Do Male Marijuana Plants Produce Seeds? | If Not, What Are Their Benefits?

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by Morgan

Last update:

August 29, 2023

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Over the years, through numerous research, humankind has evolved the nature of the Cannabis plants. Different researchers have combined different species from both the male and female species to form new varieties. One of the most outstanding outcomes is the feminizing of the weed plant. At this rate, cannabis seeds have a 50% chance of being a female plant. But, which one of the male and female cannabis plants does produce seeds? We'll find out soon.

Which cannabis plant do most people prefer? Well, the majority of weed growers prefer female marijuana to their male counterparts. The reason is simple, female marijuana flowers produce psychoactive weed, which we cure and use, while male ones do not. However, they are not of no use; they have several benefits you can take advantage of. The male cannabis plants produce pollen grains that pollinate female plants to form marijuana seeds. This process should only happen if you solely grow the cannabis plants for breeding purposes; otherwise, it will distort the potency quality of the female plants.

Read through to learn all you need to know about the cannabis varieties, which one produces seeds, and what use the seeds are for. We have also outlined the use you can put the male cannabis plants to.

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Do Male Marijuana Plants Produce Seeds - Direct Answer

No, male marijuana plants do not produce seeds. It is the female plants that produce seeds. The male plants have pollen grains, which pollinate to produce seeds when coming into contact with the female flowers.

The pollination of the female flowers to form seeds lowers the potency quality of the marijuana buds, leading to an undesirable low, quality weed. Therefore, it is advisable to eliminate any male cannabis plant from your garden at the flowering stage.

You should only leave the male and female cannabis plant species to grow together if you intend to breed rather than weed production. The male cannabis plants will release pollen grains, pollinating the female plants and forming desirable cannabis seeds.

How, Then, Are Male Cannabis Plants Useful?

Given that they don't produce seeds, what use are the male cannabis plants? Should you throw away all your male plants? Absolutely not; despite the male plants not producing seeds, they have several benefits you can take advantage of.

Below, we highlight some of the top uses for which you can use the male cannabis plants. Read through.

Breeding Cannabis

We can all agree that the main and most practical use of the male cannabis plants is to pollinate the female flowers to form seeds - pollination. The male plant contributes 50% of the genetic characteristics during the pollination process, while the female also gives the remaining 50%. This genetic combination is what determines the trait of the new weed generation.

Through breeding, you can improve the genetic makeup of your weed plants. For instance, if the male plants had a trait of fast growth, then the new marijuana generation has a higher chance of inheriting this trait, which improves their quality. Therefore, before you begin the breeding process, it is good to do background research to determine the genetic composition of the male marijuana plants.

Marijuana breeding will help you eliminate any flaws you observe in your weed plants. This may include pest attacks, slow growth, and many other flaws.

There may be some male marijuana plants with undesirable traits. Therefore, you can't use such pants for breeding. Thus you need to do your research and develop the most suitable ones to use. Here is a guide to help you select the best male cannabis plants for breeding.

  1. Do not use males that grow too fast and tall as they produce more fibers than flowers.
  2. Auto-flowering males are undesirable. Also, males that flower at an early stage are undesirable. So, you shouldn't consider them.
  3. Choose male cannabis plants with good odor.
  4. Always go for male plants with dense flowers. The flower structure should also be tight.
  5. Avoid male pants with pithy stems as they have low THC content.

Creating Hemp Fiber

Male cannabis plants have firm and fibrous stalks. This feature allows them to produce soft and fine fiber, which you can use for fabric weaving. You can use this feature, then to make hemp products like tablecloths. Therefore, the male cannabis plants provide the best option for creating hemp fiber.

Concentrates Production

Female cannabis plants have a higher potency content than their male counterparts. However, you can't rule out the male cannabis plants in matters of potency. They do have THC content through low concentration, thus posing psychoactive properties. Hilariously, at the vegetative growth stage, the male plants have a higher THC concentration on their leaves than the females.

Besides, despite the male plant lacking buds (have cannabinoids), they have cannabinoids in their stems, flowers, and leaves. So you can get the same when you dry and press the pollen grains the male cannabis plants produce.

Therefore, you can create concentrates like dabs, hash oil, etc.

Garden Enhancement

You can grow male marijuana plants with garden plants for several reasons. First, male marijuana plants have other male terpenes, which produce a good scent. Second, terpenes have other uses as well. For example, you can use limonene or pinene terpenes to control pests and insects in your garden. However, you need to shelter the marijuana plants from the wind. Also, dry the male plant to crate a terpene-laden oil for effective pest control.

