There are thousands of strains of cannabis in the world, but they break down into three main categories:
Sativa
- A subspecies of cannabis reaching heights of 15-25 feet with thinner, finger-like leaves.
- Flowers in 10-16 weeks with elongated colas but lower yield.
- Cannabis sativa cultivars are typically described as—but not exclusively—producing a more cerebral-based experience for the consumer.
- There is no difference in effect between a sativa and an indica plant. A sativa can possess a cannabinoid and terpene profile indistinguishable in taste, smell, and appearance to indica.
Indica
- A subspecies of cannabis reaching heights of 3-6 feet with broad, bushy leaves.
- Within cannabis culture, cannabis indica cultivars are typically expected to produce a more body-centered experience.
- These supposed attributes have nothing to do with the indica subspecies, but you may still hear people describing indica as a sedative anyway. Dispelling a myth takes time.
Ruderalis
- It typically sits between 1 and 2.5 feet tall at harvest.
- Of the three main cannabis subspecies, cannabis ruderalis are shorter and stalkier.
- A wild and hard plant native to central and eastern Europe. Botanists gave the classification “ruderalis” for the breeds of wild hemp plant that had adapted to extreme climates.
- Ruderalis typically contains a low amount of THC in comparison to the two other cannabis subspecies.
Hybrid
- A variety of cannabis created from two separate cannabis subspecies (i.e. indica, ruderalis, sativa).
- Hybrid morphologies incorporate a large spectrum of different heights, shapes, and effects depending on lineage and growing/harvesting processes.
- Flowering time varies with predominantly high yields.
- Hybrid cultivars may be used at different times of the day depending on the cultivar and the consumer.
