Written by Sebastian Little

What does good weed look like? Typically, it appears fresh, bright, colorful, and even frosty. To gain context on these signifiers, check out this in-depth guide on spotting quality cannabis plants.

Throughout the life of a cannabis plant, it can produce quality cannabis that, when cultivated thoughtfully by experts, is ideal for consumption within a given window.

Learning what good weed looks like is really a matter of figuring out what defines well-produced flower that’s ready to smoke.

Working solely with growers based in the US, Mood ensures that our entire selection of THCa Flowers is high quality. Subscribe for recurring shipments and save 15%.

Table of Contents

• What Constitutes Good Weed vs Bad Weed?

• Beauty is in The Eye Of The Beholder

• What Bad Weed Might Look Like

• 5 Signs You’re Looking at High-Quality Weed

  • Shiny Trichomes

  • Rich Greens, Purples, and Oranges

  • Plump, Fluffy Buds

  • Dense Nugs

  • Closer To Alive Than Dead

• Gorgeous THCa Flower From The Mood Shop

What Does Good Weed Look Like?

Looking at premium flower next to schwag, there’s something inherently obvious about what separates good weed from bad weed.

When you smoke better weed, you can taste the quality more. The vibrancy of the terpenes pops more, and the smoke is less dry because the buds are, which makes for a smoother rip.

Quality cannabis not only has a lineage of indica or sativa strains that are known for their good quality, but it’s also at the stage in its life cycle and cultivation that’s ideal for smoking.

Like all flower, Mood’s cannabis goes through a lifecycle of growing and drying before being packaged and processed via our warehouse.

We take the time to ensure that every product undergoes expert third-party lab testing and construct our entire operation to ensure that consumers get their cannabis flower at the ideal time. This is when the flower is old enough to be smokeable but still young enough to retain enough moisture to avoid being too dry and uncomfortable to smoke.

Check out Mood’s selection of Top Shelf Flower at our online dispensary today. Subscribe and save 15%.

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Scrolling through Mood’s selection of THCa Flower, you’ll see there’s quite a lot of variety across the spectrum of good weed.

While some indica gems have a more dense bud structure, some sativa-dominant strains feature more angelic, frosty trichomes.

While learning about some tell-tale signs of good weed, it’s also worth remembering to be open-minded and gravitate toward what looks best to you.

Also, take note of the physical characteristics of the strains that put you in the mood you want to feel.

You can shop for cannabis products based on how they make you feel at the Mood Shop. Subscribe and save 15%.

What Bad Weed Might Look Like

In your bid to try and find good weed, you might find yourself wondering what are some of the things you want to avoid.

There are signs of low-quality weed. Some are visible, and some aren’t.

In terms of the stuff you can’t see or that’s tough to see but that you’ll want to avoid, there are pesticides, heavy metals, and even moldy buds. How do you avoid buying weed with these harmful elements?

Find a provider who can offer a certificate of analysis (COA) with every product to ensure that it is quality weed.

At our online dispensary, for example, you can view a COA for every product, which provides an in-depth breakdown of the cannabinoid content.

In terms of what bad weed might look like, here are some things to avoid:

• Stems hold buds together, but when they’re highly visible, your buds are either dried out or not optimally cultivated.

• Dry crumbly buds also resemble dying plants. The greens have faded into yellows and browns, and the flower's texture looks brittle and without life.

• Seeds can appear to be present in greater degrees with bad weed because, again, there’s just less juicy flower still around to conceal them.

A lot of low-quality cannabis is sold as “economy grade.” At Mood, we believe in maintaining a high standard across all of our strains, including the most affordable ones.

Check out the Economy THCa Flower at Mood’s online dispensary. Subscribe and save 15%.

5 Signs You’re Looking at High-Quality Weed

Here are a few common characteristics of high quality flower that will help you know what good weed looks like when you see it.

