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Indica and sativa are the two best known types of the cannabis plant. The names were introduced by botanists in the 18th century and are still used on almost every strain description today. In this article you can read how indica and sativa plants differ, where the names come from, what hybrids and ruderalis are and why modern research sees the labels as a rough guide only. Browse our flowers in the shop.
Where do the names come from?
Carl Linnaeus described Cannabis sativa in 1753 (Wikipedia: Cannabis sativa). In 1785 Jean-Baptiste Lamarck described plants from India with a different shape and called them Cannabis indica (Wikipedia: Cannabis indica). Today most botanists see both as forms of one species, Cannabis sativa.
How the plants look
Indica plants tend to:
- grow short and bushy, often under 2 metres,
- have short, wide leaflets in a dark green colour,
- form compact, dense buds,
- flower faster, often in 7 to 9 weeks.
Sativa plants tend to:
- grow tall and thin, outdoors often over 2 metres,
- have long, narrow leaflets in a light green colour,
- form longer, airier buds,
- flower longer, often in 10 to 14 weeks.
Where they come from
Traditional indica varieties come from dry mountain regions such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India. Traditional sativa varieties come from warm regions near the equator, such as Thailand, Colombia and parts of Africa. Read more about sativa in our article What is cannabis sativa?
Hybrids
Most strains sold today are hybrids with both indica and sativa parents. Breeders describe them as indica-dominant, sativa-dominant or balanced. Examples are White Widow (balanced) and Black Russian (indica-dominant).
What about cannabis ruderalis?
Cannabis ruderalis is a third, small form of the plant from Central and Eastern Europe and Russia (Wikipedia: Cannabis ruderalis). It starts flowering after a certain age instead of reacting to the length of the day. Breeders use this trait to create so called autoflowering strains.
Why the labels are only a rough guide
After many decades of crossing, most plants have mixed genetics. Studies on the chemistry of cannabis show that the content of cannabinoids and terpenes does not follow the indica or sativa label in a reliable way. Two plants with the same label can contain very different amounts of THC, CBD and terpenes. That is why many experts suggest looking at the cannabinoid content and the terpene profile instead of the label alone (Wikipedia: Cannabis strain).
Terpenes and aroma
Terpenes are the aroma compounds of the plant (Wikipedia: Terpene). Myrcene gives earthy and musky notes, limonene gives citrus notes and pinene smells like pine. The terpene profile is often a better way to describe a strain than the words indica or sativa.
Frequently asked questions
Are indica and sativa different species?
Most botanists today see them as forms of one species, Cannabis sativa. The names describe the shape and origin of the plants.
How can you tell indica and sativa apart?
Indica plants are short and bushy with wide leaves. Sativa plants are tall with narrow leaves and a longer flowering time.
What is a hybrid strain?
A hybrid has both indica and sativa parents. Most strains sold today are hybrids.
What is cannabis ruderalis?
Ruderalis is a small form of cannabis that flowers after a certain age. Breeders use it for autoflowering strains.
Does the label tell you the THC content?
No. Studies show that the cannabinoid content does not reliably follow the indica or sativa label.
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