Cannabis which is also popularly known as marijuana comes in two different species, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Sativa. However, there’s a third type of cannabis available which is known as the hybrid. A hybrid is the artificially bred combination of the above mentioned two species. So, all the fancy names that you come across, either falls on the Indica category or on the Sativa category or it could be a combination of both.

The Difference between Indica And Sativa

When it comes to figure out the difference between various samples of cannabis, there are only two main types under which the majority of the cannabis strains are categorised as.

1. Cannabis Sativa: This strain of cannabis grows taller and thinner in comparison to Indica strain. Sativa mainly originated from the equatorial countries of Mexico, Thailand, Columbia and South East Asia and is known to thrive in warm weather. The leaves are light green in colour and are much narrower when compared to the leaves of Indica. The sativa plants are known to grow up to an unusual height of 20 feet. It may take the plant almost ten to sixteen weeks to reach the stage of full maturity, once it begins to flower. This strain of cannabis is famous for it’s extremely strong smell which may range from fruity to sweet, to earthy. Many of the popular strains such as Cherry AK, Jack Herer, Trainwreck, and Green Crack belong to the sativa family. However, they all differ in their smell which is known as ‘terpene profile’.

2. Cannabis Indica: On the opposite of Sativa we, ahve Indica which has a short and stout composure. The indica strain is believed to have originated from the lands of Pakistan and Afghanistan and they thrive in cooler regions. The leaves of indica are dark green in colour and are much shorter and fatter in shape which is just the opposite of sativa leaves. Since indica plants do not grow much in height they can be grown indoors as well. The plants take approximately twelve weeks to get mature. The flavours and smells of indica ranges from pine to pungent, to sweet and sugary.

Now, that you are aware of the major differences between the two main strains of cannabis, it will be easier for you to identify the type of marijuana, the next time you smoke up.