If you’re lucky enough to have your own legal cannabis grow systems, you may be wondering how you can further increase your knowledge on the matter. Most people with any marijuana experience will know that the flowers are good for smoking, and the trim is good for making edibles (food with marijuana inside). Although there are different kinds of buds and trim, and many other parts of the plant which have use too.

Offering our own automated cannabis grow systems, we’ve been able to learn first-hand about identifying different parts of the marijuana plant, and their uses. Whether medicinal, crafty, or novel, these uses can help you extract even more joy out of your plants.

Here is an overview of the different parts of the marijuana plant, and their uses.

Cannabis Categories

Before getting into the specific parts of each plant, it’s helpful to look at the different kinds of cannabis plants you may wish to grow. There are four kinds of marijuana plant which are grown for their own reasons and benefits: indica, sativa, hybrid, and hemp.

Indica 

Cannabis indica is a part of the Cannabaceae family of plants, under which all cannabis plants are identified: cannabis sativa, cannabis indica, cannabis ruderalis, and hemp. Indica plants are recognizable by their “fat” leaves which are much wider in comparison with sativa strains. They also tend to produce dense, fat, heavy buds during the flowering stage. 

In terms of effect, cannabis indica is thought to provide a “body stone”, which emphasizes euphoria and relaxation. A great example of an indica strain is Northern Lights.

Sativa

Cannabis sativa are recognizable by the thin leaves, and are the typical weed leaf depicted in pop culture. Sativa plants tend to produce airy buds which are more formed.

Cannabis sativa is typically thought to give a “head high” with more cerebral effects ranging from philosophical thoughts to psychedelic experiences. A great example of a sativa strain is Durban Poison.

Hybrid

Only thought to have been around for the last century, hybrid strains of cannabis sativa and cannabis indica are thought to balance these two highs, giving effects from both sides. Jack Herer, a well known marijuana advocate famously made his own hybrid strain which was believed to emulate a 50:50 balance of indica and sativa.

Hemp

These are part of the cannabis family, but are grown specifically because they contain little to no THC in the plant. Hemp plants have become rapidly popular since the advent of CBD becoming mainstream, and are also used for creating fabrics and textiles.

Male or Female?

If you’ve grown marijuana before then you’ll know the importance of identifying whether or not a plant is male during the early stages of its growth. Typically, you should be able to tell what gender a plant is at about 6 weeks old, and if a male is identified you will need to separate him immediately.

Pollen Sacs and Pistils

Telling male from female cannabis plants can be tricky, so be sure to refer to this article if you’re trying to differentiate. Look at where the leaves connect to the stem of your plant, it’s at these nodes where you should see either pollen sacs or pistils forming.

Pollen sacks will look like tiny balls initially, and will grow into oblong-shaped sacks. This is a sign of a male plant.

Pistils look like small hairs at first, then form into ovules and stigmas. This shows you that it’s a female plant. 

Seeds and Stems

Often thought as a burden, the seeds and stem of a cannabis plant aren’t as useless as they seem. The stems can be made into a tea, or can be infused into your favorite liquor to make a weed-flavored alcohol (although no THC or CBD will be present). Whereas the seeds can be used to grow more plants, or can make an interesting addition to any salads or muesli bowls you and your family may enjoy.

Both the seeds and stems are known to contain very little to no THC or CBD, making them safe for most people.

Automated Cannabis Grow Systems

We have barely scratched the surface of what you need to know about your marijuana plants. If you have, or are considering implementing utilizing cannabis grow systems, you can contact us today to learn more about these innovative solutions.