Colorful Cannabis Growing: Every Grower’s Fantasy

If you have minimal knowledge about the colorful cannabis plant, you might think that the plant only comes in the color green. You might get the image that marijuana is a little boring, but here is where you are. Cannabis can come in a multitude of colors: red, orange, purple, pink, and blue. You can make your cannabis plants at home grow in a colorful rainbow, too, as long as you know about genetics and that you can follow them all through. However, genetics is one thing, but there are other things you should consider if you want to achieve colorful cannabis growing.

Parts of Cannabis That Can Have Different Colors

Calyxes – These are the parts that make the cannabis buds. In fact, the buds that you consume are made from a combination of several hundred calyxes that are piled on top of one another. Some of them, if not all, can be a different color aside from green. So, calyxes can be the part that would turn your cannabis into a colorful plant. All that it takes is having a few purple calyxes for your plant to have an overall purplish tint. If you grind up this type of weed, you will see so many colorful pieces throughout that sample. Obviously, if you want the color to be the dominant instead of green, there should be more that will provide the most color in the buds.

Pistils – Pistils are hairs that stick out of the buds often turn pink, orange, red, and purple, even if the other parts of the flower stay green. When the buds of cannabis have dried, they will retain some of the colorings of the pistils, and you will be able to see the colors looking to get through to the buds.

Leaves – There are certain strains where it is the buds that stay green while its leaves change their colors. It will result in a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing plant. But, since the leaves will be trimmed come harvest time, you will not be able to see the beautiful colors. This phenomenon happens when the plants are exposed to low nighttime temperatures. The leaves that are exposed to light turn people, while those in the shade do not change their colors.

Trichomes – Experienced cannabis growers often use the trichome method in determining whether a cannabis crop is now ready for harvest. Using a magnifying glass, growers are able to see if the cannabis plant is not available for harvesting yet. If the trichomes have a milky white color, the plant is at its highest THC content. Once that these trichomes are turning yellow or amber, you have passed the right time for harvesting, and the weed will be able to provide a mellow high. There are rare cases, though, that the trichomes turn to a pinkish or purplish color.

Cannabis Genetics & Color

The most critical aspect of the colorful cannabis plant is the genetic qualities that it possesses. No matter what techniques you follow, if a marijuana strain is unable to display stunning hues, all a person’s efforts will be in vain. The genetic building blocks for this specific trait are called anthocyanins, which is a flavonoid family that produces blue, purple, and red pigments. You can also see these flavonoids in plants like blueberries, eggplants, red cabbage, and violets.

Anthocyanins are a group of over 400 molecules. In fact, the pH in these molecules are exposed to can make a significant difference to the colors they produce. A great thing, though, is that anthocyanins do not alter the smell or taste of the weed. The extent of their traits only changes the color, just like how it is chlorophyll, which can provide a green coloring to the plants. A mature cannabis plant will begin producing lesser of this substance, which will, therefore, lead anthocyanin to come into a variety of colors.

Some cannabis strains naturally contain a more considerable amount of anthocyanins compared to others. This is why there are strains that express the same colors time and again. For instance, Purple Kush, Purple Urkle, and Granddaddy Purple can provide light lavenders and darker purples.

If you want to get colorful buds, you should choose a cannabis strain that has bright buds and vivid pistils, if you can. If you’re going to achieve maximum colors, deep purple buds can maintain their pleasing appearance once they have been trimmed and dried.

Five Things That You Should Control So You Can Bring Out The Best Colorful Cannabis Plant

Cannabis strains that are equipped with the right genetic profile can produce stunning colors depending on the conditions. The cannabis plant can produce flavonoids and anthocyanin for protecting the plant. Additionally, flavonoid accumulation is involved in the various aspects of the growth of a cannabis plant. This includes pathogen resistance, pigment production, and protection against UV radiation.

Temperature

Several cannabis strains were able to show even brighter colors when their grow area’s temperature during the night is set a few degrees cooler than the temperatures during the day, especially when the plant is approaching its harvest time. Not all strains are able to react well to the cold, though. For instance, strains like Querkle prefer warmth, especially during the daytime, while strains like Panama show their beautiful colors regardless of the temperature. To be safe and cover all the bases, temperatures must be at 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Generally, cannabis plants with red, purple, and blue hues react well to the cold.

Growth Stage

The photoperiod in a cannabis plant’s life plays a vital role in its color development. When you reduce the time that your marijuana plant is exposed to light, you would be able to see a change in its leaf colors. During the blooming stage, this will be even more intense. Known as senescence, this event will lead to a halt in chlorophyll production, which would cause the leaves to wilt and die.

pH Levels

Cannabis cultivation experts believe that maintaining pH levels is one thing that growers should take note of. The current rule is that the soil’s pH levels must range from 6.0 to 7.0. If you use a hydroponic system, the levels must be at 5.5 to 6.5 pH levels. If you are targeting pinkish and red hues, keep the pH range acidic. If you want purplish hues, keep the pH at neutral levels. Bluish and yellowish colors tend to appear in high pH or alkaline levels.
Lighting – Lighting levels depend on which strain will be used. For weed in the purple spectrum, they usually require strong and direct light for the buds and the leaves. But, feel free to experiment on the light and use LEDs to increase the rate of production of anthocyanins.

Deficiencies

A deficiency in the nutrient Nitrogen can result in a decline in chlorophyll levels, which will turn the leaves yellow. If the deficiency is on phosphorous, there will be hints of red and purple on the buds. However, achieving colors this way will not reap benefits and can lead to problems for your plant.

Perfect Colorful Cannabis Plant in Different Colors

Yellow and Orange / Bright and Sunny

The ideal strains to grow from this are Lemon Kush, Kandy Skunk, Grapefruit, Wicked OG, and Alien OG
To achieve these colors, boost the pH level of your plants during the last few weeks of flowering. Perfect the soil quality and add organic amendments like worm castings to the compost.

Black / Cerebral and Exotic

The ideal strains for this color are Black Widow, Black Mamba, Black Willy, Black Diesel, Black Tuna, and Vietnamese Black.
Achieving black colors come with taking risks on the temperatures and playing with the right cannabis strains.

Red and Pink / Fun and Vibrant

The ideal strains for this color are Alaskan ThunderBolt, Pink Lady Kush, Pink Lemonade, and Pink Flower Shaman.
To achieve this, drop the temperatures in the growing area and reduce the amount of light exposed to the plant during its flowering stage. Cut down the phosphorous levels a few weeks before harvest time.

Need To Know: Does The Color of the Cannabis Buds Affect The Potency

Some people think that there is a misconception that certain colors result in stronger marijuana strains. But this is not true. There are strains whose colors are solely due to genetics and have not been meddled with at all.

Remember: color has no business in the quality and potency of a cannabis bud. But, you might enjoy more anti-oxidant properties because of the added benefit of the presence of anthocyanins. As a result, you will enjoy better anti-inflammatory properties as well as pain relief.

Final Thoughts

Throughout this article, you were exposed to the various aspects involved in identifying a cannabis plant’s color. These factors include pH levels, nutrients, temperatures, and genetics. So, if you want to try this thing on your own cannabis plantation, follow the advice that you have received but prioritize genetics first. Enjoy the aesthetically pleasing harvest, but do not forget that it is all there is: face value.