Cannabis is a plant that belongs to the genus Cannabis in the family Cannabaceae. It can be classified as three species, namely Cannabis indica, sativa, and ruderalis, or one variable species. Typically, it is an annual plant that is dioecious, meaning each individual plant is either male or female. Sativa and Indica strains tend to grow tall, with some varieties reaching up to 4 meters or 13 feet. Female cannabis plants produce tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as the season changes from summer to autumn. THC can make up to 31% of the plant’s weight. On the other hand, Ruderalis is a short plant that produces only trace amounts of THC, but it’s rich in cannabidiol (CBD), an antagonist to THC, which may be up to 40% of the cannabinoids in a plant.
Ruderalis flowers independently of the photoperiod and instead, the age of the plant is the main factor for flowering. However, commercial cross-bred hybrids containing both ruderalis, indica, and/or sativa genes exist, usually called auto-flowering strains.
The flower or bud of the female cannabis plant is the smokable, trichome-covered part that is most popular due to its versatility. It can be smoked in a pipe or joint, vaporized in a vaporizer, or incorporated into edibles. These buds contain most of the plant’s trichomes, which produce the unique aroma and carry the THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids responsible for cannabis’s characteristic effects. The physical appearance of cannabis flowers varies depending on the strain, but they usually appear as small, green, and dense nuggets of plant matter or buds with a sticky resin that comprises trichomes and covers the buds along with orange or brown hairs.
Recreational-grade flower is grown and sold for its psychoactive effects and is usually higher in THC. Medical-grade flower is grown and sold for its potential medicinal benefits and is usually higher in CBD or other medicinal cannabinoids. Bassani Medical supplies companies in 1kg bulk bags, and these companies handle further final packaging and sell to dispensaries, doctors, or pharmacies. Customers will need a script from a doctor, and in Germany, medical insurance will cover the cost of up to €9.50/Gram. Retailers’ most popular pack sizes are 7-gram packs.
Cannabis can be grown outdoors on natural soil or in pots of pre-made or commercial soil, and some strains perform better than others in outdoor settings, depending on different conditions and variables. Over a hundred different cannabis strains bred for outdoor growing exist, and many of these outdoor cannabis seeds are simply copies of other pre-existing strains or seeds with different names and descriptions. For optimal THC-containing resin production, the plant needs fertile soil and long hours of daylight, which means THC production for outdoor growth occurs optimally anywhere within 35° of the equator. Cannabis grown outdoors is usually consumed by recreational users.
Cannabis can also be grown indoors in a soil-like medium under artificial light, and the plants are given water. Cultivating cannabis indoors is more complicated and expensive than growing outdoors, but it allows the cultivator complete control over the growing environment. The use of hydroponics is another option for growing cannabis indoors. Bassani Medical uses the Aeroponics system, which is more geared towards medical use. It is an efficient way of growing and will not have challenges relating to the absorption of contaminants from the soil.
