When it comes to pot-testing marijuana, one of the most popular criteria used is the flower bud. Flower buds are chosen because of their unique set of characteristics, which makes them easy to differentiate from other plants. Sativa, Indica and Potentilla are three of the most popular and common types of flower bud used in pot testing. Most novice testers are unaware of the simple logic behind these flower bud type comparisons.
Sativa produces tall, lanky stems with long, lacy leaves, while indica produces plants with short, tightly packed leaves. Although today many cannabis users use these hybrid species to distinguish their different effects and strains, these classifications are just based on how the various plants behave when they are indoors and how their foliage is structurally arranged. No matter the type of bud being tested, differences in behavior are revealed as the plants mature. When testing buds under different light conditions, the following traits can be distinguished:
– Coloration: Indica is often recognized by its bright green foliage, while the highest amounts of THC (tetrothalen, sativa) are present in sativa. When buds are tested under a spectrum of wavelengths, the results reveal that marijuana strains with higher levels of THC display a yellowish coloration. On the opposite spectrum, strains with lower amounts of THC appear greenish in color, but their foliage is devoid of any detectable THC. The reason for this colorization can be attributed to the fact that the same amount of THC will also result in the same amount of THC and the color of the finished product is simply a result of a chemical reaction between the two chemicals. The scientific explanation for the yellow coloration of indica stems is that it contains a high amount of resin which is highly vulnerable to heat and has a low water content.
– Full mature plants: All indica strains share a similar physical appearance, a round, compact mass of leaves with dark gray-green, velvety bark. They do not have fully developed, rigid leaves and the uppermost leaf often bears small white flowers. In addition, the resin contained inside the flower can easily evaporate leaving behind tiny white hairs. Many of these hairs bear a resemblance to a human hair; therefore, strains with high levels of THC are often identified as indica with human hair. It is important to note that high levels of THC have been detected in some sativa seeds even when the plant has yet reached full maturity, suggesting the possibility of cross-feeding between indica and other strains.
– Leaf shape: All sativa plants have strappy, short, double leafed branches, although it is not common to find a crescent leaf. The prominent features of a crescent leaf are usually a sharply pointed tip and the absence of any ray system at the base of the branch. This feature is also present in indica strains. The development of the leaf blade is also very unique among different types of marijuana, with some having very sharp leaves while others grow large, hollow leaves.
– Flowering time: Unlike indica or chrysanthemums, which develop a full flowering plant from a single bloom, cannabis sativa takes between three and five weeks before the first flowers appear. However, it is possible for a single flower to start growing before the rest of the plant begins to flower. Typically, flowers appear in late summer. It is important to note that, although this flowering plant blooms for a short period, it will eventually grow up to three feet in height and produce a significant amount of smoke.
– Seed structure: Like all other forms of marijuana, cannabis indica contains a hybrid of THC and CBD, which have very low levels of CBD but high levels of THC. Therefore, the best way to tell a good strain from a bad one is to look at the ratio of THC to CBD. In most cases, the higher the ratio, the more potent the cannabis. In fact, it is estimated that about 35% of every cannabis crop relies on genetics in order to produce high-quality, potent seeds. It should be noted that most hybrid varieties are not good for recreational purposes.
Although there are some clear differences between indica and sativa, there are many similarities as well. Both types of marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes and for ingestion, with Sativa being the more popular variety for these purposes. While it is not always possible to grow your own cannabis plants (for obvious reasons), there are numerous sources for high-quality indica and sativa seeds at discount prices. Autoflowering seeds are the best choice for anyone interested in cultivating high-quality marijuana, even if it is for recreational purposes.
