In general, female cannabis plants are valued higher than their male counterparts. When it comes to the amount of cannabinoids, the females of cannabis plants are essentially in charge. To breed new genetics and produce new strains, plants must have both males and females. However, female plants are in charge of producing the sticky, foul-smelling buds that are covered in trichomes and terpenes, which are what give cannabis its medicinal strength.
Studies have shown that marijuana produces a number of therapeutic benefits that could aid in the treatment of various illnesses. You should first speak with a medical marijuana doctor if you have a crippling medical condition that you think might be treated with marijuana. They will tell you whether marijuana can help you treat your condition and will also advise you on how to use it most effectively.
In this blog post, find out why female cannabis plants require male cannabis plants and more about their anatomy.
Given that cannabis seeds have a 50/50 male-to-female ratio when they are planted, only half of your crops will produce the desired buds. Cloning and feminized seeds, which are only used to address the need for a large number of female plants, are two workarounds for this that we will examine later.
Male vs. Female Cannabis Plants: Key Differences Explained
Male and female cannabis plants differ primarily in that the former produce pollen, while the latter produce buds. Anybody who uses cannabis for medical or recreational purposes is aware that buds with seeds are typically regarded as inferior and have lower potency.
However, because of their flavor, scent, and, most importantly, their powerful effects, seedless buds—which are frequently covered in sticky resin and even a blanket of white crystals—are highly prized. Sensimilla, or seedless buds, are female cannabis plants that have not been fertilized and are instead focused on developing buds.
Those tasty buds full of THC and CBD are produced by female cannabis plants. However, it is a male plant that yields seedy buds, which are frequently weaker. More female plants are required to guarantee high yields of high-quality buds at the end of the day, even though seeds are necessary to keep growing.
It should be highlighted, though, that although female cannabis plants tend to have higher levels of cannabinoids, male cannabis plants may have different ratios of cannabinoids, especially CBD. In order to find a partner for a particularly healthy female cannabis plant, breeders should keep an eye out for males that are unusually frosty.
Only half of your seedlings will produce the kinds of buds you want because cannabis seeds have a roughly 50/50 male-to-female ratio when they are planted. There are workarounds for this, such as feminized seeds and cloning, which are only used to address the demand for a large number of female plants. In order to prevent the male plants from fertilizing your females and lowering the quantity of flowers you could produce, you should also remove them from your growing area.
To put it briefly, female cannabis plants are more valuable than males because they yield the bud, which is the plant’s usable portion. However, because the males pollinate the females’ flowers and can contribute to the genetic diversity plants require to survive in a world that is constantly changing, male and female cannabis plants are symbiotic and dependent on one another.
Understanding the Anatomy of Female Cannabis Plants
Around four to six weeks into the growth cycle, a cannabis plant’s gender can usually be visually identified by the cultivator (though this may vary when growing indoors). When buds begin to form, the plant is moving from its “vegetative” stage to the “flowering” stage.
The area between the plant’s nodes, where leaves and branches emerge from the stalk, is of particular interest to growers. The gender of your plant will be determined by the traits of the pre-flowers that start to form. Those nodes will appear nearly hairlike in female plants and small and ball-like in male plants. In addition, male cannabis plants typically grow slightly taller and have thicker stalks than females.
Hermaphrodite Cannabis Plants: Essential Insights
In rare instances, a plant may have both male and female pre-flowers, though this is uncommon, much like in humans. Hermaphrodite cannabis plants frequently arise when a plant experiences extreme stress as a result of disease, nutrient deficiencies, damage to the plant, adverse weather conditions, or genetics. When a plant is grown indoors and exposed to too much light during its dark period, hermaphrodites may develop.
Even though they are not the best, hermaphrodite plants can still produce pollen, so growers should separate them from male plants as soon as they are found because they have the potential to destroy an entire crop.
Why Female Cannabis Plants Matter: The Bottom Line
Because they produce buds with trichomes that produce high concentrations of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, female cannabis plants are valued. Male plants are useful for adding variation to the cannabis gene pool, producing new cannabis varieties, and maintaining distinctive genetic profiles. However, keeping males can be a challenging process that isn’t always worth the trouble for the majority of home growers who aren’t interested in breeding.
Understanding the distinctions between male and female cannabis plants, as well as the significance of maintaining female plants, is essential if you’re thinking about cultivating your own at home. Buying clones or feminized seeds from a dispensary can make things much easier for you, particularly if you’re new to cannabis cultivation.
