Cannabis Flower 101
Below, we’ve curated a comprehensive guide to all things bud that will enhance your understanding of cannabis flower: what it is, how it works, how to use it, and more. From loose flower to infused pre-rolls – shake and trim specials to top shelf reserve buds – each and every flower is unique. That means each has a story to tell and a unique experience to offer.
We’ll also get into the practical stuff, such as easy ways to accurately estimate the quality of cannabis buds, teaching you how to discern the trichomes that shimmer with potency and recognize the craftsmanship of well-manicured buds. Additionally, we’ll look at some of the differences between flower-based products and different routes of administration – there’s a world of difference between an herb vaporizer and a bong, after all. We’ll even break down best practices for handling and storing your flower.
So, whether you’re seeking to expand your considerable knowledge or indulge in the wonders of cannabis flower for the very first time, let our Cannabis Flower 101 resource page serve as your trusted companion. Welcome to a world where nature’s beauty and the human experience converge at the intersection of biology, spirituality, and socializing. Welcome to Kind Meds Cannabis Flower 101.
Cannabis Flower Explained
At the heart of the cannabis plant lies its most celebrated and sought-after component: the cannabis flower. Cannabis flower is more often affectionately referred to as “bud.” This is a fitting moniker because it can indeed make a great friend when treated with care and respect.
The word flower is not just some cannabis culture slang. That chunky green stuff you break up and smoke is very literally the dried and cured flower of the cannabis sativa L. plant, though it does not look much like a rose or daisy. This remarkable blossom holds the key to unlocking the plant’s myriad therapeutic benefits and captivating psychoactive effects.
Suggested Reading: Cannabis FAQs
The Life Cycle of Cannabis Flower
The flower is the reproductive organ of the cannabis plant, making it of paramount importance. While cannabis sativa stalks and other matter can be used to create all sorts of awesome hemp products, it is within the flower of the part where the magic happens. Here, cannabinoids, terpenes, and other valuable compounds are found synthesized together in their highest concentrations. These compounds, most notably THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), are responsible for the therapeutic and psychoactive properties that have made cannabis a beloved and cherished plant companion throughout the history of humankind.
Like other flowering plants, the cannabis plant produces clusters of resinous flowers when it reaches a mature state. These flowers can come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, depending on the strain and genetic makeup of the plant. Smaller, isolated buds are typically rather round, while larger flowers at the top of the plant gnarl together into massive cucumber- or cone-shaped buds. The strongest buds are always found covered in a glistening coat of trichomes, which are tiny crystal-like structures that contain a wealth of cannabinoids and aromatic terpenes.
The flowering period can vary from strain to strain but is typically around eight weeks in duration. Expert growers know exactly when to pick and cure (dry) the flowers to preserve the maximum cannabinoid amounts, which might take a couple of weeks, depending on conditions. From there, it’s on to the dispensary.
Different Forms of Cannabis Flower
“Flower” might seem like a fairly straightforward category of cannabis product. However, if you click into the flower section of our dispensary website, you’ll find that there is a wide range of options under that umbrella. Just looking at package sizes alone, typical pre-packaged offerings run from a very modest sampler of 3.5 grams up to a full ounce.
The different cannabis flower products you can find at a dispensary include:
“Loose” Flower
These are the standard buds you get when you order an eighth of your favorite strain. Typically, this will be a mix of smaller and medium-sized buds.
Ready to light up or bake some brownies? Consider grinding your cannabis first! Ground cannabis isn’t just easier to measure and handle, it also burns more uniformly. Whether you’re packing a pipe or rolling a joint, finely ground cannabis can elevate your experience.
Reserve Buds
Special, top-shelf buds tend to be extremely large and extremely dank, and of course, you will expect to pay a premium for the chance to experience such a bud. A tip to the wise, however: in terms of overall potency, a gargantuan, plant-topping bud is not usually going to be noticeably stronger than the more modest-sized buds from the same crop.
Popcorn Buds
A step up from trim and shake, popcorn buds are the smaller, less premium buds. Don’t worry, they still have plenty of good stuff.
Fancy a specific producer’s green? Consider grabbing a pack of their premium nugs at a reduced rate! This way, the producer benefits from selling their whole crop, and you score top-shelf buds without breaking the bank. It’s a win-win!
