Anyone working in the cannabis or hemp industries must have a basic understanding of the biological distinctions between male and female hemp plants. Developing the ability to tell male from female hemp plants apart is the first and most important stage in learning about male and female hemp plants.
There are several ways to distinguish between male and female hemp plants. Using a magnifying glass and a trained eye is one approach. The plant’s nodes, also referred to as the plant’s nodes, are the points where the plant’s leaves split from its stalk.
In these nodes, both sexes will develop and typically become distinct six weeks into development. While females have growths that resemble tiny strands of hair, males produce “pollen sacs.” Pre-flowers are the earliest growth before a female produces a bloom.
There are further ways to distinguish between male and female cannabis plants, the most reliable of which is sending a plant sample for a DNA analysis to a lab.
Cannabis growers must first learn to distinguish between male and female plants before weighing the advantages of segregating the two to prevent any cross-pollination. Separation and isolation won’t likely be a time- or money-saving approach in the case of a large-scale outdoor grow with acres of plants, though.
Separating the sexes in hemp plants
Although both male and female hemp plants offer advantages, most quality-conscious cannabis growers prefer to keep the two separate to lessen the likelihood of pollination, which would result in female plants producing seeds. Female cannabis plants can develop to far greater heights by separating the males. Female plants have a surplus of energy that can be used to increase THC and CBD levels without fertilization.
The Hermaphrodite Question
Underneath the debate between male and female hemp plants is a third possibility produced by a female plant that has been fertilized: hermaphrodites. These have characteristics shared by both male and female plants. Cannabis plants that are hermaphrodites can fertilize female plants just like male cannabis plants can. Hermaphrodites must therefore be kept apart from female plants, just like male plants. Hermaphrodites are frequently the result of specific trauma that the plant endured during its development, such as illness, injury, or unfavorable environmental conditions.
Which Kind of Hemp Do We Need, Male or Female?
The question of whether male or female hemp plants are preferable becomes a little clearer when this essential and typical isolation period is taken into account. Female hemp plants are the most sought-after during the growth process because they produce buds that are high in THC and CBD whereas male plants generate undesirable pollen. The two cannot coexist, though, as with all biological reproductive methods.
Both male and female plants contain resin, a naturally occurring substance used in extracts like live rosin and live resin. In terms of what they generate, there is a significant difference between the two. In terms of resin production, female hemp plants outnumber males by a large margin.
The isolation procedure enables females to produce significantly more resin than men, making them the more lucrative harvest of the two.
In the end, female hemp plants produce the most significant components that are harvested for cannabis products, even when compared to male and female hermaphrodites. Female plants are the most crucial to cannabis growers, even if male plants also contribute to the process and produce some cannabis.
Making Hemp Extracts and Concentrates
At PURE5™ Extraction, we provide our customers the post-processing and extraction machinery of choice for professionals. With processors of all sizes, our team of comprehensive extraction equipment professionals works on extraction facility design, equipment, installation, and training for CBD extraction.
Discover more about the PURE5™ equipment catalogue and the lab solutions for extraction.
