Growing Hemp Lime Hempcrete
Hemp + Lime : a guide
Industrial hemp utilizes the cannabis sativa variety, which is the variation we will refer to when speaking about hempcrete. Cannabis sativa should be the predominant plant type chosen for use in hempcrete production for several reasons. Cannabis ruderalis only occurs naturally in a small portion of the world and has proven ineffective for industrial hemp production.53 Cannabis indica is confined to the psychoactive form of cannabis; the term “marijuana” refers to cannabis indica, as well as the psychoactive form of the sativa plant. Indica and sativa are part of the same Cannabaceae family and share many characteristics. In fact, these similarities were used to support the criminalization of the cannabis plant as a whole in the United States. Despite legislative setbacks, cannabis sativa is the most viable plant for building materials: its potential to grow tall and sturdy stalks yields a strong woody core. When dried and processed, it mixes well with lime and water to produce hempcrete
Industrial Hemp
Cannabis, one of almost 200 species in the Cannabaceae family, has many names.52 Cannabis is divided into three subspecies: cannabis ruderalis, cannabis indica, and cannabis sativa. Globally, indica and sativa are the most commonly grown variations of the cannabis plant, while cannabis ruderalis is a variation found predominantly in Eastern Europe and Russia. The three major types of cannabis possess varying properties and physical characteristics. Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist born in the early 1700s, developed taxonomy—the science of identifying, naming, and classifying organisms—still used today. Cannabis sativa L. is the formal notation for this species, where the “L” references Linnaeus’ classification. Over time, there has been significant cross-breeding of the three cannabis variations resulting in a wide range of seed types. While pure seed variations of indica, sativa, and ruderalis still exist, many seed types used in current agricultural practices share characteristics with the three plant species.
Introduction
Hemp and Its Uses
Varieties of Hemp
Products & Production
Sativa
Narcotic
Non-Psychoactive Oilseed Moderate density dual purpose Low density
Fiber Fig 2.1 A leaf of Cannabis Sativa grows in the McEnroe Farm, located in Millerton, New York
High density
Diagram 2.1 Varieties of Hemp 44
45
References
Moderate density early maturing
Ruderalis
Case Studies
Psychoactive
Construction
Indica