Why Did My Plants Turn Out Male or Hermaphrodite? đąUpdated 9 hours ago
All Homegrown Cannabis Co. feminized seeds â whether autoflower or photoperiod â are bred to produce female plants over 99% of the time. However, nature isnât perfect, and occasionally a grower may see a male plant or a hermaphrodite (a plant with both male and female traits).
What is a hermaphrodite? đ¤
A hermaphrodite, or âhermie,â is a cannabis plant that produces both white pistils (female flowers) and pollen sacs (male flowers). This can result in the plant pollinating itself or nearby plants, creating seeds in your buds.
Why does it happen?
While true genetic males from feminized seeds are rare, hermaphroditism is often caused by environmental stress, such as:
High or fluctuating temperatures đĄď¸
Light leaks during the dark period đĄ
Physical damage to the plant âď¸
Irregular watering or nutrient imbalances đ§
Pests or diseases đ
Stress can cause a female plant to produce male flowers, even if it was genetically female.
How to tell the difference
Male plants will have clusters of pollen sacs without white pistils.
Hermies will have both pollen sacs and pistils on the same plant or even the same bud site.
What should I do if it happens?
If you spot pollen sacs early in flowering, remove the plant immediately to protect your other crops from pollination. If seeds have already formed, they will reduce bud quality and potency.
Need help? đŹ
If you purchased your seeds from Homegrown Cannabis Co. and believe your plants were true males (not stress-induced hermies), reach out to our support team with your order number and photos. Weâll review your case and help you from there.