The Plant We Love is Female
Celebrating Cannabis During Women's History Month
We're honoring Women's History Month in the cannabis industry by celebrating the beautiful, powerful, and – did you know? – typically female, cannabis plant.
Yes, the plant most of us are familiar with is female, here's why.
Many people don’t realize that all commercial flower today comes from female plants. The female cannabis plant produces flowers that are prized for their high concentration of cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, compared to males. Male plants, on the other hand, produce pollen, which is used to fertilize female plants to create seeds.
Cannabis cultivators in the early days of innovation found that isolating female plants caused them to produce more resin. In an attempt to catch pollen and reproduce, the resulting flower was more resinous, potent, and highly attractive.
Growers opt for all-female crops to maximize quantity, quality, health, and potency.
There's good reason why cultivators go to great lengths to ensure they're growing exclusively female plants. Focusing all of their energy on resin production, instead of seeds, results in plants that are typically healthier and more vigorous, with higher levels of cannabinoids and terpenes.
The process is relatively simple. Cultivators cull, or remove, males to ensure that the crop is made up of female plants only. Without fertilization, no seeds will develop or be present in the harvested flower. Thought to have been perfected by growers in Mexico in the 1970s, this process produces “sinsemilla,” or cannabis “without seeds,” prized for its potency and flavor. Cultivators continue this tradition to this day.
Strong, seedless, and rich with aromatic cannabinoids, sinsemilla became the industry standard.
Used by humans for centuries, cannabis is a symbol of nature’s femininity and its power to nurture and heal. It’s associated with cultural rituals around the world surrounding marriage, birth, healing, protection, and purification. Its stunning flowers and potent leaves continue to captivate imaginations. And, thanks to progress towards greater access and legalization, more people than ever can benefit from this amazing plant.
So next time you’re enjoying your favorite cannabis product, remember that it’s likely made from a female plant!
