With this guide we will explain how to recognize male and female weed plants and identify hermaphroditism phenomena. Cannabis is a dioecious plant species that includes both male and female subjects.
The term dioecious refers to the sexual reproduction of cannabis. This term indicates that the reproductive organs of male and female marijuana plants both occur on two different specimens of the same species.
Male or female cannabis specimens do not show obvious morphological differences until sexual maturity is reached, when the reciprocal reproductive structures appear on them. Before this time it is impossible to determine the sex of marijuana seeds .
In order for female cannabis to produce seeds, it is essential that there is a male hemp plant capable of producing pollen. This mechanism underlies the reproduction of cannabis.
In this species of plants the phenomenon of hermaphroditism can rarely occur , i.e. on the same specimen we will find both male and female hemp flowers. In conclusion, if we cultivate marijuana we will be able to find the following three sexual states:
- Male marijuana plants
- Female marijuana plants
- Hermaphroditic marijuana plant (rare phenomenon)
How to spot male weed plants
The formed flower of male weed plants is its reproductive organ, which, once it has matured, will open, releasing the pollen contained inside. If this pollen comes into contact with a female marijuana plant, it will pollinate the female flower by fertilizing her reproductive glands.
Knowing how to recognize and eliminate male cannabis at the right time is a fundamental practice for those who grow regular cannabis seeds. Regular seeds produce specimens of plants of both sexes, so to avoid pollination of female marijuana plants , when they reach sexual maturity, it will be advisable to separate them.
Instead, breeders and geneticists use this type of seed to create and maintain mother plants or to cross selected genetics, favoring pollination between different species, in order to improve them or create new ones.
Below is a short list of some seed banks that produce regular seeds for connoisseurs:
How to recognize the flower of the male maria plant? Male cannabis specimens form small bells, initially closed on themselves. After a few days the small bud will open releasing the pollen.
If you want to avoid the pollination of the female Maria plant , you need to uproot and eliminate all the male specimens, this practice in jargon is called "unmasking". So those who cultivate male or female specimens of marijuana will have to pay close attention to reaching sexual maturity, suddenly removing all males.
Although they are very rare on the market, there are varieties of male autoflowering marijuana such as Ruderalis indica Regular by Sensi Seeds that produce both male and female specimens. In fact, the major seed manufacturers almost always produce only feminized autoflowering plants .
Male hemp plant uses and benefits:
Usually growers are terrified of the presence of a male nearby, but not always the males are eradicated eliminated by growers. In fact, these specimens are well cared for and kept by all breeders and seed producers, who use them to pollinate their female plants.
How to recognize female weed plants
The reproductive system of the female weed plant is morphologically different from the male one, forming real perfumed, compact and resin-covered inflorescences.
This phenomenon originates from the moment in which small white filaments called pistils begin to sprout from the internodes of female cannabis specimens.
How to recognize the female plant from the male:
The flower formation of female marijuana plants begins with the emergence of the first pistils and the cessation of leaf and structural development of the plant. Gradually proceeding to the complete formation and maturation of the flower.
You will also notice that female plants will take on a different structure than males. Male marijuana plants have a leaner and less bushy structure than female weed , which instead has closer internodes and a more stocky and bushy shape.
Hermaphroditism: plants male and female
Many people don't know what hermaphrodite plants are?
Female cannabis plants can become hermaphrodites when subjected to any kind of stress. This phenomenon is very risky as it usually occurs when flowering has begun by pollinating your flowers, ruining the harvest.
Should this phenomenon occur, the only way to reduce the damage is to manually uproot all the male " bell " flowers before they open, releasing the pollen.
A thorough inspection of all parts of the plants will be necessary, as the male cannabis flower often hides close to the inflorescence.
What are the most common stresses that can cause a female marijuana plant to become a hermaphrodite?
- Photoperiod swings;
- Excessive fertilization;
- low and high temperatures;
- Light sources turned on in the hours of darkness;
- Wrong hydration.
Hermaphroditism can also occur due to a poor and inaccurate stability of the same genetics. This often happens when seed producers exploit their breeding specimens excessively and for a long time.
Furthermore, there is a strange but ingenious phenomenon that occurs in large crops with numerous specimens of female hemp plants. In these conditions some specimens of the vast cultivation could become hermaphrodites by necessity.
Realizing that they do not have any specimens of male marijuana plants nearby and fearing for the outcome of their reproduction, the females develop hermaphroditism. With this expedient, they ensure the production of pollen which will pollinate themselves producing useful seeds for the continuation of the species.
Many ask us, what to do with seeds produced by a feminized cannabis plant that becomes a hermaphrodite?. The seeds produced by hermaphroditic hemp are always feminized seeds, therefore they will produce female plants, but with a higher probability that the aforementioned phenomenon will reoccur.
Conclusions on how to recognize weed plants male or female
Recognizing weed plants male from a female can be difficult, as growers today are unfamiliar with male cannabis plants, as almost all growers use feminized seeds or cuttings taken from female specimens.
Can male marijuana be smoked? The less experienced often ask: is the male or female smoked, the answer is that only the female cannabis plant develops flowers with THC, while the males lack inflorescences and active ingredients.
To conclude, we recall, as already mentioned above, that to recognize a female specimen from a male, one will necessarily have to wait for the sexual maturity of the plant and in no way can it be determined earlier.
We hope that reading this guide will provide everyone with the useful elements to recognize the differences between the male or female marijuana plant and to identify hermaphrodite cannabis plants.