Cannabis Seeds: Anatomy, Different Types, And Everything Else You Need To Know About Them

You're out to purchase cannabis seeds. It's finally time that you start growing your own cannabis plant. But as you enter your local dispensary or an online store, you'll be greeted with hundreds of seeds with various words on them that may not make sense to you. 

Let's start with the basics of seeds. Along the way, we will discuss the anatomy of seeds, how they form, and the differences between photoperiod, feminized, autoflower, and fast versions. What are these? These are the type of cannabis seeds you can purchase and grow today. 

Let's learn more about them. 

What Makes Up a Cannabis Seed?

When you're holding a cannabis seed in your hand, you're essentially looking at the foundation of life for the plant. It will germinate, and flower, and you'll get those buds you desire. 

What exactly defines a cannabis seed? Well, it's a living entity that contains everything needed to develop into a mature cannabis plant. As the plant grows, it develops, roots, branches, stems, and buds as well. 

Think of a cannabis seed as an embryo that develops into a large plant. If you mess up with the seeds, there will be no plant at all. Also, these seeds are crucial for the continuation of their race. Just like we humans give birth to children to continue our race, plants depend on seeds to continue their race. And, just like our children inherit our genetics, cannabis strains also inherit many characteristics from their parent plants. 

Cannabis seeds are dormant until water is introduced to them, whether in nature or you decide to germinate them. During dormancy, biochemical processes slow down or temporarily pause, so the seeds will be viable even if you store them and germinate them after a long time. If you store them properly in a cool and safe environment, good seeds will germinate even after years. 

Anatomy of a Cannabis Seed

You don't have to get into all the details of the seed to germinate it. However, it could be fun to understand what you're growing and how the components work together to give you the buds you love. Here are the basic components of a cannabis seed:

Seed Coat

Almost every seed of every plant has a seed coat, and cannabis is no exception. Some seed coats are very hard, like that of a lotus, for example. The outermost layer of a cannabis seed is called the seed coat, also known as the hull or shell. This protective layer safeguards the embryo from threats like pathogens, pests, and physical harm. The seed coat can have different colors and textures.

Embryo

Within the seed coat resides the embryo, which is an undeveloped plant. The embryo comprises three parts, including the radicle (root), cotyledons or the first two leaves that emerge, and the embryonic shoot. Did you know that you can distinguish between plants based on the number of leaves that grow first, or cotyledons? Since cannabis has two leaves or cotyledons, it's a dicotyledonous plant. 

Cotyledons

As mentioned above, cannabis typically has two cotyledons that emerge during germination. It's very rare to see three leaves, which could be a mutation. These leaves, despite being so small, store nutrients that sustain the plant until it can generate energy through photosynthesis. Thus, the plant cannot survive if the cotyledons get damaged in some way. If the plant somehow survives, it will grow slowly because the cotyledons struggled. 

Endosperm

The endosperm is a tissue that surrounds the embryo and acts as a source of nourishment for the sprouting seedling. It holds fats, carbohydrates, and proteins that provide nutrients to the growing plant just until it develops its root system and can absorb nutrients from the soil.

Taproot

When a cannabis seed sprouts, you will see a white hairy root, known as the taproot. It anchors the seedling firmly in the soil and also helps it absorb water and nutrients. A strong taproot is essential for ensuring the stability of the plant.

How do Cannabis Seeds Develop?

From pollination to harvesting, every stage contributes to the health and vigor of the plant.

Pollination

At the core of reproduction lies a process called pollination. As dioecious plants, cannabis has separate male and female plants and they are both involved in this intricate process where they create new seeds. Dioecious refers to the division of the sexes in plants, meaning they contain only one reproductive organ. Thus, while the male plant produces the pollen, the female bears the flowers or buds. 

During the flowering phase, male cannabis plants develop sacs filled with pollen. As these sacs mature, they burst open releasing grains of pollen into the surrounding environment. These tiny grains contain the material needed for fertilization which kickstarts the development of seeds.

