{"id":1215,"date":"2020-04-23T21:49:44","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T21:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/cbd\/how-to-identify-indica-and-sativa-plants"},"modified":"2026-02-22T15:12:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T15:12:56","slug":"indica-vs-sativa-charts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/the-plant\/indica-vs-sativa-charts","title":{"rendered":"How to identify indica and sativa plants"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For those who regularly use cannabis for therapeutic or recreational purposes, the notion of cultivating plants for personal use may be appealing. Growing cannabis can be straightforward, but as with most crops, yield and quality can be improved with awareness of the plant's life cycle and growth requirements. When it comes to growing cannabis, the first decision is to determine whether to cultivate indica or sativa plants.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tIs there really a difference between indica and sativa?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Up until recently, the cannabis plant was classified as sativa, indica, ruderalis, or the elusive afghanica, which originated in or near Afghanistan. The usefulness of this cannabis taxonomy for contemporary consumers has been questioned by experts, <\/span>including Dr. Ethan Russo<\/span><\/a>, who has recommended abandoning this classification system. Due to human intervention, very few modern cannabis plants are purely indica or purely sativa. Russo argues that it's more helpful to identify biochemical compound content, such as <\/span>cannabinoids<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>terpenes<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, differentiating indica from sativa remains very useful for cannabis cultivators. <\/span>Using morphology, or phenotype, is the most common way to classify cannabis cultivars<\/span><\/a>. Indica and sativa, the most commonly recognized cultivars, have distinctive physical features and growth traits. Understanding their respective growth cycles and how to tend each plant type will help ensure optimal growth and bud output. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hybrid strains are also commonplace, with many growers opting for plants that blend the most desirable properties of both sativa and indica. Hybrids may be indica- or sativa-dominant, like Sour Diesel. White Widow exemplifies a balanced hybrid cultivar.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tIdentifying sativa vs indica plants<\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t\t
\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Graphic\n\t\t\t<\/a>Photo by: Weedmaps<\/cite>
Sativa strains can reach up to 10 feet tall and are characterized by sparse foliage. Cannabis indica cultivars are smaller in height than their sativa counterparts with a bushier appearance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t