What are the trichomes of CBD weed, how to observe them, and what information they give us about cannabis flowers
If you have a passion for CBD weed, you will surely have heard of cannabis trichomes, hardly observable with the naked eye but extremely important for the plant and flowers of Hemp Sativa L.
But what are the trichomes, and where are they found? What are their functions in the marijuana plant?
Today we will answer these and other questions, clarifying your possible doubts about them.
Let’s get started right away!
Trichomes: what are they, and what is their function?
The term “trichome” defines, in botany, the hairs that grow on the surface of some plants. Not surprisingly, the word trichome comes from the Greek “Trichoma,” which means “hair growth.”
In cannabis, trichomes are tiny growths that grow on the entire hemp plant, similar to small mushrooms rather than hairs.
Their function is to attract beneficial insects, keep pests away and protect the plant from UV rays and atmospheric agents.
The trichomes of cannabis produce a particular resin, a dense, sticky, and highly aromatic compound that contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. The resin layer is essential to prevent wind, temperature changes, and ultraviolet rays from damaging the plant. The aroma produced by the terpenes works as a deterrent for parasites and predators.
Therefore, we can say that these small glands have a highly protective function for cannabis and are therefore essential for the plant’s health. Also, being the producers of cannabinoids like CBD and THC, they are highly sought after by hemp connoisseurs, who carefully analyze the legal weed flowers to assess their quality!
Read also: CBN: the beneficial cannabinoid that goes well with CBD and THC!
Are you wondering how to observe trichomes? Then read the following paragraph!
Where are the cannabis trichomes found in the plant, and how to see them?
You need to know that these tiny glands grow all over the marijuana plant. They focus more on the flowers and, secondarily, on the leaves, branches, and stem of the marijuana… But they are challenging to see with the naked eye!
To see them, you should equip yourself with a magnifying glass or, if you want to observe them even more in detail, a microscope in which to place the CBD cannabis flowers.
If what you can see with the naked eye is the crystalline resin, which makes the legal hemp inflorescences shine, what you might see under the microscope is even more fascinating.
Trichomes take on different forms, but 3, in particular, are characteristic of cannabis plants.
Here are which ones:
- Bulbous trichomes are very small and present on the plant’s entire surface, therefore on the stem, branches, leaves, and flowers. Difficult to identify even under a microscope. They have dimensions ranging from 10 to 15 micrometers and are made up of a few handfuls of cells.
- Sessile trichomes: slightly larger than bulbous, consisting of a stem and head, similar to mushrooms. They are somewhat larger than bulbous ones, so much so that they can be easily identified with a magnifying glass.
- Pedunculated trichomes: they are much larger than the other two types, so much so that we can identify them by observing the flowers very closely (preferably with a magnifying glass). They develop as stems made up of epidermal and hypodermic cells, which build up to a basal cell that attaches to a giant glandular head. The head, enclosed in a waxy cuticle layer, is the center of the synthesis of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Although all 3 types of trichomes produce cannabinoids, the uptake-pedunculate are the ones that cover most marijuana CBD buds, as well as the largest producers of resin, rich in CBD (in the case of CBD flower) and THC (in the case of illegal weed in the US).
Specifically, the highest concentration of cannabinoids occurs when the trichomes reach full maturity. It is at this stage; the growers of legal hemp harvest the CBD flowers and then dry them and subject them to tanning!
How to recognize mature trichomes?
Cannabis trichomes are very important for the plant due to their protective function … And for humans, because they contain cannabinoids and aromatic molecules (terpenes)!
Although the trichome production rate differs from plant to plant – as it depends on the genetics and health of the cannabis – the highest concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes occur in all marijuana plants as the trichomes mature.
But how to understand when the trichomes, and therefore the hemp flowers, are ripe?
Growers, magnifying glass in hand, focus on the inflorescences and mainly observe the color of the resin-producing glands:
- A clear resin indicates that the marijuana buds are still immature.
- The milky and partly transparent trichomes suggest that the flowers are almost ready for harvest.
- When the trichomes are primarily milky and, to a lesser extent, amber … Then it’s time to pick the buds and dry them. Marijuana flowers covered with terpenes of this color are of excellent quality as they are harvested during the maximum production of cannabinoids and terpenes, therefore powerful and aromatic.
- Trichomes largely amber and, to a lesser extent, milky. In this case, the cannabis is a little too mature, and the production of THC (in the case of classic ganja) and CBD (in the case of CBD weed) leaves room for CBN production, an additional non-psychotropic cannabinoid.
To recognize quality marijuana, you should therefore investigate the color of the trichomes and check that they give the flowers not an amber tint but milky and bright shades.
Read also: Orange Skunk CBD: characteristics, origins, and effects
Do you want to buy quality cannabis light, rich in resin and CBD?
You can find it on Justbob, our online cannabis shop! Grown in Europe (Italy), with organic and innovative cultivation techniques (including hydroponics and aeroponics), the legal marijuana you find in our shop is harvested at the moment of maximum resin production.
We can thus guarantee you very high contents of CBD and aromatic terpenes, which make the products of our cannabis light shop the most requested in the United States.
Take a look at the catalog of CBD products on the CBD online shop and check the quality for yourself! We are waiting for you!