta noctivagaNight-Wandering Dagger, Burglar Dagger
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
  • Cycnia teneraDelicate Cycnia, Dogbane Tiger Moth
  • Ostrinia penitalisAmerican Lotus Borer, Lily Moth
  • Papaipema baptisiaeWild Indigo Borer, Indigo Stem Borer
  • Pygarctia abdominalisYellow-Edged Pygarctia
  • Saucrobotys futilalisDogbane Saucrobotys
  • Spargaloma sexpunctataSix-Spotted Gray
  • Trichordestra legitimaStriped Garden Caterpillar Moth
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
18BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Beetles 1
  • Trichius piger

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Flies 10
  • Archytas analis
  • Bombylius atriceps
  • Cistogaster occidua
  • Limnophora narona
  • Phormia regina
  • Sciara atrata
  • Spallanzania hesperidarum
  • Sphaerophoria cylindrica
  • Trichophora ruficauda
  • Tropidia quadrata

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Adult butterflies / moths 2
  • Argynnis cybele
  • Thecla calanus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other wasps 6
  • Astatus unicolor
  • Bicyrtes ventralis
  • Isodontia apicalis
  • Priononyx atrata
  • Priononyx thomae
  • Sphex vulgaris

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other insects 2
  • Lygaeus turcicus
  • Lygus pratensis

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Apocynaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–11b
Flower color
Green, pink or white
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “May to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Green, pink or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 3a–11b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “2–5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs)
  • Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs)
  • Spread · “1.5–2.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as

Hemp Dogbane; Indian Hemp

Conservation status

Florida rankS3S4
Global rankG5
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

Sources