Indian-hemp

Apocynum cannabinum

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in forests, woodlands, roadsides, pastures. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

55

Strong

Native to Louisiana (estimated). 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

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Apocynum cannabinum — bloom photograph — (c) rboles, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

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

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Recorded in 37 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 2

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

9CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · 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
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Pygarctia abdominalisYellow-Edged Pygarctia
Saucrobotys futilalisDogbane Saucrobotys

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

18BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Apocynum

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

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” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (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” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (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

Louisiana rank	SNR
Global rank	G5
LA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources