Male Cannabis Plants: 7 Things to do With Male Plants

A close-up of male cannabis plant

The majority of cannabis growers destroy any males the second they display signs of gender, and now that feminised seeds are available, many will never see a male in their room. But male cannabis plants have a surprising array of uses, beyond simply providing pollen to make new seeds. Here, we take a look at what male cannabis plants are good for.

1. Good male plants make good fathers

Good-quality male specimens are essential for any cannabis breeding program. In providing pollen to females, the males are also contributing half of the DNA that will make up the subsequent offspring. Thus, selecting males which display advantageous traits can produce offspring that will retain those traits.

Some traits can be distinguished relatively easily, such as growth rate, overall health and resistance to mould, hermaphroditism and pests. While characteristics that may have an effect on flavour and potency are less obvious, expert breeders can spot various subtle clues as to a male’s potential as a breeding father.

Males cannabis plants also important in breeding autoflowering strains, as their growth pattern traits can be passed down while the flavour and potency profile of the female can be retained—with a little skill and perseverance.

A person with a black watch holding a cannabis seedling in a soil

In typical controlled breeding programs to select males, identical female clones are bred with a variety of males and the results compared. Thus, males are selected on the basis of the quality of their female offspring. Their own phenotype may not correspond exactly with that of the female offspring, as male and female phenotypic expression vary greatly in cannabis, but it does appear that certain inherited traits are expressed.

It has not been empirically proven that the potency of a male cannabis plant affects that of its female progeny, although breeders have found it to be the case in the course of their experiments.

Of course, a large degree of trial and error is often involved in selective breeding programs. It is easy to understand why since until the female offspring have produced a harvest, it is impossible to discern the impact the chosen male had on resultant phenotype with any degree of precision. However, both males and females begin to produce cannabinoids and terpenes early in the flowering period, and clues to their final potency and flavour can be discernible.

Typically, growers will squeeze or pinch flowers and leaves to release their aroma; while this is a rudimentary technique, the information it yields can be valuable.

2. Male cannabis plants do serve an evolutionary purpose

Cannabis and most other species in the Cannabaceae family are dioecious, with males and females existing as separate plants (very few flowering plants possess this characteristic). The vast majority (over 80%) of flowering plants are hermaphroditic, meaning that each individual flower is comprised of both male and female sexual organs.

Monoecy (where separate male and female flowers exist on the same plant) and dioecy are both rare, each comprising around 7% of flowering plant species. The remnant is made up of variations or mixtures of the three main types, (namely gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy) —where plants express both hermaphroditic flowers and female or male, respectively.

A cannabis plant against the white background

It is thought that dioecy confers a selective advantage in certain plant populations as it maximises the chances of genetic recombination. In hermaphrodite or monoecious plants, both male and female sexual organs are produced by the same plant. If it self-pollinates it will produce offspring whose DNA is identical to the parent. This lack of variation can very quickly lead to inbreeding and weakened genetic health in a population.

However, many hermaphroditic species have built-in genetic mechanisms that preclude self-pollination, a condition known as self-incompatibility.

It appears that monoecy and dioecy evolve in plants if the genetic mechanism for self-incompatibility has been lost (although they are each only present in around 7% of species, the capability has evolved independently in around 38% of all genera). There are several examples of dioecious plants expressing monoecious phenotypes in response to environmental pressures. But where those populations have again spread to more favourable locations, they gradually tend more towards dioecy.

This is an effective mechanism to ensure cross-pollination and genetic diversity in the absence of self-incompatibility.

This is borne out by cannabis, which has several monoecious strains and a great tendency to produce monoecious plants in dioecious populations, particularly in times of stress, and is entirely capable of self-pollination. In cannabis, numbers of males can drastically diminish for short periods in adverse conditions, but a strong and healthy male population is the default method to ensure long-term health and viability of the species.

3. Males are not always lacking in potency

While most people believe that male cannabis contains no cannabinoids, this is well-established to be untrue. A study from 1971 compared the cannabinoid content of males and females found in several locations including Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, Turkey and Morocco.

The study found that while cannabinoid concentration was generally higher in female plants, males nonetheless exhibited significant concentrations. Overall cannabinoid content of male flowers was generally lower than that of female flowers. In one instance, Hizzine 3.9.1969, overall cannabinoid content (CBD and Δ1-THC) in male flowers was actually higher than in female flowers from the same locale.

When looking at THC and CBD separately, the results are even more interesting. Generally, CBD was consistently higher in female plants than in males, although there are several exceptions. However, the results for THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, were somewhat surprising.

The Hizzine 3.9.1969 type exhibited higher concentrations of THC in all parts of the male plant compared to the female. At 0.2% against 0.04%, the THC content of Bekaa 26.6.1969 males was five times that of females. At 1.2%, the male upper leaves of the Hizzine 3.9.1969 actually represented the single highest THC concentration of all plants in the sample. Ratios of THC to CBD were highly variable.

More recently, a study into Thai landrace varieties found that males contained 0.722% to 0.848% THC, with a THC:CBD ratio of 1.9 (usually, ratios of higher than 1 are classed as drug types and those with lower ratios are classed as hemp). A UNODC bulletin from 2005 also stated that gas chromatography analysis indicated that THC content of male plants in Morocco was comparable to that of females.

The leaves’ THC content was recorded at 0.4% for both male and female plants, while flowers displayed a range of 0.4-0.7% for females and 0.2-0.5% for males. Males express resin glands most abundantly on the small upper leaves.

