Getting Started, Growing Tips
Early Signs of Male and Female Cannabis Plants: Weed Plant Gender Identification
For a grower, it is essential to know how to identify the gender of cannabis. Only the female plants develop buds. Nurturing male plants may be a waste as they are not of much benefit unless you aim to produce seeds.
In case you are new to growing and are wondering “what gender is my cannabis?”, below we explore various ways on how to identify cannabis plant gender.
A cannabis plant goes through two main stages of life. These are the vegetative and flowering stages. In the initial phase, you can’t tell what gender the plant is. However, at about six weeks, the plants start showing signs of flowering and pre-flowers form at the joints.
It is at this stage that marijuana will form pollen sacs or buds. With time, the females develop pistils while the males form clusters of pollen sacs.
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Early Signs of Male Cannabis Plants
Male cannabis plants are typically identified by their distinct physical traits. Early on, look for small, round pollen sacs forming at the nodes (where the branches meet the main stem). These sacs resemble tiny balls and are a key indicator of a male plant. Unlike female plants, which develop hair-like pistils, male plants do not produce these structures.
Another clue is faster growth—male plants often grow taller and sturdier than their female counterparts, as they focus on spreading pollen. Identifying and removing male plants early is crucial to prevent pollination and ensure a healthy, seedless harvest from female plants.
Key Indicators For Male Cannabis Plants
- Pollen Sacs: Small, round structures forming at the nodes (branch-stem intersections).
- No Pistils: Male plants lack the hair-like pistils seen in female plants.
- Faster Growth: Taller and sturdier growth compared to female plants.
- Thicker Stems: Often have thicker stems to support their height.
- Leafier Appearance: May have fewer bud sites and a more foliage-dense structure.
Early Signs of Female Cannabis Plants
Female cannabis plants show their first signs through tiny, hair-like structures called pistils. These pistils emerge at the nodes (where branches meet the main stem) and are often white or pale in color. Their primary purpose is to catch pollen, but they are also the earliest indicator of a female plant.
Another sign is the formation of small calyxes, the base structures that house the pistils and eventually develop into buds. Female plants tend to grow more compact and bushy, focusing their energy on producing flowers rather than height. Spotting these signs early ensures you can nurture your female plants for a seedless, high-quality harvest.
Key Indicators For Female Cannabis Plants
- Pistils: White or pale hair-like structures growing at the nodes.
- Calyxes: Small teardrop-shaped structures at the base of the pistils, which later develop into buds.
- Bushy Growth: More compact and branchy structure compared to male plants.
- Flowering Focus: Energy is directed towards flower production rather than height.
- No Pollen Sacs: Female plants lack the round sacs found on male plants.
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Male Cannabis Plant Identification
To identify if the plants are male or female, you have to pay attention to the pre-flowering phase. When dealing with indoor cannabis, the plants exhibit their gender in about two to three weeks of changing their light schedule. The female flowers may take a little longer to show their gender signs than their male counterparts.
Inspect the plant at the point where individual branches or nodes join the main stem regularly. When the plant is female, it will have some feathery white hairs at the site of connection. On the other hand, males have pollen-filled grape-like balls.
In some instances, the pre-flowering stage may not offer obvious signs on whether the cannabis is male or female. The female may delay releasing the pistil, which might make it look like a developing pollen sac.
Give the plant a little more time to reveal its gender with certainty. In most cases, pointy pre-flowers will usually turn out to be female.
Examples of Female Cannabis Plants
Other than in the flowering process, you can also identify the gender of the plant from its physical attributes. The male plants tend to have a sturdier and thicker stalk, and fewer leaves. Furthermore, they are taller than the females.
It is also possible to encounter hermaphroditic plants. These bear organs of both genders, which means they will produce pollen. As a result, they should be eliminated to prevent interference with the quality of the end product. You may think these “hermies” would produce feminized seeds but you will also be passing along the gene that made them hermies in the first place which is not ideal.
Once you have successfully identified the male plants, it is essential to get rid of them quickly. If not eliminated, the pollen sacs will eventually burst and spread the pollen into the surrounding area and fertilizing any female plants.
Pollination is only relevant if you aim to produce seeds and not highly potent cannabis. You could also avoid dealing with male marijuana by buying feminized seeds, so all your plants are almost guaranteed to be female.
How Old Does a Cannabis Plant Need to Be to Tell If It’s a Boy or Girl?
Cannabis plants typically start showing their gender when they enter the pre-flowering stage, which is around 4 to 6 weeks from germination. During this stage, you’ll notice the development of either pollen sacs (male plants) or pistils (female plants) at the nodes.
Cannabis Gender Quiz
Female
This plant is showing the early signs that it is in fact a female. Those small hairs are called pistils and when they come in contact with male pollen that small pod is where the seed will grow.
Male
The early signs of a male cannabis plant can be seen on this node. Small little claw shaped balls are the first signs of a male plant.
Male
This male cannabis pollen sacks really give it away.
Female
Look at those beautiful pistils. This plant is showing it’s first signs of being female.
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The identification process is most vital for persons growing it for consumption purposes. Most users prefer the female plant due to its high potency. When you know how to identify cannabis gender, it saves you time and energy that you would otherwise spend nurturing male plants.
Be proactive and use the above techniques to maximize available space and time so you can increase your yield.
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Mike Drouin is the co-founder of Reefertilizer. He’s an experienced craft cannabis grower and a writer of many articles regarding the process. Mike lives on Vancouver Island and enjoys cycling and camping and will sometimes combine the two.
