It’s difficult not to love cannabis and all of its many medicinal and recreational benefits. But have you ever really wondered what makes weed the icky, sticky delight that it is?
Of course you have, for all true weed lovers have done in a lot of research on their favorite plains. Almost all of us have heard of THC and CBD, but not many of us know of trichomes, even though we’ve heard of them so many times.
So what are cannabis trichomes? What do they do? What do they look like?
These are all great questions, and valid ones too. Which is why in this article we will be focusing solely on trichomes, and will tell you all that you need to know about them.
So lets begin.
What are Cannabis Trichomes?
To be honest, cannabis trichomes are nothing new, and you have probably seen them on your favorite, high quality strains. These are the short, hair-like resin glands which make your bud look like it has been coated in sugar.
However, cannabis trichomes are more than just sweet. Despite being extremely tiny and microscopic, they have a frosty and shiny crystal-like appearance, and are nearly always extremely sticky.
But don’t let their size and appearance fool you, because these tiny crystals are responsible for the potency, flavor and even the cannabinoid (THC and CBD) content in your favorite strains of weed.
But do bear in mind that trichomes are not just found on the cannabis plant. In fact, they are present on many different plant species all over the world, and even on many vegetables.
What do Cannabis Trichomes do?
Actually, cannabis trichomes have many different functions. To begin with, trichomes serve as a defense mechanism for the female cannabis flowers, and protect them from animals, insects, other flowers and even UV rays from the sun.
In time, as the cannabis plant flowers, these trichomes grow, and become the gathering place for not only cannabinoids, but also many different forms of terpenes, resin and flavonoids.
Eventually, the trichomes start getting thicker, and some of the delicious gooey substance in them comes out, making your bud sticky to hold and so fun to smoke.
What do Cannabis Trichomes look like?
For home growers, and purchasers all over canada, the color of the trichomes matters a lot, since it dictates the quality and potency of the buds. When the cannabis flower is young, these tiny crystals are often amber colored, and hence not very potent.
However, when the flower nears harvest, these trichomes start to slowly turn opaque, or even cloudy. But the best time to harvest is when these are just half opaque, because this is when the strain is likely to be most potent and powerful.
To be honest, nearly all high quality strains have a fine layer of trichome crystals on their leaves. But if you are really looking for the best high trichome strains, you are in the best place. Simply go through some of our products, and order the best quality strains money can buy.