On the other hand, the female bears clusters of flowers that are nestled within structures called calyxes. The calyxes that contain resinous glands help the seeds form after pollination. Most importantly, the calyx holds it all together, like the womb of a female, and also protects the buds against pests! Apart from the calyx, the cannabis plant also uses terpenes (aromatic compounds in the plant) to lure pollinators. 

And, just as there's a gush of wind, the pollen gets dispersed to reach the flowers. Sometimes, bees, birds, and other insects also help transport the pollen. Once the pollen travels down to the stigma of the flower, a series of events begin the process of reproduction. 

Seed Formation

Once fertilization is successful, the ovule, or the reproductive structure in the flower, transforms into a seed when the pollen interacts with it. This fascinating process occurs within the calyx, where the seeds then begin their development.

Beyond seed formation, pollination also promotes diversity within cannabis populations so they can adapt and withstand changes. In a way, it sustains the evolutionary potential of cannabis plants.

Seed Maturation

After pollination, another chapter begins in the life cycle of cannabis plants: the maturation phase of seeds. This period involves a series of processes taking place within the calyxes, where fertilized ovules transform into fully developed seeds. 

Once female flowers have been successfully fertilized, a significant shift occurs in the plant's physiology. Resources previously allocated to growth and resin production are redirected towards nurturing the developing seeds, thereby marking the beginning of their journey within calyxes.

As seeds progress through this maturation process, noticeable changes take place within calyxes. They expand in size to accommodate growing seeds. The plant simultaneously directs nutrients toward the growing seeds to help establish the embryonic structure of the seeds and also provide sustenance during germination. In addition, cannabinoids and terpenes also contribute to the composition of the seeds to influence their characteristics and traits. 

Breeders are very vigilant at this point and pay attention to how the seeds mature to assess their viability. Healthy and robust seeds are sturdy and uniform in size. They also have a solid outer coat or shell. Fortunately, this very shell or coating allows the breeders to send them in packages to growers across the world. The grower can store it and then germinate it later and the seeds will still be viable, thanks to the shell. 

Seeds that haven't fully matured may appear smaller in size and look pale with irregularities. Various environmental factors can also impact seed maturation. For instance, they should have sufficient sunlight exposure, optimal temperatures, and appropriate humidity levels for them to develop properly. And, just like the buds, stress can have an impact on them too. Sudden fluctuations in temperature, lack of nutrients, or pest invasions can put the quality of seeds at risk. 

Timing of Harvest

This is the most crucial phase of all. The breeder or grower who wants to create seeds must pay attention to the timing of harvest. Harvesting early could result in seeds with lower chances of viability. Conversely, delaying the harvest runs the risk of seed dispersal and potential losses. 

Seed Dormancy

As the seeds are harvested, they go through a quiet phase of dormancy, like a state of hibernation. This is also a strategy to survive so they are protected against threats that hinder germination. Seed dormancy acts as a shield by protecting seeds from risks like sudden temperature fluctuations, extreme temperatures, fluctuations in humidity levels, and microbial activity. During this state, metabolic processes within the seeds slow down, reducing their susceptibility to stress.

They lie in wait while preserving their vitality until you provide the right conditions for them to germinate. Of course, this can happen without our intervention as well. Cannabis seeds germinate in the wild as soon as they experience favorable conditions that allow them to begin the next stage of their life cycle. This means that the seeds can sense conditions like temperature, light, and moisture. When the right combination of warmth, darkness, and moisture is present, the seeds awaken from dormancy and germinate. 

Storage

Once harvested, you must store the seeds properly to preserve their viability. Always store the seeds in dry, dark environments to prevent aging and ensure that seeds stay dormant until conditions favor germination. You should choose storage containers with careful consideration. Airtight and opaque containers like glass jars shield them from light. When stored correctly, cannabis seeds can remain viable for years ensuring their longevity and also increasing the success rate during germination.

As you can understand by now, the seed maturation phase represents a huge milestone in the life cycle of cannabis plants. It involves changes and resource allocation that determine whether robust and healthy seeds will be produced which sets the stage for further growth phases in growing cannabis. 

