Marijuana is more than just marijuana. It comes in different genders, strains, and genetic combinations. Understanding the background and genetic details of your particular marijuana plant is critical to ensuring their ideal growing environment. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of marijuana plants.

Cannabis Sativa

This seems to be the most commonly smoked strain of marijuana. Cannabis Sativa plants are known for their tall height (up to 15 feet tall) and long, narrow leaves. Cannabis Sativa plants grow well outdoors, and they take a while to get from the vegetative phase to the flowering phase.

Cannabis Sativa is native to places lower than 30 degrees North in latitude, such as in Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria, Thailand, or India. Sativas generally are higher in THC rather than CBD, which is part of the reason they are more popular for recreational smoking. They also have medicinal benefits, of course, including working well to treat depression, ADD, fatigue, and mood disorders.

Cannabis Indica

Cannabis Indica is better known for growing into bushier, shorter plants (as compared to Cannabis Sativa). They grow to about 3 to 6 feet tall, and their leaves are rounded and wider. Indicas are often preferred when growing indoors, due to their shorter stature.

Cannabis Indicas are native to locations above 30 degrees North in latitude, including Lebanon, Morocco, Afghanistan, and Nepal. Indicas cause a more sedating effect on the smoker, relaxing the user because of its high levels of CBN. It is known for helping with insomnia, pain, muscle relaxation, muscle spasms, anxiety, headaches, and migraines.

Cannabis Ruderalis

This is an entirely different strain with no psychotropic effects. It is used exclusively for breeding purposes, helping breeders change the genetic code of their ideal strains by breeding ruderalis plants with indicas or sativas.

Ruderalis plants have a fast flowering cycle that starts early, making its genetics useful for more northern climates. They are also smaller, reaching only about 25 inches in height.

Industrial Hemp

This type of marijuana plant is actually a kind of Cannabis Sativa strain, but it is used specifically for using its derived products for industrial purposes. It grows extremely fast and has been used for its fibers for 10,000 years.

This was a huge cash crop in the United States until 1937 when it was banned. Its THC content is very low, and therefore it doesn’t really do anything if you smoke it.

Hybrids

Marijuana cultivators love to play around with genetics, and they do this by creating hybrids. Hybrid marijuana plants strategically combine sativas, indicas, and ruderalis plants to produce the best of all worlds. Hybrids can be sativa-dominant or indica-dominant.

Males, Females, and Hermaphrodites

Male and female marijuana plants are extremely important. If you are breeding, the males will be of use. If you are getting marijuana plants solely for the highest yield possible, then you don’t need the males at all and should focus only on the females.

Hermaphrodites (containing both male and female sex organs) are also naturally occurring, thoughfairly rare. They can fertilize themselves – which can be either useful or unhelpful.