Telling male and female cannabis plants apart is essential if you want to grow buds. Female plants produce the sticky, resinous flowers that are harvested, while males create pollen sacs.
You can identify the difference once the plants reach their pre-flowering stage (around 4–6 weeks). Females develop small white hairs (pistils) at the nodes where branches meet the stem. Males form small round balls or sacs — these are pollen pods.
If your goal is to grow seedless buds (sinsemilla), remove males early to prevent pollination. With a careful eye, you can easily keep your garden female-focused!