Now that you understand the basic anatomy of seeds and how they develop, let's take a look at the types of seeds available to help you grow cannabis at home!

Most Popular Cannabis Seeds: Photoperiod Seeds

The most common and popular type of cannabis seeds are photoperiod seeds but think of this as a class of seeds since it contains a few varieties. We have clubbed these sub-types together because they have one thing in common — they are photoperiodic. 

What does it mean?

Photoperiod cannabis seeds rely on the light cycle to start their flowering stage. Cannabis naturally is a photoperiod plant, so when winter arrives and days get shorter, it triggers the flowering stage within the plant. 

However, if you are growing cannabis indoors, you'd have to manually switch the light cycle. Generally, most growers prefer a light cycle of 18/6 for their vegetative cannabis plants, and when they want the plant to flower, they switch the light cycle to 12/12. In perfect conditions, a cannabis plant can perpetually stay in the vegetative stage with an 18/6 light cycle. 

Here are some common types of photoperiod cannabis seeds. 

Regular Seeds 

The most basic type of cannabis seed you'll find is, no surprise here, regular seeds. These seeds are produced by pollinating female cannabis plants with male pollen. As a result, these seeds can produce either male or female plants — it's kind of like a lucky draw here. 

So, if you want to grow cannabis for its flowers, you need to get a lot of regular seeds. For ten plants, you should get at least 20 seeds since half of them are likely to turn out to be males. 

Regular seeds offer a few benefits, which is why they are still the most popular type of cannabis seeds growers use. Here are the benefits of using regular cannabis seeds:

• They are cheap, so even if you buy twice the number of seeds you need, you don't mind 
• Since seeds aren't produced by crossing two identical cannabis plants, regular seeds possess more genetic diversity with different phenotype 
• You can buy regular seeds anywhere — sometimes, they come for free with low-quality buds 
• Regular seeds make it easier to produce hybrids since you can cross male and female plants easily 

However, regular cannabis seeds also have a few downsides, such as the following:

• They are unpredictable — you never know if your plant is male or female until it nears the flowering stage 
• It's easy to mistake male and female plants, and sometimes, the male plant can end up pollinating all the other female plants in the garden 
• Requires you to be on your toes 
• Sometimes, quality isn't guaranteed with regular seeds and they may produce unwanted phenotypes 

Feminized Seeds 

Feminized seeds are like regular photoperiod seeds but fix the biggest downside: feminized seeds guarantee female plants. 

These seeds are modified so that they cannot produce male chromosomes, meaning the plants they produce are 99.9% guaranteed to be female. They do produce male plants once in a while but that rarely occurs. 

Remember, feminizing a plant is not easy. It takes a lot of time and trial and error to produce feminized seeds that are stable and consistent. This is why feminized seeds are expensive, especially the high-quality ones. 

Here are some of the benefits of using feminized seeds for growing cannabis plants:

• If you want to save the trouble of figuring out your plant's sex every season, it's worth investing in feminized seeds — your plants will only turn out to be female 
• No more risk of a rogue male plant accidentally pollinating your entire garden 
• Feminized plants are also much easier to control since they grow depending on the light you give them and are fairly consistent and reliable — at least the high-quality ones 
• Feminized seeds are also known to produce high-yielding cannabis plants
• Since you pay top dollar for feminized seeds, you are almost always guaranteed high-quality seeds — it's not easy producing feminized seeds and only the best breeders can do so 

That's not to say feminized seeds are without any flaws. Here are some downsides of feminized cannabis seeds:

• They are expensive and not available in many regions around the world 
• If you're a breeder, these are not for you as they aren't the best breeding plants 
• The clones feminized seeds produce are not so viable, so germinating is always better than cloning for feminized seeds 
• If you end up with low-quality feminized seeds or the environment is stressful, your plant may turn into a hermaphrodite 

For Discretion and Beginners: Autoflowering Seeds

Another type of cannabis seed that's super popular is the autoflowering variety. This type of seed isn't for everyone, but for those who like what these seeds offer, there's nothing better. 

