What Do Cannabis Seeds Look Like?
The visual traits of cannabis seeds is a subject that raises many questions amongst growers. We frequently get asked about how cannabis seeds should appear, with regards to their dimensions, shape and appearance, as these factors are believed to be closely related to seed quality. In this post we take a comprehensive look at the key physical characteristics of cannabis seeds in order to clarify any concerns that you may have.
This article has been created to answer all the key questions that we often get asked by clients and growers concerning the physical characteristics of our core product: top-grade cannabis seeds.
Our decade and a half in the field have given us solid knowledge as well as a wide perspective on this subject, so it is an honour for us to be able to share our expertise with all of you in the cannabis community.
The size of cannabis seeds
As most of the cannabis cultivars that are presently on the market are polyhybrids, the dimensions of the seeds can differ depending on their genetic line.
Some customers, for instance, reach out to us to inform us that they have acquired Critical + seeds and they feel they look too tiny. But this is a typical feature of this variety: we’ve seen countless of Critical + seeds and we can verify that they are inherently smaller than others. It is hence incorrect to think that this is an indication of poor quality.
If, on the other hand, the seeds seem too big, this may be triggered by a deficiency of macronutrients during the crop’s growth cycle. As any grower with adequate experience will understand, calcium deficiencies are addressed by adding calcium and magnesium, a mixture that assists in reestablishing the ideal nutritional balance of plants.
So in this case, a rise in size could be a direct indicator of this supplementation of calcium and magnesium, which is done in order to alleviate that macronutrient deficiency during growth. This has no impact on the crop’s potential for germination, growth, flowering, or harvest, nor on the development of the organoleptic characteristics of the buds (aroma, flavour and effect).
So we can clearly say that this variation is simply visual. If we take the case of a Moby Dick seed, its dimensions will most likely be bigger than those of Critical +, although you can also encounter slight variations between seeds from the same strain. Don’t overlook that, as with all living beings, cannabis seeds are also genetically different amongst themselves.
The structure of cannabis seeds
Cannabis seeds can also display slight changes at structural level. It’s entirely normal to discover minor differences in the elliptical shape of seeds from the identical batch.
In some situations their shape is more linear; whereas in others one of the ends can be rounded whilst the other is more tapered. But this is no cause for concern: as with dimensions, these slight variations in the contour of the seeds are merely visual and have no relation to do with quality.
Related post: The most typical mistakes when germinating cannabis seeds
The colour of cannabis seeds
Although it is accurate that ripe cannabis seeds typically to have a dark shell that can range from brown to black, with stripes that look like tiger stripes, this cannot be viewed as a quality indicator by itself.
Yet once more, this is a deceptive physical attribute that does not assure the germination potential or overall qualities of a seed. A premium strain can also be pale or dark gray in colour.
Let’s take the example of Critical + once more, one of our well-known bestsellers that has had resounding success across the world thanks to its outstanding scent, flavour, effect, and yielding capacity.
Critical + is a strong example that colour, contrary to what many cultivators believe, is not necessarily a quality marker: these unquestionably high-quality seeds show a very pale grey, almost whitish grey, to a mid-tone grey colour.
However, a green-tinted colour is a definite sign of underdevelopment, which means that the seed hasn’t developed fully or it has not received all the required resources to attain full maturity. In this specific case, if you acquire seeds with this colour you need to contact your supplier right away and try to have them substituted.
If this happens to you with one of our seeds, don’t delay to contact us immediately. Send us a couple of pictures so we can examine them out, and https://nativesusa.com/ (https://nativesusa.com/) our customer service team will substitute them as quickly as possible.
Another element that can be misleading is the fact that a mature, freshly-harvested cannabis seed has a more vibrant and darker colour than after it’s been stored for 1 to 2 months.
This could be likened to a newborn whose physical appearance quickly changes during their first few weeks of life in order to adapt to the entirely new outside environment.
The identical thing happens with cannabis seeds: the packaging and the various stages before they’re marketed can entail light and humidity variations, as well as a bit of oxidation, which may slightly affect the colour of the shell but certainly has no effect on the final product. Once again, this is just a visual effect.
We hope that this post has provided you with some useful information about the physical characteristics of your cannabis seeds to help you interpret them more accurately before starting their germination and cultivation.
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