Cannabis indica Seeds | Indian Hemp
LATIN NAME: Cannabis indica
COMMON NAME: Cannabis Indica
Plant Profile
Cannabis indica is the name given to the short, densely branched form of the genus that grows in the mountains of the Hindu Kush, with broad dark leaflets, short internodes and a heavy covering of resin glands on the female flowers. It was described as a separate species in 1785 from Indian material.
Whether it is a species at all is disputed. Genetic work on the genus finds one variable species with several chemotypes, and the plants sold as indica and sativa are mostly hybrids bred for a market rather than collected from a wild range. The wild populations of the Hindu Kush are the landraces the name originally referred to.
Science & Biotechnology
The resin is a defence. Glandular trichomes on the bracts and on the small leaves secrete a mixture of cannabinoids and terpenes that deters insects, and the concentration rises as the plant matures and as the nights cool, which is why the crop is harvested late in the season in its native range.
The distinction between indica and sativa rests on morphology and on chemotype rather than on species boundaries. Short, early-flowering plants from high latitudes carry more tetrahydrocannabinol and less cannabidiol, on average, than tall late-flowering plants from the tropics, and a plant grown from seed sold as one type may test as the other. The claim that each type produces a distinct effect has not been demonstrated in controlled trials.
Uses & Benefits
The plant is grown for its resin, which is collected by sieving the dried flowers and pressing the powder into hashish, a product that has been made in the Hindu Kush and in the Rif for centuries. The fibre and seed uses belong to the tall form grown for hemp.
The plant is also used in traditional medicine in South Asia as a preparation for pain and for appetite, and it remains a controlled substance in most countries. Growing, possessing or selling it is illegal in many jurisdictions, including China, and the penalties are severe. In the Rif and in the Hindu Kush the resin is also mixed with tobacco and smoked, a practice that carries the same legal risk as any other use.
Growing from Seed
Sow in spring once the soil is warm, and expect germination in three to seven days. The plants are fast and hungry, and they need full sun and steady water. Flowering is triggered by shortening days, and the mountain landraces finish in eight to nine weeks.
The plant is dioecious, so male plants must be removed if seed is not wanted, since a pollinated female stops producing resin and fills with seed instead. Bud mould is the main problem in a wet autumn, and air movement matters more than any spray. Check the law before sowing: in most of the world this is not a garden plant.
Our Take
A disputed taxon and a controlled plant, grown for resin in its native mountains and illegal in most of the world. The indica label in the trade tells you very little.
Related Reading
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