How To Tell The Difference Between Male And Female Cannabis Plants

Written By: Madelynn Gevaert February 17th 2023

Female and male cannabis plants are very different from each other, the female will create the bud / flower we all know and love, the male will try an pollinate them with the pollen from it’s sacks to carry on its genes. Being able to tell the difference between the two can sometimes be difficult for new growers. This guide will help you understand a little bit more about these amazing plants.

There is one sure way to accurately tell the sex of a plant – and that is by looking at the nodes on the plant. The nodes are the part of the plant on the stem where leaves, branches and leaves come from.

The way to differentiate between the two is very distinct. Male cannabis plants will grow these ball-shaped sacs filled with pollen on the nodes. These sacs usually develop in the late stages of the vegetative growth and will open roughly 4-5 weeks into the flowering stage.

Whereas female cannabis plants will produce small white hairs – which are called “pistils”, their job is to collect the pollen from the male cannabis plants when the pollen sacs have opened. Pistils typically appear on the plant about 3-6 weeks into the vegetative stage.

In some cases, a plant will have both pistils and pollen sacs – these are hermaphrodites and will behave more like that of a male cannabis plant. They will produce buds that are thick with seeds and flower. These plants are typically less desired by growers and usually cut down.

Creating Only Female Cannabis Plants

There is one sure way to get female cannabis plants - and that is to use Tiresias mist.

This product, used in conjunction with the directions, allows growers to produce feminized seeds. Tiresias Mist® is safe, effective, and a reliable alternative to other methods that have disappointing results. One bottle provides enough solution for one branch that will produce female pollen. That pollen is then delivered to the flowers of a dioecious plant which in turn produces seeds. Because only female genetics is involved you will produce only feminized seeds.

Thanks for reading and we hope you learned something from this!