[Bishop_Malachi]

I’m far from an expert on Cannabis, but just how similar (taxonomy wise) are the two plants?

[Pearls Before Swine]

They are different strains of the same plant.

[BBQToadRibs]

To the untrained eye, near identical. The industrial hemp though has a bigger beefier stalk for better fiber output.

[Vermont Lt]

Similar, but you would be able to tell because the buds are only on females. You would not see male plants in a field of cannabis like that. And I cannot imagine growing a field of female plants outdoors—they would become rag-weed with the first good wind storm.

[captain_dave]

Hemp and Marijuana are the same plant, Cannabis Sativa, but are different varieties. What is called Hemp is bred for high levels of CBD and for its fibers while Marijuana is bred for high levels of THC. It seems that with Cannabis Sativa when it’s bred for THC it produces low levels of CBD, and vice versa.

[Boogieman]

Same species, just a different breed. Pretty much indistinguishable unless you try to smoke it or you are a botanist.

[Vigilanteman]

Very close. Industrial hemp, is a strain of the Cannabis sativa plant species. It was critical in the making of not only rope by industrial fiber such as sail cloth.

In addition, it was far more hardy than cotton. More on that here.

[Red Badger]

Visually almost identical................

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

I’m far from an expert on Cannabis, but just how similar (taxonomy wise) are the two plants?

One is cannanis sativa. The other, known as hemp, is cannabis indiga.

Most believe that sativa is the only one able to get you high.

Most have also heard of, and/or smelled so-called 'skunk weed.' That's cannabis indiga. There are strains that have as much if not more THC than sativa.

So, when someone says you can't get high off hemp, they don't know what they're talking about.

[cuban leaf]

Almost identical. In fact, given time, one can convert to the other. One has a lot of CBD. The other has a lot of THC.

In fact, if THC is higher than .3% it’s considered marijuana. It’s kinda like if “non-alcoholic beer” has more than .5% alcohol, it is considered beer.

One of the guys here had his hemp plants tested and they came in at .6% THC. Technically, he could have been busted for growing marijuana. But to put it in perspective, it’s like having beer with a gravity of around .09%.

BTW, they have to constantly check on the plants to make sure they have no males. Male plants are worthless other than as a source of fiber, which actually is abnormally tough stuff.

[RedMonqey]

"I’m far from an expert on Cannabis, but just how similar (taxonomy wise) are the two plants?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS63sK0cIfo

[catnipman]

“I’m far from an expert on Cannabis, but just how similar (taxonomy wise) are the two plants?”

identical until you get down to strains, which generally are not included in the official hemp taxonomy ...