Parts of the Cannabis Plant: the Weed Leaf

When it comes to marijuana plants, plenty of users are content to say: “It’s all green to me.”

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Those folks are content to buy their cannabis products at their local retailers and never venture too deeply into the science behind marijuana plant cultivation and harvesting. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. If, however, that description doesn’t ring true for you, you’ve come to the right place!

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We folks here at The Green Dragon enjoy educating current and potential clients about the wonderful plants you can find in our numerous products. In furtherance of that goal, we’re taking a look at each major part of the cannabis plant. First up? The glorious, glorious weed leaves.

What Does a Marijuana Leaf Look Like?

Even people who don’t consume cannabis pretty much know what cannabis leaves look like, as it’s the unofficial symbol of marijuana. It’s on shirts, hats, flags, billboards—just about everywhere. 

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These long, slender leaves are not the only ones you can find on a cannabis plant, however. The now-ubiquitous leaves pictured above are known as fan leaves. Most marijuana plants have five to nine fan leaves, but some—especially sativa plants—may have as many as 13. Indica plants have fewer fan leaves, which are usually wider than the ones found on sativa plants.

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The other type of weed leaf you should know about is called a sugar leaf. It sure sounds tasty, right? Sugar leaves measure much shorter than fan leaves and grow closer to the bud or flower. Sugar leaves get their name from the numerous trichomes that cover their surface. These tiny, hairlike outgrowths have a cloudy appearance that resembles a dusting of sugar. 

What is the Function of Marijuana Leaves?

While both types of marijuana leaves are vital to the plant’s overall health, fan leaves do not contain a significant or usable amount of cannabinoids or other psychoactive substances. Instead, fan leaves are most important for their large surface area, which comes in handy for harnessing energy from the sun’s rays. At harvest, these fan leaves usually get discarded.

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Remember photosynthesis from elementary school? Yeah, you probably thought you were never going to hear that word after fifth grade. Surprise! Without photosynthesis, there would be no fan leaves. Without fan leaves, there would be no marijuana plants because they would have no food.

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Sugar leaves, on the other hand, contain a fair amount of trichomes. That stuff is good for humans who enjoy marijuana’s psychoactive effects, but the plant also receives benefits from trichomes, as they can help deter animal predators. Although sugar leaves produce a far greater concentration of trichomes and cannabinoids than fan leaves, it pales in comparison to the concentration in the bud itself.

Leaf Characteristics Can Indicate Problems

So, fan leaves are just nice to look at, right? Not necessarily.

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Knowledgeable cannabis growers carefully observe the state of fan leaves at every stage in which they’re visible. The color, shape, and exterior texture can indicate vitamin deficiencies, improper distance from heat lamps, and the presence of certain pests. The same goes for sugar leaves, although their deficiencies may not be as visible as those on fan leaves.

Do Marijuana Leaves Make You High?

No, not really. Sugar leaves have some cannabinoids, and you can certainly smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, but the psychoactive effects are not going to be nearly as satisfying as they would if you had just smoked bud. However, some marijuana growers collect the trichomes from sugar leaves and make kief.

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Kief is simply the collective substance from trichomes; it’s often called dry dust. It contains high concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes—often greater than buds. Many people mix in kief with marijuana bud for a more intense high, while others may use kief for various hash products.

Wait, what Are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that bind to the endocannabinoid system in humans and certain animals. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two primary cannabinoids found in marijuana plants, but there are hundreds more. THC is the main ingredient for marijuana’s psychoactive effects, while CBD plays a vital role in medicinal marijuana.

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The cannabinoids in cannabis are classified as phytocannabinoids; the prefix phyto means “of a plant” or “relating to a plant.” The human endocannabinoid system, which largely consists of cannabinoid receptors, is responsible for maintaining hunger, mood, sleep, and many other bodily functions. 

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Your body organically makes endocannabinoids that rush to receptors when some system gets off-balance. For instance, certain endocannabinoids will bind with receptors to promote relaxation if you get stressed about something. Marijuana buds contain a larger amount of cannabinoids than your body is used to; this overwhelms your endocannabinoid system and can make you much more relaxed, sleepy, and hungry than you normally would be.

Common Sugar Leaf Products

Besides getting scraped for their trichomes to make kief, marijuana sugar leaves can be useful for a number of yummy products. Many users set aside sugar leaves during harvest for future utility in:

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• Teas
• Cannabutter
• Honey
• Coconut oil
• Tinctures 
• Extracts

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Common Fan Leaf Products

The most prominent use for fan leaves is juicing, which has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years but is catching on quite rapidly in the U.S. 

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Juicing marijuana fan leaves is not much different than it sounds. You can either blend or cold-press fresh fan leaves and add them to smoothies or fruit juices. The benefits? A substantial infusion of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients. It may also provide critical support for your immune and digestive systems. While you won’t get actual THC from fan leaves, you may get small amounts of THCA, the acidic precursor to THC that may promote relaxation.

The Green Dragon Offers Plenty of Cannabis-Derived Products for Recreational Consumption

Marijuana is not as one-dimensional as many users might think. They have dozens of discrete parts that come together to form one magical plant. Knowing which type of weed leaf is more likely to produce psychoactive effects can help inform the buying process when you’re in the market for cannabis products.

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The Green Dragon CBD crew is always available to answer clients’ questions about our full range of products and the science behind them. Contact our team anytime for a free consultation.