4. Hashish & concentrates from male cannabis plants

Depending on the origin of a specimen of hashish, it is possible that it contains resin from males that were not removed from the field. Although most growers in traditional hash-making areas such as Morocco and Lebanon remove the male plants from the field early to prevent pollination, this is not always the case. Sometimes males are end up being harvested and processed along with the females.

There are anecdotal reports of growers and breeders using their male flowers, leaves and stems to make hashish and concentrates, with varying degrees of success. As overall resin content is likely to be fairly low, it is usually preferable to use large numbers of plants, or to use methods which extract the maximum from the plant. A few of these methods worth mentioning are QWISO and butane extraction.

It is also possible to use male cannabis plants to make cannabutter and various other oils and infusions. Although there is little definite evidence on the psychoactive effects of male plants compared to that of females, anecdotal reports indicate that the effect is more ‘high’ than ‘stoned’, and can be enjoyably cerebral.

5. Male cannabis plants can also be used to produce juice

Another potential use for male cannabis plants is in making raw juice. The evidence for juicing is sparse. But indications are that cannabinoids in their acid form may have some pharmacological benefits, similar to their familiar non-acid form but without the potential disadvantage of psychoactivity. As males contain the same cannabinoid acids as females, although in differing concentrations and ratios, they may also be juiced to derive their benefit.

Male cannabis plants should be juiced in much the same manner as females. All parts of the plant can be used, except for the toughest stalks. It is generally advisable to also omit the largest and most fibrous fan leaves, as their high chlorophyll content can impart an unpleasant, bitter taste to the juice.

6. Fibre from male hemp plants

A Hungarian study from 1996 investigated the respective properties of male and female hemp, and found that male hemp fibres differed from female in several important aspects. They differed so much that traditional peasant farmers were reported to go to great lengths to separate the males from the females in the fields, as well as conducting all stages of the retting, decorticating, spinning and weaving processes separately.

Soft fibre made from hemp plant in a basket

Chinese texts from the 16th century BCE also apparently support the belief that “the fibre of the male hemp plant is the best”.

According to traditional wisdom, male hemp fibres are considerably finer and softer than female fibres. As a result, they were reserved to make finer grades of cloth, while the females were used to make rougher textiles such as canvas and sackcloth. These fine textiles made from male hemp fibres were then used to make a variety of household items such as tablecloths, towels and bed linens.

The Hungarian study found that female fibre was stronger than male fibre, but that male fibre exhibited higher torsional resistance and flexibility. The overall fineness of a fibre is influenced by its torsional resistance and flexibility, and thus male fibre was concluded to be significantly finer than female. Male plants were also noted to contain a greater percentage of fibre, at 31.5% to 29.6%.

7. Male cannabis can make good companions

Cannabis has been used as a pesticide and repellent in a variety of ways throughout history. Its dried flowers and leaves have been used to make pesticide and repellent extracts, and pure cannabinoids have been demonstrated to exert antibacterial and antimicrobial effects. As well as this, cannabis can be used as a companion plant.

Various studies have been performed over the years that attest to the ability of cannabis to ward off unwanted pests. It has been grown alongside cotton to ward off cotton worms, surrounding vegetable fields to ward off cabbage caterpillar, interplanted with potatoes to protect against potato beetle and potato blight fungus, alongside wheat to repel root maggot and as a general repellent against European chafer larvae.

Cannabis also suppresses plant growth of unwelcome species in the surrounding area, such as noxious chickweed, as well as repelling harmful nematodes such as the potato cyst nematode, the root knot nematode and the soybean cyst nematode.

It is thought that it is the terpenes produced by cannabis that are largely responsible for repelling insects and pests, particularly limonene and pinene. Both male and female cannabis plants produce terpenes, and some growers will interplant their males among their vegetables rather than consigning them to the compost heap.

Some growers, who are fortunate enough to live in a country where outdoor cultivation is a possibility, actually maintain males and females in the same garden. Though they do keep them far enough away that male pollen will not affect the females too seriously. If one or two males are situated a few metres away from females, preferably in a sheltered spot so that the wind does not have too much effect, the result is more likely to be a light scattering of seeds in occasional flowers rather than a fully seeded crop.

This way, growers can produce smokeable female flowers while also guaranteeing a supply of fresh, healthy seeds for next season’s crop.

  • Disclaimer:
    Laws and regulations regarding cannabis cultivation differ from country to country. Sensi Seeds therefore strongly advises you to check your local laws and regulations. Do not act in conflict with the law.

Comments

136 thoughts on “Male Cannabis Plants: 7 Things to do With Male Plants”

  1. If I had male plants grow in my backyard will it affect the plants I grow next year turning them males as well.. And can I use the seads that I have harvested from the male plants I grew

    1. no growing males in your yard won’t cause any other plants to turn male haha… also only pollinated females have seeds or hermies….. hermies only produce hermie seeds no matter how bad you’ll want them to be female…. a pollinated female from a true male plant will give you 50% male and female seeds.

  2. Jeffrey Allen Knight

    Grew one plant from a rare seed found in my dimebag.
    its two feet tall, and its a male. if you bend/touch the stems you get strong weedy smell on your fingers, so I KNOW its got SOME chemically shit going on. Can Inotjust wad a pinch up and smoke it in y pipe? fresh, or dried?? SURELY i’d get a lil’ “somethin-somethin” from it wouldnt ya think????

    1. Mark - Sensi Seeds

      Good afternoon Jeffrey,

      Thanks for your comment. I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for this question, but since males have a much lower cannabinoid content than females, it may not be as effective
      There are anecdotal reports of growers and breeders using their male flowers, leaves and stems to make hashish and concentrates, with varying degrees of success. However, as overall resin content is likely to be fairly low, it is usually preferable to use large numbers of plants, or to use methods which extract the maximum from the plant.

