Terpenes 101

If you’ve ever been curious about the compounds in cannabis, one that’s definitely quite the kicker is terpenes. What are they? What do they refer to? Let’s dive in and learn a little bit more about terpenes, and what they do. 

What are they? 

Terpenes are basically oils that are within the cannabis plant that are responsible for two things: the smells, and the flavors. Berry, pine, and citrus are all examples of this, and they’re actually a major part of the safety of a plants. They protect the plant from invaders, since they taste awful. 

Ter4penes are usually something that you find in veggies and fruits along with herbs, and they do give off a smell that’s pleasant, even if the animals that try to eat it hate it. The cannabis plant has over 200 of these  bad boys, but only about 30 of them are in vast amounts, and they’re something that gets stored within the leaves, and this resinous glands are what produce it. This is called trichomes, and they’re depicted by the little white or other color tufts along the top of the plant. When you smell a cannabis plant, it’s got a certain scent to it, and how it smells depends on a few things. The genetics are a big part, but also the water, the type of fertilizer, the type of soil, and even the time you harvest or go out to check them does impact this. 

What’s their Purpose? 

The purpose of this is still being studied, but most studies claim it aids in what’s called the entourage effect. This is basically a word that means the cannabinoids, the terpenes, and the flavonoids in this work together to create something better, stronger and more enhanced for the person who is taking this. 

Now let’s take for example the plant.  You know about indica and sativa, but did you know that the terpenes actually are what play a role in the effects. Indica and sativa just describe the anatomy of the plant, with sativa being very tall, with thin and long leaves, and indicas are short, wider, and have broader leaves, and this is something that the terpenes are a part of in this plant. If you look at different terpenes, you notice that they’re fruity, as in the case of terpinolene, since it’s similar to a fruity taste, and in super lemon haze, jack Herer, and others, this one is definitely present. However, it’s also found in indica strains including strawberry cough, OG Kush, and also harlequin, which is more CBD-dominant than anything else. 

What are some popular Terpenes? 

There are a few out there that really stand out. You’ve got myrcene, which is responsible for the earthy, piney scent and you smell this in a ton of beauty products. It’s good for relaxing, sleep, and is found to help with chronic pain along with inflammation, and even helps those with cancer. It’s something that’s responsible for most of the terpene profiles in most strains of cannabis. 

Then you have limonene, which is lemony or citrusy, and this one definitely is good for those who want something that fights bacteria and fungi, as it’s an antifungal along with an antibacterial in terms of properties, and it can even help with tumor reduction too. Finally, there is linalool, which is found in mint, lavender, coriander, and cinnamon, and is basically responsible for the floral and spicy smells you have in cannabis. This is good for those who suffer from different inflammatory conditions, seizures, and also cancer, since this is one that relaxes. 

Hybrid Cannabis Strains

Cannabis is either a pure or a hybrid breed of plant, similar to anything else. While the industry has started to become more commercialized, the pure and current hybrid strains do get constantly mixed and they get remixed together, thereby creating more hybrids as a result. They are the manmade attempts at creating custom plants, and they can be both sativa, rueralis, and indica strains, where they get the traits from their parents. There are a couple of options for hybrid strain types, and they include the following: 

• Two sativa strains bred together 

• Two indica strains bred together 

• A sativa and indica being mixed together. This usually has traits that involve both of these kinds of cannabis. It may be tall, but the buds might be purple for instance 

• Indica and sativa, which has both characteristics, but the indica is much more dominant 

Auto flowering cultivars that are hybrids sometimes show up too, and it gets mixed with the genetics becoming ruderalis. 

The Breeding Aspect 

The breeding of this is quite similar to other plants, since it involves the female plant needing the male’s pollen to finally create a new plant.  This is something that works naturally, but when you create a hybrid, the breeders tend to use selective breeding where they only allow certain traits to show up in a plant. 

The seeds that are crated in this are both hybrids of the parent plants, so the traits that are desired can be bred once again from these plants. Once the traits have been found, they will “cube” this, which is where they create a hybrid that’s a child with the current strain of the parents in order to keep those characteristics reinforced, and then, they repeat this across multiple generations in order to keep the characteristics stable. 

