Apocynaceae

Apocynum cannabinum

Indian Hemp

Stems stout, upright, branched at top. Milky sap. Leaves clasping stem or nearly so, 2–3 in. long, yellowish green, ascending, opposite, elliptical to egg-shaped, with pointed tips. Flowers in short-stalked clusters along stem, bell-shaped, greenish or white. Grows in moist places that do not dry out, near streams, springs, among agricultural crops, at low to mid-elevations. Used as an important source of fiber by Native Americans.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 12--36 inches
• Habitat: Coastal, Meadow, West-Side Forest, Disturbed, Shrub-Steppe
• Found In: West Gorge, East Gorge, Siskiyous
• Native: Yes