In the flowering stage, cannabis plants are more vulnerable to issues relating to their environment and the quality of their nutrients. Therefore, it’s critical to monitor the health of your plants in this phase.

During this phase, your plant is growing faster than normal, often increasing in height by up to 50%. This is known as the “pre-flowering stretch.”

Stigmas

The first sign of a cannabis plant’s flowering stage is when its hair-like stigmas (also called “stigmas”) begin to grow. These hair-like strands serve as the female sex organ and catch pollen floating in the air to fertilize the buds.

Stigmas will appear white in the early stages of a flower’s development. They will eventually darken to yellow, orange, red, or brown as the flowers mature.

In addition to their role in reproduction, stigmas also serve as a means to decipher which flowers will be ready to harvest. This can help you plan your crop and optimize your growing environment.

The next stage of a cannabis flower’s development is known as senescence. When the white hairs or stigmas have dried up, they will no longer be able to become pollinated and form seeds. This is a common and predictable phenomenon for sativa strains that tend to produce new sets of pistils throughout the flowering process.

Pollen Sacs

Female plants start showing signs of flowering, also known as pre-flowers, a month after germination in the vegetative phase. These pre-flowers are not the same as male flowers, and they can be difficult to distinguish from one another without a magnifying glass.

Cannabis plants produce pre-flowers in the form of tiny white pistil hairs that grow outwards from the nodes to form future buds. These tiny hairs are often called stigmas and can be easily picked out with a magnifying glass.

When plants go into the flowering stage they begin to need more nutrients than in the vegetative phase. These extra nutrients include phosphorus, potassium, and calcium along with the usual nitrogen. Be careful not to overdo it with nutrient feeds during the flowering phase. This can lead to nutrient burn, which reduces the potency and quality of your cannabis.\

Buds

The female first signs of the flowering stage in cannabis are tiny, tear-drop-shaped buds known as pistils that form between each node. These are also known as preflowers.

Pistils grow outward and are intended to receive pollen from male cannabis plants. They also contain sticky trichomes and terpenes that entice pollinating insects and deter grazing herbivores from eating them.

Stigmas are thin, hair-like strands that protrude from the pistil and can be seen progressively as the plant matures. The hairs are translucent, white or clear based on the maturity of the plant.

In the pre-flowering phase, female plants also produce pollen sacs that grow outward from their pistils. These are called staminate primordia and can be a good indicator of whether the plant is female or male.

The pre-flowering phase in marijuana plants takes 7-9 weeks, depending on the variety, strain, seed variants and climate. After this, vegetative growth stops and the plant enters its flowering stage, focusing all of its energy into creating buds.

Trichomes

If you have ever smoked cannabis, you probably noticed the blanket of tiny crystals that covers the leaves and buds of plants. These are called trichomes, and they cover the entire plant.

Trichomes are also an important component of a plant’s immune system and help to prevent water loss from the leaves and flowers. They trap water vapor and increase humidity, helping to keep the plant hydrated and protected against harsh weather conditions.

Aside from their protective and odor-inhibiting qualities, trichomes also serve as a mechanism for photosynthesis within the cannabis plant. As the plant grows, trichomes synthesize cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids within their secretory vesicles.

In addition to their photosynthesis capabilities, trichomes have been shown to improve plant resistance to abiotic stress conditions. This is due to a feature known as polar elongation, which promotes cell polarity and cellular wall composition. Additionally, trichomes help to develop extra root hairs that aid in increasing nutrient uptake under abiotic stresses such as drought.