      This article on Decarboxylation of CBD and THC– That’s How You Activate Cannabisand Cannabis Concentrates 101: Is Pure THC the Future? might also be of interest to you.
      In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.

      With best wishes,

      Mark

  3. I am new to growing, have about half of my plants showing female signs, will give it a few more days to be absolutely sure which are males.
    What do I do to harvest my males leaves before destroying them? Dry the leaves and crumble them up? I don’t want to let them grow as I am short of space and also don’t want to risk pollination.

    1. Mark - Sensi Seeds

      Good afternoon Woofer,

      Thanks for your question.

      Male cannabis plants are recognized by the formation of pollen sacs at the plant nodes and, when allowed to grow, these balls eventually break open and release pollen into the air. Once the female plant is pollinated, it will put all its energy into reproduction, and instead of producing flowers. For this reason, experts advise removing male plants from your garden before pollination.

      Fortunately, we have a article on harvesting right here!

      Thanks again for your comment, and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.

      Have a nice day,

      Mark

      1. Hi, I’m trying to figure out what to do with what appears to be a boy…my female plant is huge and I’ve been growing it since March. Wouldn’t it start to flower by now? Meanwhile I had some seeds and started a plant that seems to be a boy. Not as big as the girl. So do I grow the male indoors now, away from the female? Don’t I want more seeds so I can grow more?

      2. Mark - Sensi Seeds

        Good morning Ellen,

        Thanks for your question,

        Unfortunately, legal restrictions mean we can’t answer grow-related questions or give grow advice on this blog. However, other readers of this blog will often answer questions like yours.

        In general, flowering can usually be controlled very precisely by simply changing the lighting regime. Indoor cannabis growers typically give their plants 18-24 hours of light per day during the vegetative growth period, and drop down to 12 hours to trigger flowering. Indicas will often double in height, and Sativas can often stretch three times there height in vegetation.

        Once the female plant becomes pollinated it will put all of its energy into reproduction, rather than producing flowers. For this reason, It is advised to remove male plants from your garden before pollination.

        Please check out the following articles on our blog which I think you may find of use, and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog!

        The life cycle of cannabis: From seed to harvest

        How to Flower a Cannabis Plant

        With best wishes,

        Mark

  4. I have smoked male leaves and gotten a great buzz. However, edibles do nothing for me. So worth a try

  5. Anita Erickson

    how long can I leave a male beside a female to make seeds? do I have to remove it after pollinating? can it just stay there? anybody ? thanks

  6. Chaka Freeman

    I have a specific question. I grew a bunch of landraces both male female and hermaphrodite. I left my males and noticed the amount of pollen they keep producing and how many bees are gathering the pollen. Are Cannabinoids in the male pollen? Should I get my pollen tested for specific cannabinoid content? I want to make honey next year, by combining male plants and bee hives. I’ve seen with my own eyes bees with so much pollen on their hind legs it looks like white globes. So I know they collect it. Any advice or suggestions please? Thank you.

    1. That sounds awesome! Your comment is a couple years old, so I hope your bees were successful and you got amazing honey! Cheers!

    2. If your growing outdoors pull males as soon as they show their gender. Letting them pollinate, and subsequently the bees collecting the pollen puts anyone in a one mile radius that has females growing outdoors at risk of their plants being pollinated. Don’t be selfish and ruin someone else’s crop.

  7. I just took a male down,now I regret doing so,I could have made some clones for outdoor fun, maybe I’ll come across another for this purpose

    1. Hi! Im just being around, looking for the same information. I’ve read, that cannabis pollen is full of cannabinoids. I think it is great idea to do honey!. Please keep update!

    1. Karmarabten

      Definitely, when I was a young teen 12-13yo I lived in Ponchatoula Louisiana and although there was a lot of mex-tex green occasionally there were no Budz but lots of “homegrown” which was either the males pulled or just impatient growers just wanting to smoke. All leaf, no Budz, but I always got high! Nowadays I think this would not be the case because I have been smoking great indoor cannabis for 40 years now!

  8. I eat the male pre-flowering bits – quite tasty with a little bit of a burn to it, but it is nice. Not sure how much nutritional value it carries, but something tells me that it is actually quite healthy.

    1. Karmarabten

      Hahaha, I do this too! And when I top my females I eat that shoot as well, nice and tasty,usually displaying the taste smell of what the cannabis will be like🙏

  9. We must stop the Herodesque slaughter of our males!

    I’m new to growing but have got a male and he is a strapping handsome chap….no way am I going to let those genes go to waste.

    I have separated him from the girls and continuing to feed and nurture him and mill harvest pollen to fertilise my future generations.

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Mark,

      Bonus points for use of “Herodesque”! Good luck with your endeavours, and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.

      With best wishes,

      Scarlet

      1. Linda Reeves

        Definitely, don’t throw the males away, dry them, crumble the leaves into oil for extraction. After a week, you will have a good healing oil to use on yourself and pets.

  10. I have full bucket of male cannabis flowers…i want to make RSO for my mom’s brain tumor
    Now I asked someone who is really informative about cannabis told me its useless and have nothing
    My question-does it contain THC and other beneficial cbd in it???
    Should I make RSO with these????
    Please help

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Aman,

      I’m sorry to hear about your situation. I am not able to give you any kind of medical advice because Sensi Seeds is not a medical agency or practitioner. However, I can tell you that the male flowers do contain CBD, although they generally do not contain significant amounts of THC. Good luck!