1. Shiny Trichomes

One of the most recognizable signs of quality cannabis is these small outgrowths that look like shiny hairs that glisten on the outsides of cannabis buds. To the naked eye, they look like flavorful sugar crystals, but in reality, they carry many of the tasty terpenes that give high-end buds their musty, dank flavor.

Featuring gorgeous, trichome-dusted buds — this Purple Punch THCa Flower is only $48 for an eighth at Mood’s online dispensary. Subscribe and save 15%.

2. Rich Greens, Purples, and Oranges

As we covered above, bad weed can be related to strain lineage, but it most often reaches its low-quality state by aging and drying out. When cannabis flowers are at their best, the greens (whether light or dark) are deep greens enriched by visible, resinous moisture. Particular strains have purple and orange hairs that are also most vibrant when optimal for smoking.

This Super Goof THCa Flower features rich purples, oranges, and greens throughout. Get an eighth for $48. Subscribe and save 15%.

3. Plump, Fluffy Buds

Different strains feature varying densities, but plump and fluffy buds are a sign of good weed. While these resinous, high-quality buds might make for a sticky design that makes them tough to break up, the end ground-up product makes for a tastier and more uplifting cannabis experience. Fluffiness in buds is a sign of good cannabis at an age and point of development when it’s of a higher quality for smoking.

For some good quality weed, pick up an eighth of Gary Payton THCa Flower from Mood’s online dispensary. Subscribe and save 15%.

4. Dense Nugs

The density of your buds can be a sign that they are at the right stage in the curing process for optimal enjoyment. Again, older buds are dried out and can lose some of that body that’s there when they’re more potent and rich. You can get an idea of the density by looking and feeling the buds, which can serve as another tool for determining the quality of your cannabis.

One of Mood’s premium cannabis strains, an eighth of Eureka THCa Flower is only $48 at our shop. Subscribe and save 15%.

5. Closer To Alive Than Dead

You’ll realize by now that a major part of the game when on the hunt for good weed is looking for signs of recent life and moisture. While cannabis that’s too wet to smoke was cut too early in the curing process, premium, top-shelf weed arrives to the customer dry enough to enjoy and still with enough life that it has density and color.

One of Mood’s top-shelf strains, an eighth of Pluto THCa Flower, is only $54 at our online dispensary. Subscribe and save 15%.

Gorgeous THCa Flower From The Mood Shop

Avoid low-grade weed and allocate your shopping to a destination designed for the discerning cannabis consumer. Across Mood’s entire line of cannabis products, you will find only high-quality buds and hemp-derived creations designed for an optimal experience.

Want to see for yourself? Check out any product page for a detailed breakdown of the strain, its cannabinoids, and more. Whether with us or elsewhere, prioritizing distributors with transparent production practices is key to finding good weed.

Happy THCa Flower

Featuring vibrant purples, oranges, and deep greens, this indica-dominant hybrid features nearly 23% THCa. Like all of Mood’s cannabis, it’s American-grown. Check out the COA on the product page to learn more about this cross between Gelato #41 and Triangle Kush.

An eighth of Gushers THCa Flower is only $54 at our online dispensary. Subscribe and save 15%.

Sensual THCa Flower

Categorized as one of our Aroused Cannabis Products, this flower features a sweet terpene profile with notes of sweet cherries. A cross between Pablo’s Driver, Secret Weapon, and Starfighter — this Oregon-based weed is top-notch. Visually, it features a hefty layer of frosty trichomes dusting over vibrant colors like forest greens and burnt oranges.

Get an eighth of Trap Cherries for $54 at our online dispensary. Subscribe and save 15%.

Chill THCa Flower

Categorized as one of our Chill Cannabis Products, this strain gives off a gorgeous aroma that blends notes of skunky diesel with rich dark chocolate. The medium potency flower is a cross between Oreoz and Super Boof, and it’s rated 4.9/5 stars on the Mood Shop.

Get a quarter of Sub Zero for $93 from Mood. Subscribe and save 15%.

Save 20% on your first order with Mood using code FIRST20 today. Subscribe and save 15%.

Prices subject to change.