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Regular seeds grow into male or female plants, in roughly equal numbers. Feminized seeds are bred so that nearly every plant is female. Only female plants produce the flowers most growers want, so this difference affects your space, your effort and how many of your seeds turn into a harvest.
Seed types
Feminized or regular?
Same species, very different odds of getting a female plant.
See feminized seeds
The short answer
- Choose feminized seeds if you want flowers, not seeds, and you do not want to spend space and time on male plants.
- Choose regular seeds if you plan to breed, keep a line going or make your own seeds.
How regular seeds work
Cannabis plants are normally either male or female. A regular seed comes from a male and a female plant, so each seed has about an equal chance of becoming either one. You will not know which you have until the plant begins to show its first pre-flowers, usually a few weeks into growth.
Male plants make pollen sacs, not the flowers growers harvest. If that pollen reaches a female, she puts her energy into making seeds, and the harvest suffers. That is why growers who use regular seeds identify the males early and remove them from the room.
How feminized seeds work
To make feminized seeds, a breeder encourages a female plant to produce pollen and uses it to pollinate another female. Both parents are female, so the seeds carry female genetics, and nearly every plant that grows from them will be female.
The key word is nearly. A feminized plant can still show male parts, most often when it is stressed by heat, light leaks or sudden changes. Check your plants regularly, and remove any plant that shows pollen sacs before they open.
Side by side
| Trait | Feminized | Regular |
|---|---|---|
| Share of female plants | Nearly all | About half |
| Males to remove | Rarely, but check for male parts | Yes, about half the plants |
| Space and effort | Spent almost entirely on plants that can flower | Part of the space goes to plants you will remove |
| Making your own seeds | Limited, because there is no male parent | Yes, you can cross a male and a female |
| Keeping a line going | Through cuttings from a mother plant | Through seeds or cuttings |
| Best for | Home growers and beginners | Breeders and growers who want to select their own parents |
At a glance
What each type means for you
Feminized
Almost every plant flowers
You spend space and time on plants that can give you a harvest.
Regular
Half the plants are male
Useful for breeding and for keeping a line, with more sorting to do.
How to tell a male from a female
You can tell the sex of a plant once it shows its first pre-flowers at the nodes, where the branches meet the stem.
- Female: small white hairs (pistils) appear, often on a small teardrop-shaped calyx.
- Male: small round pollen sacs form, often in clusters that look like tiny balls.
For a deeper look, read our guide to the difference between male and female cannabis plants.
If you are growing regular seeds, remove the males as soon as you are sure, before the sacs open.
Which one should you buy?
Most home growers are better served by feminized seeds. You do not have to guess which plants will flower, and you do not give up space to plants you will remove. Our seeds for beginners are a good place to start, and you can browse every feminized variety in one place.
Regular seeds make sense when you want to work with genetics yourself. If you are curious about how seeds are made and selected, read about our breeding program. To decide between feminized and autoflower, see our guide to autoflower vs photoperiod seeds.
Decide in a minute
Choose by your goal
Common questions
Can a feminized plant turn male? A feminized plant will not become a true male, but it can grow male parts (a condition called hermaphroditism), usually after stress such as heat or a light leak. Check your plants regularly and remove any that show pollen sacs.
Are feminized seeds weaker than regular seeds? No. Strength, flavour and yield depend on the genetics of the strain, not on whether the seed is feminized or regular.
Are autoflower seeds feminized? Many autoflower seeds are sold as feminized, but check the description of each product to be sure.
Why would anyone choose regular seeds? Regular seeds let you select a male and a female to cross, which is how many breeders create and preserve a line. For a grower who only wants flowers, feminized seeds are usually simpler.
How do I know which type I bought? The product page states whether a seed is feminized. If you are unsure, check the pack label or contact us before you plant.
