CANNABIS vs. HEMP vs. MARIJUANA
The first and most important thing to know about this plant is the main differences between Cannabis, Hemp, and Marijuana:
CANNABIS
the scientific term for the species of plant, and is often used as a blanket term that
encompasses all forms of the plant - Hemp, Marijuana, Indica, Sativa - it's all Cannabis!
HEMP
refers to any Cannabis that contains less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC. Hemp has an incredibly widearray of uses, from the production of Hemp materials like plastics, clothing, and concrete (or"Hemp-crete") using the leaves and stalks, to the medicinal benefits of consuming the low-THC,high-CBD flowers!
MARIJUANA
refers to the high-level Delta-9 THC flowers produced by the Female Cannabis plants. Any Cannabis that contains more than 0.3% D-9 THC is considered Marijuana, and is still deemed federally illegal and a Schedule 1 Narcotic by the FDA, despite overwhelming evidence of the plants' endless medicinal properties.
MALE vs. FEMALE PLANTS
A common Cannabis misconception is that Hemp is the Male Plant and Marijuana is the Female Plant. In
the Cannabis Industry, we deal with almost exclusively Female Cannabis plants. The reason for this is
that the Female Plants are responsible for producing the large, flowering buds that we all know and love!
Male plants are seldom used in the industry to produce anything other than materials from the plant
fibers. However, that doesn't make them entirely useless! In fact, there are quite a few great reasons to
use Male Cannabis plants that you may not think of.
The first example is fairly obvious - Breeding! Male plants can be planted very early on with Female plants
to help induce flower production. However, it is crucial that the Male Plants be removed before the
Female plants are fertilized, or you'll end up with a low-potency bud with lots of seeds!
A less common but very helpful use of the Male Cannabis Plant is garden enhancement! Beyond bud
production, Male Cannabis Plants are the secret superheroes of any standard herb and vegetable
garden. While these plants do not produce flowers or buds like the Female, the Male plants still produce
aromatic Terpenes which are associated with pest and disease control. Cannabis plants are also
deep-rooting plants with the ability to break down lower quality soil to allow for more moisture and
nutrients to infiltrate, while still holding the soil in place to prevent erosion and run-off. In addition,
Cannabis is a natural pollinator magnet, favored by bees!