What Are The Key Parts of the Cannabis Plant?
Cannabis is extracted from the female plant because of its more robust flower and higher concentration of cannabinoids. The bud or flowering tip is where the high concentrations of cannabinoids are found. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds responsible for the effects of cannabis.
Cannabis plants are dioecious, which means that there are both male and female plants. Male plants are typically only grown by breeders to create new strains.
The cannabis plant has multiple components, each having a distinct function and relationship with the plant as a whole.
Fan Leaf
It's the largest leaf type found in the cannabis plant and is responsible for photosynthesis, transpiration, and CO2 uptake. Interestingly, although they have become the symbol of cannabis, they only produce trace amounts of cannabinoids.
Cola
Cola is a cluster of buds that tightly grow together and can even appear as one large bud. They have the highest concentration of cannabinoids. At the very top of the cannabis plant, we have the main cola or apical bud.
Bracts
Bracts house the female reproductive parts. They are green tear-shaped leaves covered in resin glands that produce high concentrations of cannabinoids in the plant.
Trichomes
They are small mushroom-shaped, translucent glands on the surface of cannabis flowers and leaves. They release a resin (rich in terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids), which the plant uses as protection against predators.
Pistil
The pistil is a part of the female reproductive system consisting of an ovule with two protruding stigmas. The stigmas are thin hairs extending from the female’s bract to catch pollen from the male plants. Despite the stunning colors of stigmas, they do not affect the budding flower’s potency and taste. However, they are important for the reproduction cycle.
Calyx
The calyx is a translucent layer over the ovule at the flower’s base. The calyx is covered by the bract that encapsulates the female reproductive parts.