Hemp

Hemp (Cannabis sativa), tall herbaceous plant of the mulberry family native to Asia but now widely cultivated for fiber, oil, and a narcotic drug called cannabis, hashish, or marijuana. The fibers are used in the manufacture of rope. They are separated from the rest of the plant by a process called retting (soaking), during which bacteria and fungi rot away all but the fibers, which are then combed out. Hemp oil obtained from the seed is used in the manufacture of paints, varnishes, and soaps.