Dagga is a native of Asia but is now cultivated in many countries and is naturalized in southern Africa. It is an erect, annual herb of up to four meters in height. Stems minutely hairy, green and ribbed with hollow internodes. Leaves alternate and palmately compound. Leaflets sessile, three to eleven with toothed margins. Leaf stalk up to 50 mm long. The male and the female flowers are tiny, greenish yellow and borne on different plants. Seeds are spotted, 4 mm in diameter, smooth with netted veins.

There are three varieties recognized; var. sativa, var. indica, and var. spontanea. The var. sativa is tall and loosely branched with large leaves. It is grown for fibre and seed oil. Leaflets are five to seven and narrowly tapering to each end. This variety commonly referred to as hemp has very low yields of intoxicating cannabinoids.

The var. indica is shorter, harder with crowded branches. It is used as medicine and mood-altering drugs. Leaflets usually many, tapering towards the base and relatively weaker. Fruits large. The var. spontanea is small with small leaves. Leaflets small and much longer than broad with regular rounded ends. Fruits small.