"Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica.” – Abraham Lincoln

BUD

Marijuana bud refers to the flower of the female cannabis plant, which grows from nodes and budding sites located along the stalk of the mature plant. Buds are the part of the marijuana plant primarily used for consumption as they contain the highest concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive compound in cannabis.

As they develop, buds swell with dense layers of teardrop-shaped nugs. These individual flowers cluster tightly together around pistils and leaves along each internode, steadily accumulating cannabinoids and terpenes throughout the flowering phase.

Tiny, mushroom-shaped glandular trichomes form on the surface of the marijuana flowers as they mature. Trichomes are specialized resin glands that synthesize psychoactive compounds like THC and terpenes, which produce the aromas and flavors associated with different marijuana strains. They function as a defense mechanism for the plant against natural predators.

When fully ripened, marijuana buds display colors ranging from green to purple, depending on strain, flush methods, temperature exposure, curing process, and other environmental factors. Break open cured flowers and you’ll find the highest concentration of resinous, crystal-capped trichomes coated around the inside.

In terms of consumption or production for extracts, buds from properly grown female cannabis represent the prime harvest. Only fertilized flowers from male plants produce seeds for future marijuana cultivation.