They can also be bred asexually too, and this is a process where they combine this, using cloning, cutting, or even root division, and asexual reproduction allows for the plant to have the same characteristics once again, repeating this as needed to create the ultimate cannabis plant for your growing needs. 

Trait dominance 

It’s important to understand that there are also different aspects of dominance which can happen there. You’ve got complete dominance, which is when you have the genes that are dominant and are able to suppress those recessive aspects, which is why you see it looking more like one type of plant tan the other. With cannabis, you see this in color, where the dominant color will completely show rather than the recessive color, and usually, in first-generation plants it will show the dominance completely, with the sequence plants showing the recessive aspects of this.

Then her is incomplete dominance, which is where you see the recessive and the dominant features of the plant, and this is something that usually is different in cannabis plants. This is where the plant may show mixtures of the traits, rather than just one or the next, so it’s something that also does account for the inconsistencies in the plant itself. 

Usually, this shows itself in the type of way the plant looks. For indica, it usually is more short and stubby. For sativa, they’re taller and more like a tree, and the buds are a lot fluffier.  The ruderalis types will start to flower no matter what, and they’re definitely popular. All hybrid strains have all of these aspects, and it’s important to make sure that you do factor all of this in, making it something to consider when you’re breeding different cannabis plants as well too.

Hybrid, Sativa, or Indica: What to Choose

The moment you step into a dispensary is a big change from what you might be used to with marijuana. There is a ton that’s available, with all of them falling into one of the three major categories, indica sativa or hybrids. While this doesn't tell you everything that you need to know, it does offer some valuable insight to hit the needs that you have.

Sativa: The Strains for Energizing 

Hybrid, sativa, and indica all fall into these categories because of the way that the plants look. Sativa is basically thin, tall, and features leaves that have slender, long points to them. The buds on this are thin, long, and very light. Hybrid, indica, and sativa types also tell you about the effects.  Sativas are going to give you energy, and they usually are great for stimulating the mind, boosting motivation, creativity, and your focus too. So if you’re struggling to get through your day, or have no idea how to finish a project, this is definitely the best strain.  It’s also the best for work too, as it can help you feel motivated too! 

Indica To Relax 

For those days when you just want to kick it on the couch, indica is the best one. Indica comes from plants that are wider, thicker, and shorter. The leaves tend to be fat and stubby too.  Unlike the buds that are light and long, the buds that you get from indica tend to be firm and compact too.  They offer less of a mental high, and more of a body high. It’s great for helping to relax the muscles you have, reduce the pains and aches you deal with, and calms the mind down when you’ve got thoughts that race. 

Some of the stronger strains can actually make you feel couch locked, so you’re unable to get up usually, which is good for helping with sleeping, and allowing you to wake up with a more energized, and refreshed state. 

Hybrids 

Then, there are the hybrids.  These usually come from crossbreeding both sativa, and indica, creating a combination, and is basically a mixture of both.  Those that are similar to indica, tend to have a bit of a wider stature, but they also might be a little bit longer in terms of leaves. 

In a sense, you’re getting a plant that’s kind of a combination, and for a lot of people, they are the best kind.  Why is that? Usually, for people to enjoy weed, they need something that typically offers a high for both types of situations. Sometimes, some strains might start off very cerebral, so you feel focused and motivated. Then when it’s done, you feel totally relaxed.  It’s pretty cool, and there’s a reason why these are the most popular on the market currently. 

Choosing the Right Strain 

So what is the right strain? Truth is, it depends on the needs that you have.  No matter how specific the symptoms that you have are, there is some benefit to all three of these kinds.  The best way for you to get the most out of this is to talk to a budtender to figure out the relief that you’re going through, and the differences between both. Talk to someone, and then ask them what kind of experience you’d like to go for. 

When you choose this, take it, and see for yourself if there is a possible benefit to that strain. If there are some drawbacks, you can talk to a budtender and they might be able to hook you up with another strain.