Written by Joshua Sosin

If you've ever grown or even just appreciated cannabis, you might have heard about male and female plants. You might not know the differences between male weed plants and female weed plants, though.

Why does it matter whether your cannabis is male or female? It turns out, the difference is huge —especially if you’re looking to enjoy the benefits of high-THC flower.

Male and female cannabis plants serve very different purposes, and knowing how to identify and understand them is helpful for both growers and enthusiasts. Let’s break down their differences, roles, and how each contributes to the cannabis world.

Table of Contents

• Male vs. Female Cannabis: The Basics

• Why Female Cannabis Plants Are Preferred

• The Role of Male Cannabis Plants

• How to Identify Male and Female Cannabis Plants

• What Are Hermaphrodite Cannabis Plants?

• How to Handle Male Plants in a Grow

• Final Thoughts

Male vs. Female Cannabis: The Basics

Cannabis is a dioecious plant, which means it has distinct male and female plants.

Unlike many plants that have both reproductive parts in a single flower, cannabis requires male and female flowers to reproduce. While both sexes are crucial to the life cycle of cannabis, they have very different uses and effects when it comes to cultivation.

Why Female Cannabis Plants Are Preferred

For folks growing cannabis for its cannabinoid-rich flower, female plants are the way to go.

Female cannabis plants produce the resinous buds that are packed with cannabinoids like Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC, and CBD. These plants are responsible for the smokable, edible, and extractable cannabis products that people love.

When a female plant remains unfertilized (meaning it doesn't get pollinated by a male), it focuses all of its energy on producing large, resinous buds rather than seeds. This is why growers go to great lengths to remove male plants from their grow spaces — to prevent pollination and ensure maximum cannabinoid production.

The Role of Male Cannabis Plants

While male plants don’t produce the same cannabinoid-rich buds as their female counterparts, they’re still an essential part of the cannabis ecosystem.

Male plants produce pollen, which is necessary for breeding and seed production. Without them, there would be no way to create new cannabis genetics, hybrids, or strains.

In addition to breeding, male cannabis plants can be used for:

• Hemp fiber production: Male cannabis plants produce softer fibers than female plants, making them ideal for textiles.

• Breeding programs: If you’re looking to create a new strain, you’ll need strong male genetics to pass along key traits.

• Genetic preservation: Keeping male plants ensures a diverse gene pool for future breeding projects.

How to Identify Male and Female Cannabis Plants

One of the most critical skills for cannabis growers is the ability to identify plant sex early.

Typically, cannabis plants begin to show their sex around 3-6 weeks into growth, especially as they approach the pre-flowering stage.

Identifying Female Plants

Here are the female attributes that growers look for during cannabis cultivation:

• Pre-flowers appear at the nodes (where the branches meet the main stem)

• Small white pistils (hairs) emerge, indicating early bud formation

• More compact structure, with shorter spacing between branches

• Buds start forming over time, becoming resinous and fragrant

Identifying Male Plants

These are the traits of male cannabis flowers that growers look for:

• Pre-flowers appear at the nodes, but they look different from females

• No pistils (hairs) develop

• Small pollen sacs form, resembling tiny balls or clusters

• Taller, less bushy growth, with more significant spacing between branches

If left alone, male plants will eventually release pollen, which can fertilize nearby female plants, resulting in seed production instead of big, smokable buds.

What Are Hermaphrodite Cannabis Plants?

Sometimes, cannabis plants develop both male and female reproductive traits, making them hermaphrodites. This can happen due to genetics, environmental stress, or other factors.

There are two types of hermaphrodite cannabis plants:

• True hermaphrodites: These plants naturally develop both male and female parts and can self-pollinate.

• Stress-induced hermaphrodites: A female plant may develop male pollen sacs due to environmental stress like extreme temperatures, light leaks, or physical damage.

Hermaphrodite plants can be a problem for growers because they can pollinate female plants, leading to unwanted seeds in the final product.

How to Handle Male Plants in a Grow

If you’re growing cannabis for its THC-rich flower, you’ll want to identify and remove male plants early to prevent pollination. Here’s what to do:

1. Monitor your plants closely as they begin to show their sex.

2. Remove male plants immediately if your goal is sinsemilla (seedless) buds.

3. Isolate male plants if you plan to collect pollen for breeding.

4. Check for hermaphrodites and remove them to prevent pollination.

Some growers intentionally keep male plants for selective breeding, but this requires careful planning and containment to avoid accidental pollination.

Expertly Cultivated Cannabis From Mood

Here's the main takeaway about male can female cannabis plants:

Female plants are prized for their cannabinoid-rich buds, while male plants play an essential role in breeding and genetics.

At Mood, we work with expert growers who know how to get the best possible harvest of premium THCa flower. Visit the Mood Shop to browse our wide selection of USA-grown hybrid strains and use the code "FIRST20" to get 20% off your initial order.