What Should Cannabis Seeds Look Like?
The look of cannabis seeds is a topic that raises numerous questions amongst growers. We regularly get asked about the manner cannabis seeds should appear, with regards to their dimensions, shape and colour, as these characteristics are believed to be closely related to seed grade. In this post we take a thorough look at the main physical characteristics of cannabis seeds in order to clarify any questions that you may have.
This guide has been created to answer all the main questions that we regularly get asked by clients and growers concerning the physical characteristics of our primary product: premium-quality cannabis seeds.
Our decade and a half in the field have given us strong knowledge as well as a wide perspective on this matter, so it is a privilege for us to be capable to share our expertise with all of you in the cannabis community.
The size of cannabis seeds
As most of the cannabis strains that are currently on the marketplace are polyhybrids, the dimensions of the seeds can fluctuate depending on their hereditary line.
Some customers, for instance, reach out to us to tell us that they have bought Critical + seeds and they feel they look too small. But this is a standard feature of this strain: we’ve seen millions of Critical + seeds and we can confirm that they are inherently smaller than others. It is therefore incorrect to think that this is a sign of poor quality.
If, on the other hand, the seeds seem too big, this may be triggered by a deficiency of macronutrients during the plant’s growth cycle. As any cultivator with adequate experience will know, calcium deficiencies are fixed by adding calcium and mg, a mixture that helps reestablishing the perfect nutritional balance of plants.
So in this situation, a rise in size could be a clear indicator of this supplementation of calcium and magnesium, which is performed in order to remedy that macronutrient shortage during growth. This has no effect on the plant’s potential for sprouting, growth, flowering, or harvest, nor on the development of the organoleptic qualities of the buds (scent, flavour and effect).
So we can openly say that this variation is simply cosmetic. If we take the example of a Moby Dick seed, its size will most likely be bigger than those of Critical +, although you can also find slight variations between seeds from the identical strain. Don’t forget that, as with all biological beings, cannabis seeds are also biologically different amongst themselves.
The form of cannabis seeds
Cannabis seeds can also show slight changes at morphological level. It’s entirely normal to discover minor differences in the oval shape of seeds from the same batch.
In some instances 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 reason for concern: as with dimensions, these slight differences in the profile of the seeds are purely 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 true that ripe cannabis seeds usually to have a darker shell that can range from brown to black, with markings that look like tiger stripes, this cannot be viewed as a reliable quality indicator by itself.
Yet again, this is a deceptive physical attribute that does not ensure the germination capacity or overall qualities of an individual 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 long-time bestsellers that has had resounding success across the world thanks to its remarkable scent, flavour, effect, and https://nativesusa.com/ – nativesusa.com – production capacity.
Critical + is a good example that colour, contrary to what many growers believe, is not necessarily a direct quality indicator: these unquestionably high-quality seeds exhibit a very light grey, almost whitish grey, to a mid-tone grey colour.
However, a green-tinted colour is a definite sign of immaturity, which means that the seed has not developed fully or it hasn’t received all the required resources to attain full maturity. In this specific case, if you purchase seeds with this hue you need to reach out to your supplier immediately and try to have them exchanged.
If this occurs to you with one of our seeds, don’t delay to contact us directly. Send us a couple of pictures so we can review them out, and our support team will substitute them as soon as possible.
Another element that can be deceptive is the fact that a ripe, freshly-harvested cannabis seed has a brighter and darker colour than after it’s been packaged for 1 to 2 months.
This could be likened to a newborn whose physical look quickly develops 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 storage and the various stages before they’re commercialised can entail light and humidity variations, as well as a bit of oxidation, which may somewhat 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 guide has provided you with some helpful information about the physical characteristics of your cannabis seeds to assist you interpret them more objectively before starting their sprouting and cultivation.