The biggest differentiating factor between autoflowering seeds and regular seeds is how they grow from the vegetative to the flowering stage. Unlike regular plants, autoflowering plants do not rely on the light cycle to switch from one stage to another. 

Autoflowering cannabis plants work on an internal genetic clock, so regardless of the light condition, these plants will switch to the flowering stage when the time is right. As a result, these plants have a short life cycle and stout dimensions. 

Thanks to these qualities, autoflowering seeds are popular amongst growers who want to keep their plants discreet. They are small and easy to grow, although you pay the price with a slightly lower yield compared to regular plants. 

On the other hand, autoflowering seeds are also recommended for beginners since they don't require a lot of investment in terms of lighting and are also easier to grow. Even someone who's never grown cannabis before can grow a decent autoflowering plant with minimal time and attention. 

Since these plants have a short life cycle of 10 to 12 weeks, they are also fairly popular among growers who live in regions with a short growing season or are simply impatient. 

How are these seeds produced? Breeders produce autoflowering cannabis seeds by crossing a regular seed plant with a ruderalis. The resulting plant has a short life cycle, and smaller dimensions, and can produce flowers in almost any situation. Sometimes, they are also created by crossing regular photoperiod plants with autoflowering plants. 

Here are some of the benefits autoflowering cannabis plants offer to cannabis growers:

• Since they grow up to a meter in height, they can be hidden easily 
• They also fit in compact spaces much more easily, so you can even grow them in computer towers or space buckets 
• They harvest faster, so you can even have multiple harvests per season if your region's climate allows for it 
• You don't have to worry about switching the light cycle as they flower automatically when the time is right
• Growing them is as easy as growing a regular plant in your garden 

Here are some downsides of autoflowering cannabis plants:

• Since they are small and have a short life cycle, they don't produce a large yield — best suited for personal use. However, many of the seeds produced by modern breeders are exceptional in terms of yield. So, autos allow you to purchase seeds that could grow into either small or large plants
• They are also not as potent as their photoperiod counterparts, but some new strains are getting close 
• Like feminized seeds, even autoflowering plants are difficult to clone 

A New Kid On The Block: Fast Version Seeds 

Sweet Seeds, a Valencian seed bank, was the first one to produce a fast version of cannabis seed, and they did so by crossing photoperiod strains with autoflowering strains. The result was a type of seed that combines the best of both worlds, autoflowering, and photoperiod. 

As their name suggests, fast-version cannabis seeds produce plants that are fast versions of their regular counterpart, but they aren't autoflowering. Sure, they were unreliable initially, but today, fast-version strains have come a long way. 

Modern fast version seeds are efficient and reliable, and combine the yield of photoperiod strains with a shorter flowering time. Generally, fast version strains have a flowering time that is around a week less, sometimes, even more. But unlike autoflowering plants, fast-version seeds can grow big and produce a respectable yield that is only slightly lower than its regular counterpart. 

Here are some of the pros of fast-version seeds:

• They have a quick flowering time, so you can harvest them a lot sooner 
• They don't compromise yield for fast flowering, unlike autoflowering plants 
• Modern fast version seeds produce high-quality plants that are even capable of cloning 
• These seeds are also quite resilient against pests and pathogens 

Here are some cons of fast-version cannabis seeds:

• They don't grow as fast as autoflowering strains 
• They are still somewhat smaller than their regular counterparts and so is their yield 
• Fast-version seeds are harder to find and only come in a few varieties 
• Some strains can still be difficult to clone 

How to Know if Cannabis Seeds are Good or Bad?

The best way to learn about the viability of cannabis seeds is by observing the color and texture of the seeds. If you're purchasing seeds in bulk or breeding at home, it becomes important to understand the potential for germination. 

Here are a few tips that will help distinguish the good seeds from the bad ones:

1. Color and Texture

Typically, healthy seeds appear dark brown with other subtle characteristics like tiger stripes. Touch the seeds to feel their firmness as well. A healthy seed feels firm but should not break when you press it. You may also notice tiny, white streaks resembling cracks in the seed coat. In addition, the seed will look shiny and smooth to the touch. 