      With best wishes,

      Scarlet

      1. Stephen Fisher-Bradley

        Excellent original article. However, many of the comments make me wonder if the person has read the original article. Just above, Scarlet is saying that Male flowers contain CBD, but no THC. However the research in the article is clear, male flowers (and leaves) always contain THC, often less than the female flowers, but sometimes more (and generally less CBD than the female). Along with some others’ experiences recorded here in these comments, I have found the male flowers and the nearby leaves to be extremely potent, at least the strains that I was growing. And I agree, more of a “high” than a “stone”.. Good for creative work. Euphoric but still clear-headed. And very energised. I would like to hear from women who have smoked the male weed. Do they get the same great experience as a male smoking the male does? I have smoked up other guys with male weed without telling them, and they were blown away by it, wanted to get some. But I don’t remember getting that feedback from female smokers.

      2. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

        Hi Stephen,

        You make a valid point, I should have specified that the males contain no significant amount of THC and will amend my original reply accordingly. Apart from the Hizzine 3.9.1969, the results of the studies quoted in the article all come in at less than 1% THC, and most of them barely qualify as psychoactive, being landraces that are closer to industrial hemp than commercial strains. Thanks for the catch, and I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.

        With best wishes,

        Scarlet

  11. Michael (Radar)

    Thanks, very informative. I only smoke for medical reasons, first back 1975/76 and then a viod till 2017. I found male or fermale plants still growing, just using leaves pacified pain and gave considerable relief from the pain. 1975 was Cranial pain rectified by an operation hence I stopped smoking. The use now while waiting( TKR) Total Knee Reconstruction. The amount I consume is a very small amount, THC, the main psychoactive compound maybe is present but I rarely feel any so called effects from the single small amt I consume(smoke) daily or less as I feel I need.. So I guess the cannabinoid content as found in a good female bud is not there or low and the small amt I use does not give this result. Really I feel nothing and that is exactly what I want, I feel nothing, no pain and sleep fully relaxed. One Doctor, who was a Mr. totally agreed the useage I maintained and told me he would prescribe if legally allowed. Shame medically not recognised for it’s benefit, you take one antibiotic every day for 10 days, I equally take the same approach with marijuana, but some mates I met in my travels over time, smoked the quantity of ten days multiple times in one night for the psychoactive affect. Cheers thanks for publication and ability to comment.

  12. Extremely helpful article, only got 7 plants of which 2 r male. Just can’t discard the males so now I’m informed on their uses. Thank you

    1. Eric Kauppi

      You are better off putting them in the wood chipper there benefit isn’t worth the work trust me I grow large amounts and always have multiple makes and have tried to use them for every bit of their benefit and the yield you get is simply not worth the time or effort

  13. Hi Seshata, you have some really interesting information in this article. Do you have the scientific literature titles that you obtained this information? Or possibly the articles you obtained it from that can cite their sources? I’m really wanting to try a few things out however I need to review the existing literature and some of the information you mention above is just exactly some of what I’m wanting to do the research on. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Kathleen,

      Thank you for your comment. If you check the green links within the text, you will find articles and publications that are used as references for this article. Seshata is a recognised cannabis expert who writes for various publications and is an authority on many aspects of the plant.

      With best wishes,

      Scarlet

  14. I have been growing Medical Cannabis for a few years now. I have and continue to allow males to grow as they are no less potent or effective than the females. they do contain more chlorophyll but I still make the concentrate (Rick Simpson recipe) and use it for creams, salves and the male plant is best for tea. I don’t throw out any part of the plant and use the stalks and stems for teas.

    All in all, since I don’t have a laboratory, I can say with confidence that concentrate reacts with both males and females the same. the only disadvantage is that if females are pollinated they don’t have such big flowers, BUT, when making medicine it really doesn’t make a difference in volume. I live in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea and my plants withstand all winds as well but the males are stronger and don’t bend so much as the females. This year, 2018 I am starting out with Auto Seeds and will feminize them myself…only because these plants are smaller and you want to get the most out of them. Just wanted to share.

  15. when we were kids back in the late 60’s, we smoked everything, but one thing i have NEVER got any buzz on are edibles. i’ve eaten edibles from dispensaries, and home made both, but i don’t EVER feel anything.
    we use our homemade wax, put 3 grams into a batch of cookies, or brownies. everybody claims they get ripped beyond comprehension, i might get just a bit sleepy.
    i quit wasting good wax on edibles, one dab and i’m flyin’ high, eat edibles, nothing.

    1. Brett Hernan

      Some people do not possess the enzymes in their gut which allow their body to metabolise THC. Like those people who can’t get stoned, it’s an unfortunate outcome of the genetic lottery.

    2. Try drinking pinapple juice with your edible. There is something about the chemical reaction from the enzymes in the juice that triggers the absorption of the edibles.

  16. Mary Kushmas

    We keep honeybee boxes within the temperature controlled grow area. The active transfer of pollen from the bees cause the plants to increase flower/bud size and in turn increase seed saturation with the flower. IG : @robstriblen

  17. Great article, very detailed information. Cannabis is an amazing beauiful plant. Its like a book that you cant stop reading. I think everyone should try cannabis in some form. Thered be no A-HOLES lol sorry for the language but seriously the world and ppl need cannabis. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It was very helpful.

