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Key characteristics

Family: Datiscaceae
Height: 6-10 feet tall
Width: 3-5 feet wide
Flower color: Yellow-green, inconspicuous flowers in long, pendulous clusters
Foliage color: Deep green, pinnate leaves
Bloom time: Late summer
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Moderate to high
Maintenance: Low; minimal pruning, may need staking due to height
Growing zone: USDA Zones 5-9
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators, especially bees

Perennials

Datisca cannabina

False Hemp

Datisca cannabina, also known as false hemp, is a tall perennial that produces feathery clusters of yellow-green flowers in late summer, adding an airy, textural element to garden beds. The plant's slender, pendulous flower clusters are complemented by deeply lobed, fern-like foliage, giving it a lush, ornamental quality. Its blooms mature into delicate, tassel-like seed heads that lend additional visual interest through autumn.

Native to regions stretching from the Mediterranean to the Himalayas, Datisca cannabina has a history of being cultivated for its resemblance to hemp and its traditional uses in dye-making.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Moderate to high

Bloom time

Late summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Cottage Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Rain Gardens
Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Hellebores · Hardy geraniums · Hostas · Ferns · Astilbes · Foxgloves

Design tip

Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. It takes sun or light shade, which makes it useful along the changing light of a bed edge or a partly shaded border.