Stigma

Stigma

Stigma is the term for the fine, hair-like strands that grow out of cannabis flowers. They are part of the female plant's reproductive system and are among the most visible features of a flowering cannabis plant.

More about Stigma

Stigmas grow out of the calyx, the small, teardrop-shaped structure that encloses the flower's ovule. Each calyx usually has two stigmas, and their job in nature is to catch pollen from male plants. Flowers that are never pollinated stay seedless, which is the idea behind the term sinsemilla.

Early in the flowering stage, stigmas are typically white or pale. As the flower matures, they gradually change to shades of orange, brown or red, which is why the color is often used as a visual reference point when describing a flower's development.

Stigma and pistil

Stigma and pistil are often used as if they mean the same thing, but botanically they are not identical. The pistil is the female reproductive organ as a whole, made up of the ovary, the style and the stigma. The visible hairs on a cannabis flower are the stigmas, even though many people refer to them as pistils in everyday cannabis language.

To understand the full anatomy of the flower, it is also worth reading about trichomes, sugar leaves and bracts, which all sit close to the stigmas.