Have you ever had purple Cannabis? What makes purple weed so good? Is purple bud better than green or golden bud? We are going to dive into the world of purple Cannabis and get to the bottom of all the rumors about purple Marijuana with our top 5 ways to tell the difference between True and Faux purples.
For the same reasons why other fruits and veggies such as blueberries, eggplants, and grapes are purple Cannabis also shares the same characteristics. This purple pigment phenomenon is caused by the occurrence of something known as Flavonoids which includes Anthocyanins, Curones, Chalcones, Flavonols, and Proanthocyanidins. In Cannabis, Anthocyanin accumulation which causes anthocyanin to build up within plants is the largest factor in turning your Cannabis purple. While chlorophyll is what causes all plants in general including Marijuana to get their green color.
“Purple color can be brought out of nearly any strain by manipulating the plants growing conditions, nutrients or even by adding food coloring”
I’ve been around cannabis long enough to know that one of the most common misconceptions is that purple cannabis is somehow inherently better or more potent than regular green bud. Yes, there are some amazing strains and experienced growers who know how to breed out unwanted characteristics and bring out some desired looks, smells, and flavors. “Purple weed is more potent” You hear it everywhere but it is mostly untrue. For the most part, purple color can be brought out of nearly any strain by manipulating the plants growing conditions, nutrients or even by adding food coloring which for the most part does nothing to affect the potency and in most cases actually hurts the potency. However, there are “True purple” strains (like Grandaddy Purple and the thousand other variations) that more commonly produce purple but even then there are no guarantees. Even when you may think you are buying a “True Purple” Strain from your local club the fact of the matter is there are a lot of growers and whole sellers passing on one strain under a different name or multiple names. This is actually a huge problem not a lot of people talk about but it is rampant and could have devastating impacts on the industry as there are certain politicians and business entities that are constantly poking holes and criticizing the validity of Cannabis as a medicinal plant.
When your local club has purple in stock (purple that comes from gene expression not grow conditions) you usually take notice but It’s not always so easy to tell for the average dispensary customer. More often than not customers decide to forgo some amazing looking green flower to see if the stunning looks of a purple colored strain match up with its potency. What a disappointment it is to pay top dollar price for low-grade bud.
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#1 Appearance
FAUX PURPLE: Overly Dark Purple color or overly vibrant almost violet color. There will be little to no distinction between hair and bud color in most cases. Not many trichomes, almost none deep in the bud.
TRUE PURPLE: The look of purple is without a doubt the #1 reason why it is one of the most sought-after strains. Deep purple buds covered in light red hairs and frosted in a thick fog of white crystal resin. The most apparent sign of a quality strain is it’s deep complex colors schemes which should be a nice mix of golds, reds, greens, and purples.
#2 Smell
FAUX PURPLE: Earthy faint smell sometimes with chemical undertones. Some relate the smell to a heavily processed chocolate bar without the sugar. Not disgusting but definitely not pleasing.
TRUE PURPLE: Immediate nasal sensations can be many different smells depending on the strain and phenotype.
#3 Taste
FAUX PURPLE: Spicy and unforgiving with undertones that can be described as stale. If I had to describe the taste as something familiar I’d have to say the taste is slightly chemical and remains reminiscent of medicine (not OUR medicine, the kind we hated as a kid)
TRUE PURPLE: True purple strains should ALWAYS taste absolutely delicious. One of the reasons why purple weed is in such a high demand is because of its high rate of flavor throughout the strains. Expect Berries and sweetness upfront and earthiness in the background.
#4 Effects
FAUX PURPLE: Little effect at all. You may be able to think clearly and do house chores with faux purple cannabis not because it is a sativa but because YOU ARE NOT HIGH.
TRUE PURPLE: Indica like effects as almost all purples are Indicas which provide a sedative and relaxing effect. Cerebral effects indicative of a sativa with slightly higher euphoric effects. Get Snacks, you will be Hungry.
#5 Bud Density
FAUX PURPLE: Loose airy buds with a weak structure. More often than not faux purple strains will appear dry which is a dead give away for a plant that was grown with a nutrient deficiency and under poor conditions.
TRUE PURPLE: Beautifully dense nugs that can be completely dried out but will still seemingly have spring and life in them.
Conclusion
Purple bud is not necessarily better than green or golden bud. In fact, a lot of it is hype. I mean come on its purple, that looks pretty fucken cool man! With that said it is still one of the most popular types of weed which is why there are so many people trying cheap tricks to get “bomb ass weed” to sell or show off. Working with many patients I often hear complaints about buying an Indica and then receiving sativa like effects which can cause some patients to feel anxious and uncomfortable. There is currently a huge problem when it comes to regulating strains, whole sellers, and growers. Keeping the Integrity of the strains not only will help in making sure what you pay for is what you get but it will also help to legitimize the industry on a national and global level. Remember when Pokemon Go was released? Nearly every shop had some sort of Pokemon strain. Sure it’s cute and fun and all but from a medicinal perspective it hurts the industry further devaluing what Cannabis does for people and those who work very hard to uphold the level of integrity needed to work in the new space of marijuana legalization. One of our missions is to push for better strain control with third-party labs and studies. How cool would it be to buy your weed and be able to trace its origins, see its history and read about its attributes like a fine wine or cheese?