  18. I found out by accident the potency of male pollen sacks. I had run out of Cannabis Oil and had just noticed a male plant in full bloom with developed pollen sacks but not yet mature and I harvested the tips. I made oil and as I am always the guinea pig before dosing for my husband, I got high, very high. Add to that the chlorophyll that is also very beneficial, we both enjoyed this medicine for 2 months before the females flowered.
    Yes, I did have a male that I didn’t notice and by the time I did, he had pollinated a few females but like this article states, it was intermittent here and there, not one female had seeds all over so I was able to harvest the females and collect some seeds for drying. For medicine or making Cannabis Oil, I really don’t think that taking males out will change the quality of medicine. We’re not out for aesthetics or smoking seeds so both can bring a lot of value in the medicine.

  19. I prefer the effect of smoking male leaves to even smoking female bud. The buds are too strong for me, just just one of two hits off a male leaf and I feel great. I’ve only ever grown male marijuana.

  20. Rellis Smith

    I have been told by many Marijuana “experts” that you can’t get high on male marijuana…BS…. In my plants I found one male, I let it live and it started to produce “flower buds” when they would open I would remove them and place them to dry. In 4 or 5 days the plant would produce more “Flower Buds” I would then remove them and place them to dry. The same thing happened 5 or 6 times until the plant was done.

    I then proceeded to use the male “Flower Buds” to roll joints, I was able to roll over 60 large joints. When smoked they got me and a couple of friends pretty high. Of course they aren’t as powerful as the female buds but believe me they were perfect for us because we are old farts (65 to 78) and don’t need any of those Wacydo buds anymore.

  21. I was given a healthy small plant which has turned out to be male.I put it in a large pot outside (sunny location) and it took off with no care but water. It’s legal to grow it where I live so it can get as big as it wants. It has many light flowers all over it and I would like to use them. If I want to make butter, or juice or tea or an elixir, do I dry it first? What are the signs that it’s time to harvest a male plant? Or do I just boil it or bake it straight away? Thanks for any info on this. I’m a newbie too.

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Carolyn

      Thank you for your comment ? Unfortunately, for legal reasons we cannot respond to grow questions on the blog, but we do have the Sensi Seeds Forum where you can ask a thriving community of gardening fans for advice, share your experiences, and see if your question has already been covered. I hope this helps.

      With best wishes

      Scarlet

    1. Eric Kauppi

      Agreed!!! Use of too many words that no one knows the definition to without having to look the. Yo which is super annoying lol

  22. For a true novice like myself that grew 3 and got 3 males. What is the easiest use of a male.
    Edibles (butter)? and best part of plant to use?

  23. I am just a beginner in all this ( lol ) so some of what I read was great articles & others I was a bit confused being so new to this all . I had gotten a few seeds and grew , 2 female and 1 male which I separated. The male has gone crazy , massive and I feel so bad when my friend said just to get rid of it and throw it out after babying it for a while . I have read articles but since its new to me , I think I should hang on to My massive male and do some more reading ? Thanks , sorry to the pro’s as it may sound silly … but I’m just starting out for medical use as I have a chronic pain disorder so would like to get what I can or use it if I could . Does anyone have any suggestions … Or any other sites for suggestions ? I just would hate to kill it as its so massive and so many pollen balls so Im re-thinking after reading some of your comments. Thanks & again sorry for sounding a bit ditzy ( Lol)

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Kris,

      Thank you for your comment ? We’re happy to hear that you’re getting enthusiastic about gardening, and don’t worry about your lack of experience, we were all beginners once! Unfortunately, for legal reasons we cannot respond to grow questions on the blog, but we do have the Sensi Seeds Forum where you can ask a thriving community of gardening fans for advice, share your experiences, and see if your question has already been covered. I hope this helps.

      With best wishes

      Scarlet

      1. Scarlet, the forum you mentioned, are there some reliable sources for good seeds? The first attempt for me ended up being male. So I need to find a good source. The seeds I used just happened to have been found in so buds.

    2. Eric Kauppi

      Dude stop belittling yourself it is okay to be new to something and not know all there is to know everyone was new to this at some point so don’t let the pot snobs you will Inevitably run into bring you down forget them lol

      1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

        Well said Eric! I love seeing the positivity in this community.

        Cheers

        Scarlet

  24. Great info, I make meds an didn’t want to waste solvent if there was nothing there, I want wast anymore! Tks

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Mike,

      Thank you for your comment ? Unfortunately, for legal reasons we cannot respond to grow questions on the blog, but we do have the Sensi Seeds Forum where you can ask a thriving community of gardening fans for advice, share your experiences, and see if your question has already been covered. I hope this helps.

      With best wishes

      Scarlet

  25. An article that really needs to be read by governments alike where possibilities for less use of herbicides and pesticides and even GMO’s. Great post!

  26. I want to grow and juice my males but I have female cultivators for neighbors. Will this affect them?

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hi Chopper,

      Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, for legal reasons we cannot respond to grow questions on the blog, but we do have the Sensi Seeds Forum where you can ask a thriving community of gardening fans for advice, share your experiences, and see if your question has already been covered. I hope this helps.

      With best wishes

      Scarlet

    2. Eric Kauppi

      Naw just try to be up wind if possible but usually a few meters separation is sufficient to avoid pollination:

      Eric

  27. Mark Skinner

    Rather than get male plants, take cuttings from a female Mother plant and with a bit of hormone powder make as many clones as you like….all female just like Mum.

  28. Judy Walter

    Great article. I may have missed the question/answer but would love to know when to harvest a male plant. I have a lovely large plant that I just force sexed it and it turned out to be male, now it has/had pollen balls all over it. I pinched those off hoping that the leaves would be good for something. Help please

  29. Does every different female strain have a male brother? Like white-widow male, or tangerine male, how else would you cross pollinate strains?

