Indian-hemp

Apocynum cannabinum

Native to South Carolina (estimated)

Apocynum cannabinum — foliage photograph — (c) Tom Scavo, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph · iNaturalist medium image; no additional crop, retouching, or re-encoding.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

13CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · Apocynum

Acronicta noctivagaNight-Wandering Dagger, Burglar Dagger
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
Cycnia oregonensisOregon Cycnia
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
Pyrrhia exprimensPurple-Lined Sallow, Purple-Lined Sun Moth

Show all 13

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

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: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to August” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide · Nursery cultural guide; height in flower; moisture categories retained as printed
Flower color · “Green, pink or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
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
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
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “1.5–2.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Hemp Dogbane; Indian Hemp; Indian hemp

Conservation status

South Carolina rank	Not available
Global rank	G5
SC status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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