What Does a Marijuana Plant Look Like?

There are three main types of marijuana plant: Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis. Cannabis Sativa has leaflets that are narrow, branches that are farther apart and a coloration that can best be described as spring green. They also tend to be taller and produce fewer flowers. Ideal growing conditions are outdoors where plants can reach heights of up to twenty feet.

Cannabis Indica has broad, overlapping leaflets, branches that are closer together and is a deep olive shade of green. Indica plants are often bushier and shorter, making denser and fuller flower buds. Overall, these plants tend to be better suited for indoor growth.

Cannabis Ruderalis plants have varied leaflets, a shorter stature and generally small size. This subspecies is used to make certain Sativa and Indica hybrids with select and desired traits.

In general terms, cannabis leaves are compound, having many leaflets as opposed to a single leaf that grows from the stem, and to employ plant terminology, they are decussate-opposite rather than alternate. This means that leaves emerge on each side of the stem, leaving a clear vertical space between each and the next. Each new leaf is at a right angle to the last pair. Alternate leaves emerge from the stem individually, swapping sides as the vertical height increases.

There has been incredible morphology in cannabis plants throughout the world and this has led to some unusual leaf patterns occurring from time to time. One of the main reasons for these intentional variations is concealment purposes to produce a potent form of cannabis that does not actually appear like the illegal substance itself. This prevents carriers from getting in trouble with the law. One of these variations is webbed leaves. This has become a common mutation that breeders have tried to stabilize. Such attempts have yet to prevail, and thus webbed varieties are not commercially available on a widespread level, though in the past it was possible to source specific webbed varieties in seed form, such as Duckfoot.

Another common mutation is whorled phyllotaxy. Many growers find it desirable from a cosmetic standpoint and this mutation is said to produce highly potent flowers. “Australian Bastard” is perhaps the most striking mutation which takes the form of hairless, succulent leaflets typically having no more than five leaflets per leaf. The individual leaflets do not usually grow past a few centimetres in length.

Another variation in the appearance of marijuana plants can be found in the different strains of the plant themselves. A strain like Bubble Trumps OG, for example, might boast bright orange hairs where a strain like Silvertip has leaves that are more purple in color. A quick web search will reveal the wide variety of marijuana plants and strains, all with their own unique features and growing conditions.