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hello SJMK1,

      Thank you for your comment and your question. Feminized strains do indeed have ‘brothers’, or male counterparts, which is how we keep strains going and breed new ones. If you are interested in this kind of topic, do check out the Sensi Seeds Forum, where many growers discuss our strains and different cultivation techniques.

  30. Thank you for this information, very good article! I would have never known the value of males, everyone has always told me to throw them out. Their no good, now I can do my own experiments. I think this is awesome for people who don’t know about male plants. Thanks again.

  31. So I have a male plant on what I think is the “preflower” stage. For what I have read here is understand that the plant and the flowers are as unique and useful as the females. Any advice?

  32. Interesting uses for male. I have a bunch of bag seed of a good local strain. I am thinking about trying to find a nice pheno in the batch. May keep a male or two to experiment with breeding. Great article. Thanks for sharing!

  33. I use the male plants to make a very deep and strong bhang lassie medicine! ONce I know what plants are male, I separate them and leave them in their intial pots, to grow a little slower than the transplanted females. The flowers and leaves are harvested, then I brew a tea, packed with the harvest (a saucepan full of leaf with water just above the level of the leaves, boiled for 10 minutes and left to cool), save the tea, then crush the drained leaves and flowers with a little milk in a pestle and mortar, until the leaves are very pulpy, and squeeze the juice out. I repeat this 4 more times (with the milk because THC dissolves in milk) and then combine the tea, the juice and the left over pulpy leaves in a blender. This then is a base for making lassie. It can be incredibly strong and the medicine goes deep into muscles, it is very relaxing and is an old indian recipe! Bhang is AMAZING!

  34. Paul J. von Hartmann

    Males useless? Hardly…

    Including Cannabis pollen in your green drinks adds another dimension to the healing of whole-plant nutrition. Pollen is exceptionally nutritious, containing almost all of the nutrients required by the human body to thrive.

    Bees collect pollen, blend it with a small secretion from salivary glands or nectar and carry it in tiny appendages (corbiculae) on their hind legs. These “pollen loads”
    are brought to the hive where they are put into the honey comb.

    The pollen is covered with a layer of honey & wax, called “bee bread.” The bee bread ferments and is preserved by lactic acid. Bee bread serves as the basic protein source for the bee colony.

    One bee colony produces two to fourteen pounds (one to seven kilos) of pollen a year. The amount of pollen collected from one colony each day is between 50 and 250 grams. Pollen traps are used to collect pollen loads as the bees return to the hive.

    Bee pollen is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, lipids and fatty acids, enzymes, carotenoids and bioflavonoids. It has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties that strengthen capillaries, reduce inflammation, stimulate the immune system and lower cholesterol levels.

    Bee pollen contains more protein than any animal source and more amino acids than an equal weight of eggs or beef. The German Federal Board of Health recognizes bee pollen as medicine.

    Another benefit is that bees are attracted to the male Cannabis flowers, collect the pollen, and feed it to their young. This makes for healthier bees & a healthier garden.

    Over the long-term, breeding Cannabis using pollen conveys natural adaptability & resilience to your Cannabis plants that cloning does not. Seeds are also much more portable, storable and easier to exchange than clones.

  35. I have about 3 males. I also did not know about them and now they r fully grown. Wat do I do with them. I feel like it’s a great lose just to let the die. Please help?

  36. Hello
    Great article , I had thought the only uses for male plants were for seed and good fiber .

    “It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged”
    GK Chesterson

    1. Scarlet Palmer - Sensi Seeds

      Hello Rosemary,

      Thanks for commenting 🙂 I’m not sure which way round you mean, but I can assure you that male plants don’t harm bees and bees don’t harm male plants, so both ways round is fine! 🙂

      With best wishes,

      Scarlet

  37. Thank you very much for spending your time writing this informative article. I’m new to this and think it is wonderful for somebody helping out a newbie like me. Much love to you.

  38. Thank you. as I have experienced,my male plants are giving a good feeling. only using leaves to test. I have only experienced delicious sinsemilla one time in about 40 years.

  39. I grew 2 males and it was my first time ,so I didn’t know till it was to late they were males. They have a ton of seeds and about 3feet tall. No females to ruin but when and what should I do to them

    1. Harvest the pollen. Wait for the sacs to burst and then collect it on paper, fold it in to an envelope with a silica packet and then throw it in your freezer. When you happen to have a viable female plant, take some pollen and paint a few buds with a tiny paintbrush.
      VIOLA! a new strain is born! I’m reading that you can make butter as well.
      GOOD LUCK!

  40. I guess I grew an enormous male plant it is huge. I don’t know what to do I thought it was a girl but I guess not what should a guy do?

    1. EdResinthal

      Harvest the leaves and the reproductive areas and use them to make butter or infused oil. Just cook under low heat (not a simmer) for several hours. Strain the plant parts and allow the butter or oil to cool in a storage container. Spread it on your toast and don’t make any plans for the rest of the day. I avoid the stove top and do all my butter/oil infusing in a pot inside my oven at its lowest temp. Between 170 and 200 for about 5 hours. Baking ensures you won’t burn the product on the stove top.

    2. John, I am a first timer and as luck would have it my first and only plant turns out to be a “Dude.”
      My next one will be from a good feminized seed.
      My first seed purchase got intercepted by the authorities in NY.
      I hear that there are a few companies that you can have better luck with that but I need to do my tesearch.

  41. It is important to produce organic seeds to protect the future of both cannabis sexes, certain strains now only can be reproduced from cloning since there are no more male plants and no seeds. Thank you for the article, it will hopefully educate people of the importance of the male plant and the seed production.

