Purple weed is unquestionably eye-catching. Many purple strains have achieved worldwide fame due to their odd hue and powerful mind-altering effects. Does being a different color imply that a certain strain will be more powerful or potentially more medically beneficial than others?
In this post, we’ll help you distinguish fact from fiction. We will discuss why marijuana becomes purple and what that implies for cannabis consumers all around the world.
Why Does Weed Turn Purple?
Some strains of marijuana have high amounts of anthocyanins in their leaves, which causes them to change color from green to purple. Anthocyanins are water-soluble natural pigments found in a variety of plants. They’re the hue-carrying pigment responsible for blueberries’ blue hue, blackberries’ black color, and crimson fruits like grapes.
The color of weed does not only come from the anthocyanins. They can produce a wide range of hues, including red, gold, dark green, blue, and black. The color of cannabis is determined by the plant’s genetics and how it is cultivated. Depending on some factors, the color and durability of anthocyanin pigments vary. Temperature, light, pH, and structure all have an impact.
The color of cannabis leaves changes as the plant matures, much like autumn leaves. If you think about a cannabis plant growing in nature, this would happen when the weather gets colder and the nights grow longer.
Chlorophyll breaks down at low temperatures, allowing the brighter hues to shine through.
Certain strains have naturally high levels of anthocyanin. When certain criteria are met, such as entering the “winter” cycle of blooming, these strains display their lovely purplish tints. This is a result of a combination of the plant’s genetics and external circumstances influencing the process.
What Are Anthocyanins?
Anthocyanins are a type of phytochemical in the flavonoid family. Flavonoids are plant chemicals that may be found in fruits, vegetables, grains, teas, and nuts. They’re also present in cannabis plants, along with two additional chemical types – cannabinoids and terpenes.
Anthocyanins, like other pigments in plants, provide flowers and leaves their bright colors while also being considered to have health advantages. “Scientific studies, such as cell culture research, animal models, and human clinical trials show that anthocyanidins and anthocyanins have antioxidative and antibacterial activities and are beneficial to visual as well as neurological health.” – Khoo et al., 2012
Anthocyanins, including those found in chocolate, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Anthocyanins might provide a plethora of advantages. They may play a role in heart and liver protection, better vision, as well as aid in the prevention of obesity and diabetes. For thousands of years, people have utilized plants with high anthocyanin concentrations as herbal medicines.
Is purple weed healthier than green marijuana, though? According to preliminary studies, no. The majority of anthocyanins are absorbed via the digestive tract. As a result, you would have to consume a significant number of edibles to notice any notable changes. It’s probably not the greatest idea!
How to Grow Purple Weed: Myths and Facts
Purple weed growers have a lot of conflicting and varied opinions on how to cultivate it. It isn’t as easy as some people would have you believe. If done incorrectly, you could end up harming your cannabis plants, resulting in a poor yield. So, if you want to grow purple marijuana for yourself, you’ll need to have the facts down cold.
FACT – You Need to Choose the Right Strain
The color change is due to several factors, including environment and genetics. Some cannabis strains will rapidly turn a vivid purple hue. Others, on the other hand, will continue to be green no matter how hard you try.
Choose a purple marijuana strain that is high in anthocyanins to successfully develop it. Finding one with the word “purple” in its name is a good place to start. Other purple strains have less obvious names.
Some of the best purple cannabis strains include:
- Purple Haze
- Purple Kush
- Purple Trainwreck
- Granddaddy Purple
- Blueberry Kush
- Blackberry
MYTH – You Can Turn Weed Purple by Depriving It of Nutrients
When a cannabis plant is stressed, many individuals believe that its leaves change color. Otherwise, they believe that depriving the plant of vital elements such as air, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen might induce it to alter color.
However, plants require nutrients to live. If you restrict these minerals, your plant will rapidly become sick and die.
FACT – Cannabis Can Turn Purple in the Cold
Cold is a type of treatment that makes cannabis purple. It reduces the amount of chlorophyll in the plant and allows anthocyanins to take center stage, giving it a purple tint. Cold temperatures may cause cannabis leaves to turn color. (Compare this with “
Extreme cold can harm your plant and even kill it, so you must be very cautious.
How do you make your marijuana turn purple? Reduce the temperature gradually as your plants approach maturity. A nighttime temperature of 50°F/10°C is ideal, but don’t drop the temperature too fast to avoid shocking your plants. Keep an eye on them and only do this just before harvesting. Keeping your plants frozen for an extended period of time might decrease yield.
A purple color is not always caused by a nutrient deficiency. If a strain is genetically predisposed to turn purple, it may do so on its own, especially if cultivated outdoors in temperate zones.
MYTH – You Can Turn Weed Purple by Freezing It
While some strains change color in response to cold temperatures, do not use flash freezing or ice water flushes. While these techniques may alter the plant’s hue, experts do not advocate them for this reason.
Plants are susceptible to stress when they’re suddenly exposed to extreme cold. How would you like it if someone slammed a pail of ice water on your head without warning? Plant worry may cause THC levels to decrease, which is not desirable. In the worst-case scenario, you might harm or destroy your plants by doing this.
As a result, you must execute it gradually and only towards the end of the blooming period.
FACT – Your pH Levels Could Affect the Color of Your Weed
Anthocyanins change color when exposed to various pH levels. They can become red in acidic conditions (low pH). In alkaline circumstances, they may appear closer to blue. A neutral pH is more likely to result in a purple hue.
However, there are several more variables to consider. Even so, the pH of your growing medium has an impact on your plants in various ways. It’s important to maintain your strain’s recommended pH levels.
MYTH – You Can Dye Your Weed Purple with Food Coloring
Sure, you could try it if you wanted to, but why bother? This technique will never give you the joy of doing it correctly.
Instead, concentrate on selecting a good purple strain. Then make sure your grow room or garden is clean and ready. After that, you must gradually decrease the temperature as your plants begin to blossom. A little more planning and effort at the start of your grow will ensure that you get rewarded later.
Final Thoughts
Purple weed strains are naturally inclined to occur under specific circumstances. If you cultivate one of these types, it will reward you with a stunning display of foliage at harvest time.
However, no matter how hard you try, most strains will not and will not ever turn purple. In these circumstances, you are more likely to harm your plants than alter their color. As a result, it is best not to do so at all.
Purple weed is stunning; there’s no denying that. So, if you’re tired of green and want to try something new, why not grow purple marijuana? Tell us how it goes!