Trim and Shake
The material that gets trimmed or knocked off during the processing of cannabis flower can often be nearly as high in THC and other compounds as the buds themselves, and if your local dispensary collects and sells it, you can get this trim and shake material at a steep discount. While slightly lower in potency and quality than the bud it comes from, an ounce of trim and shake is great for filler material for your joints, long bong sessions calling for multiple re-packs, or for making your own cannabutter.
Prepackaged
While the loose flower model typically involves selling locally grown cannabis, another model of selling retail cannabis flower involves pre-packing a featured strain at a central facility so it can be widely distributed to dispensaries in multiple markets.
These packages usually feature bright, eye-catching graphics and branding. Many brands today are offering their prepackaged flower in sealed jars or bags. Pre-packaging reduces risk of contamination, helps seal in the flower’s freshness and ensures that your product is consistent in size and quality.
Pre-Rolls and Cones
Pre-rolled joints and cones are becoming an extremely popular way for dispensaries to sell a single-use amount of cannabis flower. Pre-rolls are priced to sell and offer great convenience for the customer on the go who doesn’t want to carry around a large container of bud and smoking supplies.
Pre-rolls also allow the user to try a new brand or strain without committing to a large quantity of flower. So, if you want to experiment, pre-rolls can be a great way to try a variety of flower in a more affordable way.
Want to find the right flower for you? Check out our Cannabis Strain Guide.
How to Determine Cannabis Flower Quality
Have you ever wondered how some long-time cannabis connoisseurs could declare a strain “fire” or “mid” with a sniff or even a quick ocular pat-down? It turns out you don’t need high-end lab equipment to determine the relative strength of a bud, as there are several markers that we can use our own human senses to assess.
Visual Quality Checks
Signals of high-quality bud that might catch your eye include the following:
- Trichomes – As we mentioned earlier, these are those frosty little crystalline structures that grow on cannabis flowers and sometimes even spill out onto the smaller leaves surrounding the bud. The “sparkliness” of a bud (i.e., its trichome density) is actually a direct indicator of its potency because those special biologically produced crystals are where cannabinoids and terpenes are found in their highest concentrations.
- Bud Density – Tight, dense buds usually speak to a plant that has been grown well. Wild-grown cannabis plants, for example, will tend to have looser, more feathery bud sites.
- As well as a visual cue, you can also check density by feel. Don’t do the feel test until after you’ve made your purchase, however, as laws in some states will prevent you from touching cannabis products until you have made your purchase and transported your sealed bag to an appropriate location.
Smell
When a cannabis enthusiast cracks the seal on a freshly purchased package of their favorite strain, takes a big whiff, and declares it “dank,” it might sound like some kind of insult to an outsider. In reality, dank, which Webster’s defines as “unpleasantly moist or wet,” is a premium compliment when it comes to cannabis.
Most cannabis lovers actually enjoy that powerful “musty basement” smell that can be unpleasant in other situations, a phenomenon unique to cannabis flower. The scent of a high-test cannabis strain is often described as diesel, gassy, or skunky, after all – and most people consider a skunk’s scent to be bad on a basic level. So, it stands to reason that a negative adjective like “dank” would be co-opted and rehabilitated by cannabis culture. For most people, the aroma and flavor profiles of cannabis flowers are as captivating as their effects.
In general, the more powerful a strain smells, the more powerful it will be, though it can be very hard to use this as an accurate method of THC evaluation with the various terpenes at play (more on that shortly).
Remember, if the whole “dank” aspect of cannabis flower just isn’t for you, there are all sorts of other cannabis consumption methods that mitigate or completely remove the scent and taste of cannabis from the experience. From clean-hitting vape cartridges to fruit-flavored chewable supplements, there’s a world of other options available.
A Note About Terpenes
The topic of terpenes is deeply related to a bud’s smell, so we want to address them in our flower guide, at least briefly. There are many more in-depth resources available for understanding individual terpenes if the topic is of interest to you. In short, terpenes are flavorful, aromatic oils found in all plants and give each its own signature aroma and taste.
Each cannabis strain possesses a unique combination of terpenes, informed largely by the plant’s genetics but also its growing conditions. This “terp profile” gives rise to the distinctive scents and tastes that cannabis aficionados savor. From the earthy notes of pine and citrus to the sweet hints of berry and lavender, all of those interesting and subtle notes are thanks to complex combinations of different terpenes. In fact, cannabis is known to have over 150 different terpenes, with pungent Myrcene topping the list.