    1. “certain strains now only can be reproduced from cloning since there are no more male plants and no seeds.” This is actually false. While it is true that for the average consumer, in order to grow certain strains your only choice is a clone, this doesn’t mean that no seeds exist. They exist, in most cases, and are sold by their creator online; Especially very popular strains. Otherwise, anyone could just reproduce seeds and all of the time/energy/money that went into breeding said strain would be for naught, or at least wouldnt be profitable. If this weren’t the case we wouldn’t see half of the strains that are available today. Although I do understand your point. Happy Gardening!

      1. Hi Shawn. I think Horti may have had a point. A Jack Herer isn’t a Jack Herer isn’t a Jack Herer. If a breeder produces seeds from his/her own “parent” stock, and then somehow loses those plants, then that cross/strain is no longer available in seed form, even if another breeder uses parents of the same strain. Your point is also true if somehow the “original” breeder gave others clones of his/her parent stock; then the specific blend of genetics that made up the lost strains would persist.

  42. Allan I Frankel, MD

    I am not certain about the Hemp based gender differences when it comes amounts of cannabinoids.

    However, I am pretty familiar with cannabis plants, both male and female. Over the past year, during a couple of breeding projects, I sent the male flowers, female leaves and female flowers to a local reliable lab.

    The males generally tested, at least for CBD, at the levels of female leaves, which is around 1%. The flowers tested at 14%.

    One last point, before either a male or female goes into flowering, you can tell a whole lot about the branching patterns, durability, rooting, etc etc.

    However, I totally agree that males are more scary than they need to be and picking great males is a critical part of this.

    1. Mark BSHA/HM/RM

      I agree with Dr. Frankel 100%, as well as several other authors. I have researched cannabis, with more impressive qualifications than are listed in my title, for 38 years. Without saving males, we can easily, as I did in 1991; lose the most impressive medical miracle that I have only witnessed weakly since those days. If someone you work with has a set of rules, it is to prevent the entire “collective” from three years in federal prison. I only wish, in our haste to get rid of everything when our electrician was caught in the “mail order” Operation Green Sweep, I had buried the seeds of my strain created from Buddhist medical mythos (which were far more truth than myth),

      For starters, one can feel a great deal of elation using male leaves and pre-flowers (cured and ground to replace the flour content) in one’s favorite brownie recipe. Once, a person was dishonest with our team, so we created a more highly purified oil than the RSO type, believing we were teaching this person a lesson with bunk “Honey Oil.” We were the victims of the lesson, as he came back for more and, more to sell those who used it with him. THC content aside, as a “whole plant extract” the terpenoids that are as potent in the male as the sexually mature female may well be the key to the elation and pain relief. Today we know that the terpenoid profile is as important as any cannabinoid profile, in medicinal quality and the many effective treatments one can expect from whole plant cannabis products.

      Unless you have a small grow, such as I am forced to keep, until we can move to the “Promised Land” out west (I have a business proposal that will allow me Research Grants, and the living I was accustomed to prior to an accident leaving me disabled) and care for ourselves, rather than be a burden to a new state’s Human Services safety net. I ended my academic work when I was recruited by one of the doctors (in endocrinology) who was among several to explain to Nixon why cannabis was not possibly fatal and was about as likely to cause permanent insanity as Librium. After my work with “Ethnobotanical Hallucinogens” was completed, I devoted two years to this project (the Dr. was rapidly reassigned to the smallest VA hospital in the Midwest, and searching for cannabis’ medicinal uses as well as disproving propaganda became a passion), which was also to award me my Master’s Degree. When I sought to add an addendum of vital information to our “believed” published work, I discovered a Senatorial and Presidential order to the university to destroy the work. This is why I say, my 38 years of ongoing research has provided an experience beyond my BS Degree. The uses for the male plant never entered my mind, until the end of my “rogue” work, destroyed a strain that brought a friend and client back from a terminal brain injury. Today, I search for many other medicinal uses for the “boys,” as they have been overlooked for far too long. Keep them separated, unless you know precisely what you want to create (and even then we covered the clusters and hand pollinated the well chosen “mother plant”).

      1. Mark,
        Its a dirty shame that the cannabis study was shut down. I have a son who has a brain injury and was wondering if anyone has any seeds from that strain that you developed that saved your friend and client. he has his medical marijuana license to grow for his own use. Any info would be greatly appreciated. We are from Canada

  43. Frank Knight

    Howdy,
    I was curious…. should I mix a male plant or two in with my females in a room?
    I know for fact that seed weed can work awesome…. I have had people tell me that seed weed doesn’t have THC…. after I get done flogging them (kidding) then…. I’ll inform them of the good ol’ days when, we spent more time cleaning seeds out of the Mexican and Columbian Gold herb, than we spent smoking it! It all worked awesome…. definetely potent stuff!
    But…. since starting to grow my personal medical cannabis…. I have always been told to yank any males because they would be detrimental to my grow.
    Can someone please elaborate?
    Thank you!
    Peace

    1. Frank Knight

      Last year…. I cropped a few buds off of one plant and…. decided to let it keep growing…. eventually…. it developed some male pistols and ended up producing some awesome seeds…. it was kind of an experiment to see if the potency had any difference between the buds I cropped and the buds I let grow…. I didn’t notice any difference in potency but… some of the flavor had diminished…. most of the seeds are all females (they are concave where they attached to the plant vs. convex like male seeds. Sure glad I learned that! 🙂

      1. Steve Andrews

        Is that true, that you can tell the difference between male and females seeds based on the shape of their attachment point to the plant, as you described, above? What percent of the time is this prediction accurate, in your experience? Thanks.