Another benefit of growing the male cannabis plants with other plants in your garden is that they have long tap roots which break into the soil structure. This process improves water infiltration and nutrient intake, resulting in healthy plants. In addition, don't you know that taproot holds soil together, avoiding soil loss during heavy rains?

Male Plants and THCA Juice Production

Male cannabis plants are excellent in THCA juice. It produces a high-quality cannabolic acid used to prepare the THCA juice. This raw cannabis juice has several benefits for your health, the same as cannabis used in other ways.

marijuana leves and juice

Determining the Sex of a Marijuana Plant

Knowing the sex of a marijuana plant is crucial in cannabis plant growth. Fortunately, some indicators differentiate between the male and female plants as early as they are in the pre-flowering stage. For instance, you can determine the sex of your cannabis plants by looking at the nodes found at the point where a leaf attaches to a branch. A male plant will have pollen sacs at this point, while the female marijuana will have a stigma.

You can determine the sex of your marijuana plant as early as the fourth week of its growth. This period is the time the pre-flowers develop. However, this duration might differ depending on the sprouting rate of the marijuana.

Female Plants

The most preferred and desirable marijuana plant is the female species. This is because they produce buds that we use for several purposes, ranging from medical to entertainment. Therefore, when you see a cannabis plant with buds, it is probably a female one.

Another way you can tell that a given cannabis plant is female is by looking at the flowers. This is because their flowers do not fully close. Instead, they will close, leaving an open space where pistils (little hairs) sprout out. So, when you see hairy components protruding from semi-closed flowers, then that is a female cannabis plant. And it is easy to tell since males don't have pistols.

When you grow the female and the male cannabis plants together, the female plants will receive pollen grains from the male plants, pollinating the flowers to form seeds. However, this process will lower the THC content of the female plant, making it undesirable.

Male Marijuana Plants

The first thing you'll see in a male marijuana plant, which is also the distinguishing feature, is the pollen sacs rather than the buds, which develop in the female plants. The pollen sacs produce pollen grain, which, when coming into contact with the female flowers, will pollinate them to form seeds. 

For this reason, the male plants are always eliminated once they reach the flowering stage to promote higher THC formation. Alternatively, you can separately grow them to avoid pollination.

Hermaphrodite Marijuana Plants

Other than the male and female marijuana plants, there is another sex, the hermaphrodite marijuana. But, what is it, and how do you differentiate them from the rest? Well, the hermaphrodite marijuana plant is a cannabis plant with both male and female sex organs. The fact that they have both sexes means that they can self-pollinate, resulting in the formation of seeds. Besides, they will pass the hermaphrodite genes to the next generation. This feature makes this marijuana plant undesirable.

Hermaphrodite cannabis plants develop when the cannabis plants are exposed to extreme conditions, making them stressed. These factors may include but are not limited to extreme weather conditions, nutrient deficiency, pests and disease attacks, and plant damage.

Another cause for hermaphrodite cannabis plants is poor genetical composition or history. If the parent plants of the cannabis plant were hermaphrodite, there are high chances they pass these genes to the new plant, causing them to be hermaphroditic plants too.

Hermaphrodite marijuana plants are divided into two categories. The first category has both the pollen sacs and buds, while the other category has anthers. No matter the type, they are all undesirable, and you should discard them from your marijuana farm. Likewise, remove any plant with an anther or pollen sacs from your garden.

FAQs

What Do You Do if You Grow a Male Marijuana Plant?

Normally, people don't grow male plants. However, there are chances they'll grow on your farm. As soon as you notice, it is advisable to discard them to avoid them pollinating the female ones. But, if you intentionally grow them, you can use them for breeding purposes.

What Are the Benefits of Growing a Male Marijuana Plant?

The benefits of growing a male marijuana plant are given below.

  • They breed cannabis
  • They create quality hemp fiber
  • They produce concentrates
  • They enhance your garden

Can You Use Male Marijuana Plants to Produce Seeds?

Yes, male marijuana plants produce pollen grains that pollinate the female flowers to form seeds. However, on their own, they can not produce seeds.

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About the author 

Morgan

I discovered the benefits of Cannabis at a young age in 2002, with years of trial and error, my knowledge grew just like my plants. As my love for cannabis unfolded I began to teach and learn, trying to gain as much information and practical growing experience.

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