Cannabis trichomes: what you need to know

WHAT MARIJUANA LIGHT TRICHOMAS ARE, HOW TO OBSERVE THEM AND WHAT INFORMATION CANNABIS FLOWERS GIVE US ABOUT US.

If you have a passion for light 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 cannabis 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?

In cannabis, trichomes are tiny growths that grow on the entire hemp plant similar to tiny mushrooms rather than hairs.

 

Their function is to attract beneficial insects, ward off parasites and protect the plant from UV rays and atmospheric agents. 

In fact, 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, while the aromas produced by the terpenes work as deterrents for parasites and predators.

We can therefore say that these small glands have a highly protective function for cannabis and are therefore essential for the health of the plant . 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!     

Where are the trichomes of the cannabis plant found and how to see them?

You need to know that these little 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 very difficult 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 cannabis light flowers . 

If what you can see with the naked eye is the crystalline resin, which makes the light hemp inflorescences shine, what you might see under the microscope is even more fascinating.

In fact, trichomes take on different forms, but 3 in particular are characteristic of cannabis plants.

Here are which ones:

• Bulbous trichomes,  very small and present on the entire surface of the plant, 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, they consist of a stem and a head, similar to mushrooms. They are slightly larger than the bulbous ones, so much so that they can be easily identified with a magnifying glass.
• Captate-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 larger glandular head. The head, enclosed in a layer of waxy cuticle, is the center of the synthesis of cannabinoids and terpenes.

Although all 3 types of trichomes produce cannabinoids, the uptake-pedunculates are the ones that cover most marijuana buds, as well as the largest producers of resin rich in CBD (in the case of legal cannabis ) and THC (in the case of illegal weed. in Italy).      

Specifically, the highest concentration of cannabinoids occurs when the trichomes reach full maturity: it is at this stage that the growers of legal hemp harvest the 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 rate of trichome production 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 terpenes indicate that the flowers are almost ready for harvest.
• When the terpenes are  mostly 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. 
• Terpenes largely amber and to a lesser extent milky : in this case the cannabis is a little too ripe and the production of THC (in the case of classic ganja) and CBD (in the case of light hemp ) leaves room for the production of CBN, 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 color but milky and bright shades.

 

Take a look at the Bongae product catalog and  check the quality for yourself ! We are waiting for you!

For any further information, please contact us at the following address: bongaeitalia@gmail.com