  44. Thanks for the article, well put together and informative. All the qualities I was looking for!

  45. PlantSeeds SingSongs

    Mahalo for the very interesting scientific approach to growing and understanding these beautiful plants. Wow. So appreciative. Aloha.

  46. factshonesty

    With the higher “potency” of today’s Cannabis plants in general Vs what we smoked in the 70’s; I’m OK with growing both male and female plants and to of course obtain some seeds for next year.

    Just a note: There are options to eliminating or limiting the amount of pollination from the male to female plant. You can clip the buds on the male plants….it’s pretty easy to do this. You can grow your male plants to maturity and harvest them juicing or oils by using the clipping method. I don’t like pulling out any pot plants….let alone just the males. I don’t clip all the male buds….I’ll leave a few so I will get some seeds from my female plants.

    Also, some of my male plants have also provided a decent high but this also depends on which variety or varieties that you’re growing.

      1. just wanted say hello. a question if you have afew females ones ok than have a male plant will it harm the female one

  47. Great article. Thank you.
    Very helpful as I am a new grower. My male is beautiful and seems a shame to cull him. I am fortunate to have a covered spot to grow.

    1. I have that same stupid problem with my good looking males. I dont feel good about this but tomorrow they die; it wont be easy but I have killed males before, and it is the right thing to do.

  48. todd jensen

    can you still acquire a “high ” from male plants ? I have been told not . thank you please reply

      1. How do you make edibles out of male plants, i only have 1 plant and it’s a male

      2. kimberly tooley

        thank god got 6 beauitful baby on this frist timer to olny have all boys so sad …

    1. The potency of male plant material is comparable to that of female despite the common misconception.That said, the THC content of male plants can vary greatly depending on the strain.

      1. I have been struggling to find any scientific numbers to show this- especially for edibles and topical use only. My experience has been in outdoor grown sativas and the edibles, properly deoxycarbolated have been awesome- especially when presented in dark chocolate.

    2. I had 11 plants. 7 were male. I grew all my plants in worm castings. I harvested my male right as they were going to bloom. They were out doors and 7 feet tall. I cured them and used for pain. They were very potent. Very nice high and no head ache. You have you harvest when you feel the leave close to the pollen sacks get a little sticky. They will get the right smell to but harvest just before they bloom if you don’t want seeds. Those who say there’s no THC in the male plant don’t know what there talking about or they don’t know how to get the most out of there work.

      1. Well also don’t forget that you don’t know what you’re talking about too. Male plants don’t have seeds. They have pollen buds that pretty much bust nuts of pollen on female plants and the female plants then create the seeds. Kinda like a baby. While male plants do produce THC, not so much at all on the CBD’s. Also, those tests were in 1971 and the THC percentage was roughly 2% and by today’s standards with an average of 30% respectively those numbers are embarrassing and no male plant will ever get no 30% THC . Although male plants DO produce THC, not close to as much as a female but can still give you a nice euphoric buzz. Sorry if I sounded rude at first but it always irks me when people think that male plants are like buds of nothing but seeds. Those buds you see like that are usually hermaphrodites and pollinated themselves by blowing loads all oven their own pistils in return producing massive amounts of seeds. Have a nice day.

    1. I use the male plant to make oil for topical application for relief of muscle pain. Works great.

      I use the male plant to make oil for topical application for relief of muscle pain. Works great. My family, my housekeeper, and many friends use it the same way. Don’t throw the plants away, cook them in oil at less than 300 degrees , filter the remains and use the oil sparingly. You will be amazed at how well it works for muscle pain.

      1. What kond of oil do you use to cook the leaves with? I am growing one plant hoping it will help with my best friend’s multiple myeloma later after her chemotherapy. Thank you in advance.

      2. Great tip! What type of oil are you using? If you did that with coconut oil as a base for edibles, any idea if I would need to decarb? My first time growing 2 plants from seed and its looking like one may be male. Both 6 weeks veg, but one is showing to be a lovely lady aleady ?

      3. Have a number of male plants…don’t want to throw them away. Good advice. will try

      4. Great idea with the oil boil down. What oil did you use. ?? Coconut or something else?

      5. Hiya I know this is a late reply but I’ve got a big male plant and am about to try making some oil for muscle pain .. I have M.S can I ask how mush oil to plant do you use? I have like half a pillow case how much oil would you use?
        Thank you
        Claire

  49. Hello Sashata! Thank you for this lovely article definitely a breath of fresh intelligent air . I just recently started reading about cannabis I have just one little plant at home out of curiosity. The weed I got was good I found a seed and that happens rarely. So few weeks later I still don’t know whats gonna happen I think its going towards a plant with both sexes .. but even if it does I didn’t plant it to smoke it . Never mind my question is what is going to happen to the plant if the signs of sex are being messed with . Remove all male and leave the female how is this going to affect the plant.

  50. Just wanted to say hello and show my appreciation for your work. Your article helped me find non prejudiced evidence and the beneficial topics pertaining to male marijuana plants and their uses. What a coup we could organize

  51. bong_jamesbong2001

    Just want to say hi to Sheshata, whom I met with Mattie B. in Amsterdam in 2010. Thanks for your help then! Hope you are doing well. b_jb2001

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Author

  • Profile-image

    Sensi Seeds

    The Sensi Seeds Editorial team has been built throughout our more than 30 years of existence. Our writers and editors include botanists, medical and legal experts as well as renown activists the world over including Lester Grinspoon, Micha Knodt, Robert Connell Clarke, Maurice Veldman, Sebastian Maríncolo, James Burton and Seshata.
    More about this author
Scroll to Top