Sida hermaphrodita (Virginia fanpetals, Virginia Mellow) pripada porodici sljezovki (Malvaceae) porije- klom iz SAD-a i Kanade. To je ne prehrambeni, celulozni usjev, s brzim rastom i jako razvijenim korijenovim sustavom. Zahvaljujući njenom biokemijskom sastavu (sličnom lucerni), Sida se u zelenoj fazi, može koristiti i kao visoko nutritivna hrana, sa sadržajem proteina i do 30% u vrijeme cvatnje. Sida omogućava i proizvodnju do 120 kg/ha kasnog prinosa meda. Ova jedinstvena vrsta, kada se žanje u suhoj fazi primjenjuje se kao energetska kultura, te se koristi za izolacije i te u celulozno-papirnoj industriji. U zelenom fazi koristi se u različitim industrijama i to farmaceutskoj industriji, industriji stočne hrane, industriji meda te u bioplinskoj industriji. Kao posebno profitabilna vrsta energetske kulture, sirovine budućnosti, već je predodređena da se koristi u industriji biogoriva. Plantaže Side imaju životni vijek najmanje 15-20 godina. Sida dobro raste u mnogim uvjetima na terenu i ne zahtijeva nikakve posebne uvijete tla.Sida Hermaphrodita (Virginia fanpetals, Virginia Mallow) belongs to the Mallow (Malvaceae) family, is a species native to the USA and Canada. It is a non-food, cellulosic crop, with fast growth and strongly developed root system. Thanks of its bio-chemical composition (similar to alfalfa), Sida, in the green stage, can be used as a highly nutritious feed, with a protein content up to 30% During the flowering time, Sida allows to be produced up to 120 kg/ha of late yield honey. This unique species, by harvesting in the dry stage, has applications in the bioenergy, insulation and cellulose-paper industries. In the green stage its use is in the different industries, in pharmaceutical industry, fodder industry, honey industry, bio-gas industry. As a particularly profitable energy species, future feedstock, is already predestined to use it in bio-fuel industry. Sida plantations have a useful lifespan for at least 15-20 years. Sida grows well under many site conditions and does not have any special soil requirements
