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Hibiscus cannabinus: Kenaf

Naomi Franklin, Mica McMillan, andLiz Felter

Introduction

This publication is intended to serve as a source of general information about kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) for individuals interested in noncommercial usage of the crop. Kenaf is a tropical fiber crop believed to be native to regions of northeastern and central Africa. Being well adapted to the high temperatures and humidity of tropical climates, kenaf is a viable crop in Florida. Commercial production of kenaf is restricted in south Florida and some of central Florida because the crop is a host of the pink bollworm, which threatens Florida cotton production. At this time, growers must obtain a permit from FDACS to produce kenaf south of Highway 60.

General Information

Scientific name: Hibiscus cannabinus

Pronunciation: hye-BISS-kus can-NA-bih-nus

Common name: kenaf

Family: Malvaceae

Plant type: herbaceous annual

USDA hardiness zones: 6a–11b

Cold hardy: not freeze tolerant

Origin: Africa

UF/IFAS Invasive Assessment Status: low invasion risk (UF/IFAS 2018)

Attractant: iguanas and various insect and bird pollinators

Uses: landscape border

Availability: not available in nurseries; seed is difficult to acquire

Description

Height: average; 9–14 ft but up to 20 ft

Habit: broadleaf, herbaceous (non-woody) plant

Plant density: thin, unbranched stalk; needs to be sown densely to act as a border or cover

Growth rate: fast

Hazard: none

Foliage

Leaf type: varies with age and cultivar; serrated edges that can be unlobed, partially lobed, or severely lobed

Leaf size: 10–15 cm

Leaf color: vibrant green

Flower

Flower color: cream with maroon center

Inflorescence: indeterminate flowering from leaf nodes

Photoperiod: short-day

Stalk

Stalk characteristics: cylindrical, reaching 1–5 cm in diameter, with thorns of varying sizes; composed of bast fibers (bark) and core fibers

Culture

Light requirement: full sun to partial shade

Soil tolerance: extremely tolerant of a wide range of soils

Drought tolerance: high

Salt tolerance: high

Soil pH: acidic to alkaline

Nutritional requirements: low

Hurricane tolerance: susceptible to damage from strong winds

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Florida highlighting each planting zone from 8b through 11b across the state.
Figure 1. USDA hardiness zones for Florida. For alternative viewing, visit the interactive 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Scattered across a piece of graph paper are several small, dark, triangular seeds, which are rough in texture, vary slightly in size and shape, and display curved edges. Each square on the graph paper measures about 1 centimeter per side.
Figure 2. Kenaf ’Whitten’ seeds.
Credit: Karen Williams, UF/IFAS.
Each cell of a black plastic seedling tray contains dark brown soil and a single young plant with red, slender stems and several green leaves, which are vibrant and oval-shaped with visible veins.
Figure 3 . Kenaf emerging seedlings. 
Credit: Karen Williams, UF/IFAS. 
Filling the lower two-thirds of the frame is a dense row of tall plants with light and dark green leaves, swaying slightly in the wind under a bright blue sky scattered with fluffy white clouds.
Figure 4 . Field-grown kenaf crop. 
Credit: Mica McMillan, UF/IFAS. 
Close-up of a smooth, vertical plant stem growing small, green, unopened buds, which are elongated with pointed tips, have spiny structures protruding from their bases, and are covered by fine hairs that give them a textured appearance.
Figure 5. Kenaf seed pods and thorns.
Credit: Karen Williams, UF/IFAS.
Two pale yellow flowers with five delicate petals and dark centers grow on a tall, slender green stem with green, pointed leaves that extend outwards.
Figure 6. Kenaf flowers.
Credit: Mica McMillan, UF/IFAS.

Other

Human hazards: none

Uses and Management

When planted densely, kenaf forms stands similar to bamboo that can act as borders and privacy barriers in the landscape.

Florida Administrative Code 5B-52 prohibits commercial production of kenaf in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties, as well as all counties south thereof. This area is designated as a regulated area. Noncommercial kenaf shall not be produced without a permit.

Pests and Diseases

Pests: boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), cotton seed bug (Oxycarenus hyalinipennis), pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), and green iguana (Iguana iguana)

Diseases: Fusarium wilt, root rot, bacterial wilt, leaf blight, and anthracnose

Lying on sandy ground and very sparse vegetation is a large iguana, which has green, textured, and scaly skin; a series of brown and pale-colored spikes running along its back; and a long tail banded with alternating dark and light stripes.
Figure 7. The green iguana (Iguana iguana) has eaten a stand of kenaf at the seedling stage.
Credit: Karen Williams, UF/IFAS.

Reference

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). 2018. “Assessment of Nonnative Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas, Hibiscus cannabinus.” https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/hibiscus-cannabinus/

Further Reading

Alexopoulou, E., Y. Papatheohari, M. Christou, and A. Monti. 2013. “Origin, Description, Importance, and Cultivation Area of Kenaf.” In Kenaf: A Multi-Purpose Crop for Several Industrial Applications: New Insights from the Biokenaf Project, edited by A. Monti and E. Alexopoulou. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5067-1_1

Danalatos, N. G., and S. V. Archontoulis. 2010. “Growth and Biomass Productivity of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus, L.) Under Different Agricultural Inputs and Management Practices in Central Greece.” Industrial Crops and Products 32 (3): 231–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2010.04.013

Fajri, D. M. N., W. F. Mahmudy, and T. Yulianti. 2021. “Detection of Disease and Pest of Kenaf Plant Based on Image Recognition with VGGNet19.” Knowledge Engineering Data Science 4 (1): 55. https://doi.org/10.17977/um018v4i12021p55-68

Falana, O., O. Aluko, D. Adetan, and J. Osunbitan. 2019. “The Physical Properties and Strength Characteristics of Kenaf Plants.” Research in Agricultural Engineering 65 (4): 131–136. https://doi.org/10.17221/34/2019-RAE

Falasca, S. L., A. C. Ulberich, and S. Pitta-Alvarez. 2014. “Possibilities for Growing Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) in Argentina as Biomass Feedstock Under Dry-Subhumid and Semiarid Climate Conditions.” Biomass and Bioenergy 64: 70–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.03.031.

Sultan, D., and R. Salih. 2022. “Nutritional Value of Different Kenaf Leaves (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) Varieties Enhanced by Using Different Concentrations of Humic Acid.” Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 34 (5): 186–197. https://doi.org/10.21271/ZJPAS.34.5.17.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). n.d. “Hibiscus cannabinus L.” PLANTS Database. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/HICA5