Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid

Can you tell which is Cannabis sativa and which is Cannabis indica?

At this point pretty much everyone has heard the terms Sativa and Indica—especially if you’ve consulted a provider and have your medical card. Sativa plants are widely regarded as having more uplifting effects, while Indica plants are said to be more sedating. But the truth of it is that the terms sativa and indica were created to refer to differences in structure and growing style, not their effects. (There is also a third species of cannabis, C. ruderalis, which has gotten very little public attention, probably due to it’s very low THC content). 

Sativa plants are characterized by long narrow leaves, while indica plants are more short and squat. Sativa plants are notoriously hard to grow due to longer maturation time and tend to produce smaller buds. Indica plants are shorter and bushier with broader leaves. Sativa strains are generally higher in CBD than indica plants, while higher THC contents are the result of hybridization—so hybrid strains will have higher THC content than most pure sativa or indica strains. And while there is some validity to the claims that one is more uplifting than the other, medicinal benefits and side effects depend more on the contents of the plant than its structure. According to Dr Ethan Russo in an interview with Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, ‘the sativa/indica distinction as commonly applied in the lay literature is total nonsense and an exercise in futility. One cannot in any way currently guess the biochemical content of a given Cannabis plant based on its height, branching, or leaf morphology.’

There are many factors which come into play when trying to find the right medicine for you. In addition to THC and CBD there are more than a half dozen different cannabinoids, each with its own medical benefits—for instance CBC seems to be an incredible anti-inflammatory and CBG has strong anti-microbial properties. Researchers are even finding that C. ruderalis, the much ignored cousin of sativa and indica may have high levels of CBN, another cannabinoid that works well for anxiety and insomnia. Terpenes (check out the post all about them!) also play a significant role—for instance many indica strains contain high levels of myrcene, which may account for the sedating effects of many indica strains. 

Also keep in mind that all of the cross-breeding and strain development that has been taking place over the last few decades means that there are incredibly few pure sativa or pure indica strains left!