Suggested Reading: Beginner’s Guide to Marijuana
Best Practices for Cannabis Flower Usage
If you spend any time around cannabis culture, you’ll quickly find that every smoker has not only their own favorite strain but also their own quirks and preferences when it comes to storing and using whole flower. This is all part of the fun of the social aspect of using cannabis.
You should do what works best for you and your style, but there are some key things to think about before you make these personal choices.
Storing Cannabis Flower
When it comes to storing your cannabis, you can often use the packaging directly from the dispensary. If you prefer something a little more elegant, a food storage container with a sealing grommet or a glass mason jar will do the trick. Even the ubiquitous zip lock baggie has its merits.
Here are a few things to consider when devising your personal storage system:
- Security – If you have children in the home or have security concerns, consider spending a little extra to get a locking container with whatever style lock works best for you. Some companies also market cannabis containers designed to look like everyday objects when you prefer to hide your cannabis in plain sight.
- Humidity – The reason a well-sealed container is so crucial isn’t just because you don’t want people to smell the ounce you just picked up at Kind Meds. It’s also important because you don’t want to introduce ambient humidity to your bud, which can lead to poor quality and even molding. If you’re having humidity problems, there are a variety of helpful devices available, from cheap moisture-wicking silica bags to special storage systems and humidors.
- Light – While most flower enthusiasts prefer to consume their flower versus storing it for months on end, it’s important to know that UV light is one of the most significant contributors to THC degradation. Store your cannabis in an opaque container or keep it in a cool, dark place to keep it potent.
Consuming Cannabis Flower
Okay, you’ve waited long enough for the good part. Let’s get into actually using cannabis flower and the many ways you can do that.
Joints
We talked about pre-rolls (joints purchased pre-rolled at a dispensary) a little bit earlier, but of course, you can also make your own at home with ground cannabis flower, a rolling paper, and a filter if you so desire. In a world of vaporizers and extracts, sometimes relaxing with a joint of your favorite strain can feel like a nice throwback.
If you need some pointers for rolling up, consider the following:
- Grind your flower loosely. You’ll also want to get all the dusty kief (finely ground trichomes) into your paper, if possible, but the bulk of your flower should be a little chunky (but not too chunky) for rolling a great joint.
- Choose high-quality rolling papers. Internet videos are a great learning tool for visual learners, but some sites may have silly, outdated keyword restrictions, so consider searches like “rolling a cigarette by hand” instead of using words like “cannabis” or “joint” if you can’t find what you need.
- Cheap, easy-to-use rolling machines are available at any smoke shop and many dispensaries, and there’s no shame in needing a little help with something that requires dexterity and experience.
- Pre-rolled, pre-filtered cones that you can pack from the top down are another great dispensary find for inexperienced rollers.
- For a showier smoking experience, consider constructing a blunt instead of a joint. Blunts use a large cigar wrapper instead of a standard size rolling paper.
Cannabis Pipes and Bongs
Your options for pipes and bongs (water pipes) suitable for cannabis smoking are so vast that there’s simply no way to go into detail in our flower guide, but here’s a quick rundown:
- Common construction materials include glass, silicone, acrylics and sometimes ceramic.
- Options range from cigarette-sized “one-hitter” pipes to the common spoon pipe or bowl, all the way up elaborate glass water pipes that cost thousands of dollars.
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- Bongs (water pipes) offer a big hit of smoke while also filtering out undesirable particles through the water filtration effect. However, they are generally not as discrete or portable as pipes. Some common types of bongs include:
- Beaker
- Straight Tube / Cylinder
- Round Base
- Multiple-chamber
- Cyclone
- Bubbler
If you have friends who smoke cannabis, ask if you can experiment with their devices before making a major purchase. Smoke shop and dispensary staff members can also be helpful in choosing a piece.
Dry Flower Vaporizers
That’s right: vaping isn’t just for oil extract cartridges. There are many vaporizers on the market that can vape whole flower, and in fact, this type of cannabis vaping existed long before the now ubiquitous vape pen. Your options range from discrete, rechargeable pocket-sized vapes with a small chamber for packing raw flower all the way up to tabletop “volcano” style units that look like a sci-fi hookah and are great for parties. As an added bonus, many of today’s popular vapes are set up for dual use, meaning they can also vape popular extracts like shatter, budder, and wax in addition to flower.
When shopping for a dry flower vape device, look for:
- Charging type and times
- Battery size
- Temperature control and range
- Price
- Waranty
- Extras, such as a smartphone app
Wondering which Type of Cannabis Consumption Is Right for You? Take our quiz!
