by Nebula Haze
Cannabis growers often use a magnifier to look at the glittery trichomes to know when to harvest weed. Some growers wait until most of the clear trichomes turn white, and some wait longer until some of the trichomes turn amber before they harvest. But what about when cannabis trichomes turn purple? I decided to make this article in response to a post about purple cannabis trichomes from our free grow forum: https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum/growing-community/543373-purple-trichomes-harvest-time
Marijuana growers often examine the color of the cannabis trichome heads as harvest time approaches. These trichome heads typically turn white when buds reach maximum THC levels, but not always.
What Makes Trichomes Turn Purple (or Pink or Other Jewel Colors)
What makes cannabis trichomes turn purple: Genetics.
While growers have developed methods to increase the amount of purple on your buds or leaves (temperature swings, cold nights, LEDs, slightly lower pH, harvest on the later side, etc.), the color of trichomes is almost 100% dependent on your genetics. The strain is in charge when it comes to cannabis trichome color.
Purple Lemonade by North Atlantic Seed Co. loves growing purple trichomes
For Most Strains, Trichomes Go from Clear > White > Amber (Yellow)…
With most cannabis strains, the trichomes appear with clear glass-looking heads, turn a milky white when they hit peak THC, and then turn amber (a nice way of saying “yellow”) when the THC is starting to degrade. For optimum potency, most growers harvest weed when the heads are mostly white or just starting to turn amber.
- Clear trichomes – not ready for harvest
- White trichomes – highest THC
- Amber/yellow trichomes – more sleepy effect, THC is starting to degrade
Clear trichomes (not ready yet – these are a sign of low THC potency)
Mostly white trichomes (max THC potency)
Mostly amber/yellow trichomes (THC is starting to degrade, effects are more “sleepy”)
What about purple trichomes?
When Do You Harvest Weed with Purple Trichomes?
Unfortunately, with cannabis strains that grow purple trichomes, you can’t use the color to know when to harvest the buds. So how do you know when to harvest your weed?
- Option 1: Ask the breeder – Most trustworthy cannabis breeders will answer questions about their strains, including hints about the best time to harvest buds. Additionally, the strain description from when you bought the seeds may have relevant information.
- Option 2: Look at the buds directly to see whether they look ready to harvest. Here is a picture gallery of ready-to-harvest cannabis buds to help guide you.
Some cannabis strains produce trichomes in colors like purple or pink. These trichomes may never turn white. When it comes to these “exotic” trichomes, the standard rules don’t always apply. In these cases, it’s best to ask the breeder when the trichomes indicate readiness. If that’s not possible, make sure to look at the buds and ensure they look ready from a visual inspection and use the trichomes as only a secondary indicator.
These trichomes started white as normal and then just turned purple instead of amber.
But for some strains, the trichomes turn purple from the beginning and therefore the color doesn’t tell you anything about potency. That’s why, with colorful trichomes, it can be best to either ask the breeder about when to harvest, or judge the apparent maturity of the plant.
Regardless of the color of trichomes, most cannabis strains are ready to harvest when buds look solid. At this point, all of the hairs on the buds have darkened and curled in. When you can’t tell when to harvest based on the trichomes, use the visual appearance of the buds to guide you. Here is how to look at the buds themselves to determine when to harvest.
Need more help knowing when to harvest cannabis?
- Full cannabis harvest tutorial: https://www.growweedeasy.com/harvest
- Picture Gallery of Ready-to-Harvest Cannabis: https://www.growweedeasy.com/ready-for-harvest-pictures
- Trichome Deep Dive: Picture Gallery of Ready-to-Harvest Trichomes: https://www.growweedeasy.com/what-do-trichomes-look-like-when-ready-to-harvest-ready-to-harvest-trichome-picture-gallery
Harvest your weed at the right time and get rewarded!
