What Do Cannabis Seeds Look Like?

The visual traits of cannabis seeds is a subject that raises many questions amongst growers. We regularly get asked about the way cannabis seeds should appear, with regards to their dimensions, shape and appearance, as these characteristics are believed to be strongly related to seed quality. In this guide we take a detailed look at the key physical characteristics of cannabis seeds in order to clarify any doubts that you may have.

This post has been created to answer all the important questions that we frequently get asked by customers and growers about the physical characteristics of our main product: high-quality cannabis seeds.

Our decade and a half in the industry have given us great knowledge as well as an extensive perspective on this matter, so it is an honour for us to be able to share our experience with all of you in the cannabis world.

The size of cannabis seeds

As most of the cannabis varieties that are currently on the marketplace are polyhybrids, the dimensions of the seeds can fluctuate depending on their genetic line.

Some customers, for instance, contact us to tell us that they have bought Critical + seeds and they think they look too small. But this is a typical feature of this strain: we’ve seen millions of Critical + seeds and we can confirm that they are naturally smaller than others. It is hence incorrect to think that this is a marker of poor quality.

If, on the other hand, the seeds appear too big, this may be triggered by a deficiency of macronutrients during the plant’s growth cycle. As any cultivator with some experience will understand, calcium deficiencies are fixed by adding calcium and mg, a combination that helps reestablishing the ideal nutritional balance of plants.

So in this case, a rise in dimensions could be a direct indicator of this addition of calcium and magnesium, which is carried out in order to alleviate that macronutrient deficiency during growth. This has no effect on the plant’s potential for germination, growth, flowering, or yield, nor on the formation of the organoleptic characteristics of the buds (scent, flavour and effect).

So we can clearly say that this difference is simply visual. 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 shape of cannabis seeds

Cannabis seeds can also display slight changes at structural level. It’s entirely normal to see minor differences in the elliptical shape of seeds from the same batch.

In some instances their shape is more elongated; whereas in others one of the extremities can be rounded whilst the other is more sharp. But this is no cause for concern: as with size, these slight differences in the outline of the seeds are merely visual and https://nativesusa.com/, have nothing to do with quality.

Related post: The most common mistakes when germinating cannabis seeds

The color of cannabis seeds

Although it is accurate that ripe cannabis seeds typically to have a dark shell that can range from brown to black, with lines that look like tiger stripes, this cannot be considered as a reliable quality indicator by itself.

Yet again, this is a deceptive physical attribute that does not guarantee the germination potential or overall traits of an individual seed. A high-quality strain can also be pale or dark grey in colour.

Let’s take the case of Critical + once more, one of our long-time bestsellers that has had outstanding success across the globe thanks to its outstanding scent, flavour, effect, and yielding capacity.

Critical + is a clear example that colour, contrary to what many cultivators believe, is not necessarily a direct quality indicator: these unquestionably high-quality seeds show a very pale grey, almost whitish grey, to a mid-tone grey colour.

However, a greenish colour is a definite sign of underdevelopment, which means that the seed has not developed fully or it has not received all the necessary resources to reach full maturity. In this specific case, if you acquire seeds with this color you need to reach out to your supplier right away and try to have them exchanged.

If this occurs to you with one of our seeds, don’t delay to contact us immediately. Send us a couple of pictures so we can check them out, and our support team will substitute them as soon as possible.

Another aspect that can be confusing is the fact that a mature, freshly-harvested cannabis seed has a more vibrant and darker colour than after it’s been stored for 1 to 2 months.

This could be likened to a baby whose physical appearance quickly changes during their first few days of life in order to adapt to the entirely new outside surroundings.

The same 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 definitely has no effect on the end product. Once more, this is just an aesthetic effect.

We hope that this article has provided you with some helpful information about the physical traits of your cannabis seeds to assist you interpret them more objectively before starting their sprouting and cultivation.