On the other hand, seeds that look green are immature and will be tough to germinate or will not germinate at all as they were probably harvested too soon. They may not contain the nutrients needed for the seed to grow. Finally, they will also be weak and break easily when you press them. Some seeds may be broken or damaged and appear almost white. 

Also, when you purchase a batch of seeds or harvest them, look for uniformity. This means that if each seed appears to be drastically different from the others, it's better to avoid purchasing from that particular breeder the next time. Healthier seeds of the same strain generally look alike. Slight differences may exist because of genetic variances. 

2. Float Test

This is another simple method to check the viability of the seeds. All you need to do is place the seeds in a bowl of water and observe them. Essentially, this will help you separate the healthy sturdy seeds from weak or damaged ones that are so hollow they float.  

Strong seeds will sink almost immediately. Sometimes, you may need to flick them a bit with your finger so they sink. While healthy ones will get to the bottom of the bowl with a little help from you, unhealthy ones will float right back up. 

This test where the seeds float or sink will indicate the density of the seeds. Since high-quality seeds have more density, they sink. They are matured to perfection and you can expect them to germinate with little to no problems. Conversely, low-quality seeds aren't all that dense and float to the top. The internal structures are either developed poorly or damaged. You can still try and germinate them if you want but the chances of success are low. 

If you're trying to breed some seeds for yourself, note that sudden fluctuations in temperature during late flowering can prevent the seeds from developing properly. Or, you may have harvested them a tad early. Therefore, harvest the seeds at the right time and also make sure that the plants get the perfect environment to produce perfect seeds. 

3. Brand Reputation

Many beginners are tempted to grow bag seeds. While this can be a good experience that teaches you a lot about cannabis, most of the seeds don't even flower. If they do, they turn into hermies. Most importantly, you don't know much about the origins, making it difficult to expect anything from them. 

High-quality seeds are pricey, sure, but what's the point in investing so much for a setup if you don't get it right at the beginning? All your expensive lights and equipment are useless if you don't get the right seeds. Therefore, we recommend that you go for reputable breeders. 

If you're an experienced cannabis grower with many grows under your belt, you already know about the best breeders. Or, you probably pollinate the plants yourself to breed some seeds. However, it can be daunting to choose a good breeder if you're new. 

To make it easier, we have a dedicated section for seedbanks where you can understand everything you need to know about breeders. From pictures of the plants to diaries and reviews of users, you get a thorough understanding of how the plants may perform. 

Apart from this, you should also conduct your due diligence. After all, you're going to be paying a high price if you want high-quality seeds, so why not conduct proper research before purchasing the seeds?

First, you should look at the brand's reputation. Are they serving their customers well? The way they treat their customers will tell you a lot about their reputation. Since the company cares deeply about its reputation, it will ensure that it sends only the best seeds to you. 

Next, take a look at the way they describe their seeds. Good seedbanks even get lab tests to determine the cannabinoid content, which can be very useful if you're looking for specific types of seeds. 

Finally, remember that breeders spend a lot of time testing and back-crossing several strains. They are tested for stability for a long time before they are released to the market. Considering the effort and tech behind it, you can expect seeds to be expensive. However, if the prices are outrageously expensive, you should pause and understand why. It's a red flag if a breeder with no reputation charges high amounts. Conversely, if you see breeders charging little to nothing, it could be problematic too. 

With these factors in mind, you can be sure to pick up the best seeds. 

Summary: Cannabis Seeds: Anatomy, Different Types, And Everything Else You Need To Know About Them

The cannabis industry has evolved quite a lot in recent years. There was a time when all you could grow were the seeds your friend passed you in a small little bag. Today, you have hundreds, if not thousands, of options. 

But most of these options narrow down to the type of seeds, including regular photoperiod, feminized photoperiod, autoflowering, and fast version. Which one is best for you? We've listed the pros and cons above but the final decision lies on you. 

Let us know in the comments which type of cannabis seeds is best for you.