'Whitten' Kenaf

Hibiscus cannabinum Origin: Mississippi Improvement status: Cultivar Seeds per packet: ~25 Germination tested 11/2023: 95% Life cycle: Annual 'Whitten' is an exciting kenaf we are thrilled to add to the catalogue. Released by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station in 2005, and named after the late U.S. Representative Jamie Whitten, who retired from Congress in 1995 as the longest serving member of Congress in history (53 years and 2 months, a record since surpassed by Michigan's John Dingell). It is maintained by the USDA's Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit in Griffin, Georgia. We got our seed from Bob Lawrason of Kenaf Partners USA.According to the USDA: Whitten, known experimentally as DRC96-1, was selected for: 1. juvenile (simple) leaf shape [this means it never develops the normally characteristic kenaf leaf-shape that mimics cannabis, which has led to police action against kenaf farmers in the past], 2. plant height, a gross indicator of yield, 3. r