Early Signs of Male Marijuana Plant
As a part of their medical marijuana programs, many states now allow the home cultivation of cannabis plants.
It’s important to verify the regulations of your state’s medical marijuana program and any relevant local laws before you start growing cannabis plants. Ask your dispensary for a recommendation or buy cannabis seeds from reputable suppliers for the best results.
Because the plants can be either male or female, cannabis is unique. Although both are required for reproduction, only female plants give off the buds that are used to make marijuana for smoking. For this reason, spotting early indications of male plants is essential to guaranteeing a plentiful crop.
Continue reading to find out more about the physiology of cannabis, the importance of determining your plants’ gender, and how to do so.
How Can You Tell if Your Plant is Male?
Regardless of gender, all marijuana plants have the same life cycle. In three to ten days, they emerge from the seed as sprouts. After that, they go through a two to three week seedling phase where they start to grow leaves.
The subsequent vegetative phase lasts for three to sixteen weeks. The plant develops adult leaves, stalks, branches, and stems. In the final eight to 11 weeks, they flower.
Marijuana plants, up until the seedling stage, have the same appearance male and female. The plant starts to exhibit sexual characteristics at three weeks of age. For inexperienced growers or breeders, it can be difficult to identify these gender-specific traits in plants. You can distinguish the sexes with the aid of a magnifying glass.
Around three weeks into the growth cycle, male pre-flowers, the first sign of a male marijuana plant, start to develop. Additionally, they create male pollen sacs rather than female buds. The node, which is the point where the stem and a leaf branch converge, is where the sacs, which are tiny, smooth orbs, first appear. Before the plant displays its sex, it typically requires five to six nodes.
When the sac reaches maturity, it releases its contents, pollinating female plants. As soon as you spot a male plant, you must immediately isolate it. Female marijuana plants that have been pollinated switch from producing THC to producing seeds. Your plant will become unusable for medical marijuana as a result of this reorientation.
How Can You Tell if a Plant is Female?
The more desirable of the two plants to grow marijuana on are the female ones. The THC, CBD, and trichomes that give marijuana its potency and cause its physiological and psychological effects are produced by female buds.
Although they initially have a similar physical appearance, the male and female cannabis plants differ while in the vegetative state. Usually, female plants are smaller and have stalks that are thinner. Additionally, they typically have more leaves than male plants.
Female plants typically begin to show their sex four to six weeks after male plants do. At the nodes, the female pre-flowers appear as tiny balls. They have two V-shaped white hairs growing from them called pistils. Pistil clusters will develop into the buds that contain the edible marijuana.
Remember that female pre-flowers typically develop on the nodes that are closest to their grow light if you have trouble identifying female reproductive organs. You must continuously keep an eye on your plants if you want to avoid pollination. At four to six weeks, when female weed plant characteristics start to show, a male weed plant typically releases its pollen.
Only female plants that have not been fertilized, also known as Sinsemilla plants, produce powerful cannabis that can be smoked. In order to avoid a tainted harvest, it is important to understand the distinction between male and female weed plants.
How Can You Tell if a Plant is a Hermaphrodite?
If marijuana seeds contain the required genes, marijuana plants can develop into hermaphrodites, or “hermies.” There are sex organs for both sexes in these unusual plants. A male or female plant can develop into a hermaphrodite as a result of insufficient or excessive water and light, physical harm, or nutrient shortage.
For experienced cultivators looking to create novel cannabis strains, hermaphrodite cannabis plants are valuable. Hermaphrodites have no THC and can pollinate nearby female plants, ruining a crop for home growers.
A true hermaphrodite will either produce antlers that resemble bananas or present with both pistils and pollen sacs at its nodes. The stamen that eventually emerges from the antlers increases the likelihood of pollination.
Although they do not produce usable cannabis, hermaphroditic plants can self-pollinate and produce marijuana seeds. They aren’t your typical seeds, though. In contrast, they are more likely to produce hermaphroditic plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do male plants produce buds?
No. Only pollen sacs are produced by male plants. However, male and female plants’ pre-flowers have very similar appearances. Two tiny hairs at the small ball near the main stem, which will eventually produce a bud, are the telltale sign of a female plant.
Pollen sacs start out as small, hairless balls. No THC, CBD, or trichomes are produced by the sacs. Only female plants can be fertilized by the pollen they release.
Can you tell the gender of a seed?
The seeds of the eventual plants cannot be used to determine their gender. This necessitates careful observation of your plants’ growth cycles. Feminized seeds, which increase the likelihood of growing a female plant, are sold by reliable vendors.
The seeds of the eventual plants cannot be used to determine their gender. This necessitates careful observation of your plants’ growth cycles. Feminized seeds, which increase the likelihood of growing a female plant, are sold by reliable vendors.
Why do growers prefer female plants?
Only female marijuana plants can produce buds, and these buds contain much more THC than those from male plants. Only female plants have the trichomes that give cannabis many of its characteristics.
How Soon Can You Tell if a Marijuana Plant is Male or Female?
Three to four weeks after germination is the earliest time you can determine whether a marijuana plant is male. At the nodes, the pre-flowers that develop into pollen sacks will be visible. Once they have been distinguished, it is best to keep male and female plants apart to avoid cross-pollination.
The pollen-releasing period for male plants typically lasts four to six weeks after germination. Four to six weeks after germination, female pre-flowers emerge and develop into the desirable buds.
Do male marijuana plants smell?
Male marijuana plants have a strong odor. Compared to female plants, they grow more quickly, and they share the same terpenes that give cannabis its distinctive aroma. Due to the fact that both female and male plants have a distinct scent, using the plant’s scent to identify its gender is ineffective.
Can a female plant turn male?
Stress can cause a female cannabis plant to develop into a hermaphrodite. Cannabis plants are impacted by nutrients, light, and water. At any stage of its growth cycle, insufficient or excessive levels may cause the plant to develop male sex organs. Changes in sex should be monitored closely because they can indicate unfavorable growth conditions.
In order to avoid crossbreeding, hermaphrodite plants should be kept apart from female plants.
John DiBella is a medical marijuana advocate, owner of The Sanctuary Wellness Institute, and a writer. When he’s not writing blogs about medical marijuana, he enjoys hiking, camping and sailing.