CANNABIS SATIVA, INDICA AND RUDERALIS
Cannabis is a diverse flowering herb, with a great many uses and applications, from medicinal to industrial and many more. Cannabis is found in three sub-species, one of which (ruderalis) is not much used and therefore has very little supporting information. The sub-species that most people are familiar with are Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa.
Note: "hemp" is a Cannabis Sativa L. cultivar which is bred specifically to obtain long fibres for industrial use, and contains very low quantities of THC, which is the most prolific medicinally active cannabinoid.
Cannabis varieties have been cross bred numerous times to result in a multitude of strains each with their own distinct look, smell, chemical make-up and function.
CANNABIS SATIVA
CANNABIS INDICA
CANNABIS HYBRIDS
Sativa and sativa-dominant strains in general grow taller, have long, narrow leaves with 7 - 13 fingers and smaller, sparser buds.
They will cope well in hot dry climates, and grow well whether soil is good or not. Sativa strains are native to countries such as South Africa, Australia and Mexico and tend to be quite hardy and resilient.
Sativa plants generally do well in a fairly sandy well-draining soil. As they tend to be quite big trees they need ample root space to flourish.
Indica and indica-dominant strains grow squatter and bushier and have wider, shorter fingers on the leaf, and dense, compact buds.
Indica based strains are smaller and bushier, used to colder climates and more compost rich soil. They can turn the most incredible colours in colder conditions.
Hybrids show sativa or indica dominance and may share qualities of each such as sativa growth and indica bud size.
Each strain comes with its own challenges grown indoors or outdoors so getting to know your strains will help you to avoid or treat these issues.
Indica and indica dominant hybrid strains will do well in hot climates though they will require compost rich soil and far more water than a Sativa grown in the same region. Let the soil dry out between watering to allow the roots to breathe.
The leaves and seeds of the Cannabis plant are highly nutritious and the stems useful for fibres. The most sought after part of the plant are the resinous glands containing the variety of medicinally active cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids which are capable of treating over 700 ailments.