
Female pre-flowers tend to have a more ovate or pear-shaped, with a long slender tip. Keep in mind that the variation in strains and phenotypes means that you can’t rely on these features to identify the sex of the marijuana plant.Ī more accurate assessment would be to inspect the pre-flowers with a jeweler’s loupe. The females typically have more leaves, especially near the top. They also tend to have greater internodal space–the distance between two branches.Ī female marijuana plant tends to be shorter, has thinner stalks, and appears more “bushy” than the male variety.
Taller plants with thick stems and fewer leaves also tend to be male marijuana plants. If you note small, rounded bulbs with whitish hairs, you have a male plant. The sacs later develop long-hanging stacks of pollen sacs that release pollen that resemble white dots or powdered sugar. Very early, the male pre-flower may have a more rounded bottom with a slight tip, resembling the ‘spade’ on cards. The male pre-flower is a small, closed sac that resembles a little green ball at the end of a stick. For example, Sativa plants tend to have thinner stalks than indica varieties. Leaf counts and stalk thickness vary across different stains and breeds. However, it’s essential to compare sexes from the same species. It also grows faster than the female and is usually taller. Identifying Male Marijuana PlantsĪ male marijuana plant typically has thicker stalks and fewer leaves. However, waiting until flowering can be disastrous as the males tend to mature faster and can fertilize your stock. By the flowering stage, the gender of the plant is glaringly obvious. This is the best time to differentiate the sexes. In females, the pre-flower develops into flowers. In males, the pre-flower develops into pollen sacs. Luckily, male pre-flowers develop and show sooner than female ones. The first pre-flowers form between the apex of the main stem and the fan leaf stem, near the top of the plant. The pre-flowers are at the junction between the plant’s stems and branches. The vegetative stage is characterized by an explosive growth pattern, with the plant growing taller each day and branching out.Īround the fourth week, the marijuana plant in the vegetative stage will begin producing pre-flowers. When To Identify the Sex of Your Marijuana PlantsĪ few weeks into the vegetative stage( the pre-flowering stage), you can usually tell a male marijuana plant from a female. Even feminized seeds that produce up to 99% female marijuana plants run the risk of yielding male varieties. Male and female marijuana seeds and seedlings look the same. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to differentiate the sexes of the marijuana plant during the germination and seedling phases. Marijuana plants typically have four distinct growth stages: To differentiate the male from the female plants, you must thoroughly understand the reproductive cycle of cannabis strains. An unfertilized, seedless bud-Sinsemilla-is rich in turpentines and cannabinoids and is the primary goal for most growers. While fertilized females can still produce decently-sized buds, the buds are often of low quality and contain less THC and other cannabinoid compounds. The males grow pollen sacs that fertilize the female flowers. The male marijuana plants are only desirable if you wish to start a breeding program. Your goal is to identify the sex of the cannabis plants as early enough as possible to eliminate the males.
Understanding the Reproductive Cycle of Marijuana Plants What is the difference between male and female marijuana plants? Keep reading to find out. Fertilization means the plant channels its resources to seed production, which leads to more seeds and lower cannabinoid content. Only female plants produce the buds and typically have a higher potency and THC content. Why does it matter? Because failing to separate the male and female leads to more seeds and less potent buds.
#Marijuana seedlings male or female how to#
In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown on what makes each botanical unique and how to tell them apart. Male marijuana plants only produce pollen through their anthers, fertilizing female pistils-a process that leads to seed production.Īs a budding breeder of homegrown cannabis, you need to develop an eye for identifying male or female marijuana plants. The female marijuana plants produce the much-coveted buds, while males don’t. Most cannabis strains are dioecious, meaning they have distinct male and female marijuana plants.