Maximum Yield Cannabis USA February/March 2018 | Page 17

PICTURE-PERFECT
Purple
Purple: the most powerful wavelength of the
rainbow and historically the most significant and
interesting color. It’s rarity in nature has given it
a supernatural aura, which has also made it the
color of royalty. But is purple weed as special as
its color may suggest? Alan Ray investigates.
T
here is little doubt the desire for purple cannabis is grow-
ing steadily. At times, some dispensaries in the Lower
48 report having trouble keeping up with demand. Given its
unique and eye-catching colors, this is understandable.
Nevertheless, aesthetic beauty is merely one of the
perquisites associated with purple pot. Hidden within
the rich purple hues are treasure troves of good medicine
proven to help reduce stress and tension. Additionally, its
aromatic properties throw a flavor party for the taste buds
while affording the smoker a euphoric high of respectable
magnitude. Over the years, breeders have crossbred several
types to create strains of purple whose effects can range from
meditative to vegetative. Many purple strains are indica-
dominant, which means attached to a lofty head high is a
body stone that leaves the consumer feeling laid back and
calm. There are also predominantly sativa strains that offer a
more cerebral high without the heavy body attack.
myhydrolife.com
Temperature and the Color Purple
A purple color doesn’t necessarily mean your weed is a true
purple strain. That requires genetics. If your favorite strain
wasn’t engineered to be purple yet is that color, there are a
few factors that could contributed to the color change. With
marijuana, cold temperatures can affect the plant’s color,
much how cool weather changes the color of deciduous trees
during the fall. For outdoor plants, the colder air brings with it
a signal to stop producing chlorophyll. Chlorophyll, which is
necessary for photosynthesis, is the dominant pigment in the
plant and accounts for its green color. As the cold weather sets
in, chlorophyll gets broken down into smaller molecules. When
that happens, pigments of different colors within the plant can
develop. Sometimes these pigments are purple.
Another reason for plants turning purple has to do with just
how cold they got. Too cold of a temperature can freeze the
cells of the plant, causing damage to the pathways needed
for water and nutrient uptake. Without certain nutrients such
as phosphorus, some plants can turn purple. The soil's pH
level can also affect the plant's color, with the leaves of red
cabbage being a strong example. If the soil is acidic (below
7.0), then the leaves become reddish in color. When the pH
level is neutral, the leaves turn purple.
Initially, the only purple weed available—and it was rare—
was weed that was grown outdoors and subjected to colder
than recommended temperatures. Over time, however, clever
geneticists, seed breeders, and experimenters created purple
strains that took the guesswork out and put the color in.
grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
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