People all over the world are increasingly consuming marijuana for both recreational as well as medicinal purposes. However, you will be surprised by the number of plants that look like marijuana. An experienced gardener knows what plants look like while growing or fully grown.
When it comes to beginners, it is easy to get confused between a real cannabis plant and various herbs that look like weed. Certain marijuana-lookalike plants can land you in trouble, especially if you have nosy neighbors.
In this blog, we will take a look at some popular plants that look like weed. Take a look at them properly so that you don’t confuse them in the future.
1. Coral Plant (jatropha multifida)
Similar to its Latin name, the coral plant looks exotic and attractive. Although it originated in the Caribbean and Mexico, you can find it worldwide. With expansive, fan-like leaves, the presence of 7 leaf plants gives a beautiful, masquerade-type look to the coral.
Butterflies are attracted to this plant but do not try to smoke it like cannabis because it is poisonous to humans. It appears as a weed-looking plant before flowering, but afterward, its bright blooms and milky latex provide it with a different appearance.
2. Cranberry Hibiscus (hibiscus acetosella)
Being a member of the attractive hibiscus family, this plant is often found in warmer climates. A perennial shrub, the plant has pinkish blooms with burgundy throats and edible leaves, both cooked or raw.
A colorblind person can mistake the cranberry hibiscus for hemp look alikes because its red leaves clearly tell otherwise. Nature lovers adore this plant and its leaves have a lemony, tart flavor.
3. Cassava (manihot escuelenta)
A tropical root plant featuring tall, slim stems, many people joke about the cassava as a weed-looking plant. Even though this plant is tropical, its palmate leaves are what resemble the marijuana plant.
Apart from the growth process, the toothed edges of cannabis leaves differentiate cassava from the marijuana plant.
4. Japanese Maple (acer palmatum)
Another common name among the plants like weed is the Japanese maple. You will find different varieties and different leaf shapes, styles, and colors depending on their growth and cultivation.
Commonly found in central China, Japan, Korea, etc., the plant has green leaves and looks like the marijuana plant when it is in the growing stage. Its dark green leaves have an identical shape to marijuana, appearing as thin 7-leaf plants.
5. Kenaf (hibiscus cannabinus)
Kenaf is another one of those plants that look like hemp, especially industrial hemp. As opposed to compact, bushy cannabis strains, industrial hemp has lanky, tall stems used to make rope, paper, bioplastics, etc.
Kenaf looks and serves almost identical purposes to hemp. The long plant is mainly grown in Thailand, India, and South Africa. Its fiber is used for clothing, paper, animal bedding, insulation products, edible oils, etc. Both industrial cannabis and kenaf are narrow, tall, and have woody stems.
6. Okra (abelmoschus esculentus)
Belonging to the vegetable family, Okra features a leaf form that appears similar to weed, but their tips are not that pointed, and leaves are broader. Unlike marijuana, Okra does not have serrated lead edges. People confuse it as a weed-looking plant because of its similar flowers and buds.
The plant generally grows in tropical climates of Asia or Africa, and being nutrient-rich, it is used in a variety of dishes.
7. Sunn Hemp (crotalaria juncea)
Sunn hemp features bushy leaves, tall, lanky stems, serrated leaf edges, and buds that resemble industrial cannabis. The difference between both plants is that Sunn hemp has a rectangular, grooved stem with widely spaced leaves.
Also known as Indian or madras hemp, Sunn hemp’s fibers have a lot of utility in the Indian textile industry. Among industrial hemp look-alikes, this plant is also used as biofuel.
8. Mint (mentha piperita)
While the mint plant is young, its pointed and serrated leaves look just like a weed plant. When the plant blooms in the spring, it gets pellet-like white flowers and hairy stems that distinguish it from marijuana.
Another reason behind the misunderstanding is the mint’s smell, as some varieties have a similar scent to cannabis plants.
Wrapping Up
So, these were some of the most common plants that look like weed and share several visual features with it. If you live around nosy neighbors, you can grow some of these plants to camouflage your cannabis plants in your garden.
If you prefer a small or medium plant, you can go for the coral bush or Japanese maple. To cover bigger sativa crops, you can consider the tall, lanky Kenaf plants. There are several plants that look like hemp around the world, and we read about just some of them.
FAQ: Look Like Weed
A: Some common plants that look like weed include dandelions, thistles, goldenrod, and crabgrass.
A: The best way to tell the difference between a weed and a non-weed plant is to look for the characteristics of each plant. Weeds typically have shallow, fibrous roots and a rapid growth rate, while non-weed plants will have deeper, more sturdy roots and a slower growth rate. Additionally, weeds usually have more leaves per stem and have a more spread-out appearance.
A: Identifying a weed just by looking at it can be difficult and unreliable. It is best to take a close look at the characteristics of the plant, such as its root system and growth rate, to determine if it is a weed or not.
