Bhang / Indian Hemp भांग

Ecology & growing context

Native status · Kew WCVP

WCVP records it as introduced in Andaman Is., Assam, India, Nicobar Is., West Himalaya Kew dataset ↗︎

Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: C. Asia to Xinjiang and Pakistan.

Explore nearby plants

Uttarakhand →Uttar Pradesh →Himachal Pradesh →

Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.

Plant Details

Scientific name

Cannabis sativa

Genus

Cannabis

Family

Cannabaceae

Habit

Undershrub

Native to

Central Asia

Distribution

Central Asia to Tropics of the World

Found in India

Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Sikkim, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Jharkhand

Flowering & fruiting

November-April

Conservation status

Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Type

Compound

Margin

Lobed

Typical of the Cannabaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower symmetry

Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)

Inflorescence

Panicle

Fruit

Drupe

Typical of the Cannabaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.

Bhang in India

This plant, known as भांग Bhang (Hindi), Alatam (Tamil), Bangiaaku (Telugu), ಭಂಗಿ Bhangi (Kannada), Cherukanchava (Malayalam), भांग Bhang (Marathi), has a long history in the subcontinent, from fibre and seed oil to its regulated recreational and religious use. Cannabis sativa is found across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, Haryana, both cultivated and growing wild.

Uses

Its fibre has traditionally been used for rope and coarse cloth, and its seeds are pressed for oil; in some Indian states, bhang (made from the leaves) is legally sold and consumed in food and drink during festivals like Holi and Shivratri, though cultivation, sale and possession are otherwise tightly regulated and vary by state — check local law before assuming any use is legal.

How to Identify Bhang

An annual herb with a distinctive palmately compound leaf — several narrow, serrated leaflets radiating from a single point, like fingers from a palm. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, small and inconspicuous, with female plants developing the dense, resinous flower clusters the plant is best known for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Indian Hemp called in different Indian languages?

भांग Bhang (Hindi); Alatam (Tamil); Bangiaaku (Telugu); ಭಂಗಿ Bhangi (Kannada); Cherukanchava (Malayalam); भांग Bhang (Marathi); গাঁজা (Bengali).

Is bhang legal in India?

Its legal status is complex and varies by state — bhang (leaf preparations) is permitted and sold in some states under regulation, especially around festivals, while cultivation, resin and flower use are far more tightly restricted under central law; always check current local regulations.

What's the difference between bhang, ganja and charas?

All three come from Cannabis sativa: bhang is made from the leaves, ganja from the dried flowering tops, and charas from the resin — they differ in the plant part used and potency, not the species.

Common plant problems

If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.

• Overwatering & Root Rot
• Houseplant Pests
• Leaf Spot on Plants
• Powdery Mildew on Plants