Species: Sativa, Indica, Ruderalis, Hybrid

Cannabis, a modern adaptation of an ancient word for the marijuana plant, is classified into three main species: Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis.

The proper way to identify a cannabis species or plant is through its phenotype (physical characteristics), genotype (genetics), and chemotype (chemical profile such as cannabinoids and terpenes).

Cannabis plants can be male, female, or hermaphrodite. Female plants produce large, resin-secreting flowers that are trimmed into round or pointed buds. These female plants feature white hairs emerging from the preflowers, where buds begin to form.

Cannabis Sativa

• Grows tall and can reach heights up to 15 ft. Leaves are long, narrow, and lighter in color. Sativa plants typically grow taller with larger distances between nodes.

Cannabis Indica

• Grows approximately 3–6 ft tall. A bushy plant with thick, dark-green leaves. Indicas tend to be shorter, denser, and feature broad leaves.

Cannabis Ruderalis

• A short, wild-growing strain with fewer leaves and naturally low THC content. Not commonly used for consumption but frequently crossbred with Indicas or Sativas to produce auto-flowering hybrids.

Modern-Day Hybrids

• Created by pollinating a female plant with a male plant. Height, leaf structure, and flowering cycles depend on the genetic traits of the “parent” plants.