When Do Trichomes Appear?

What are trichomes?

Have you ever paid close attention to the flowers of an autoflowering cannabis plant? If yes, then you will have noticed tiny crystal-like fibers freckled across the leaves and buds of your cannabis plant.

These shiny, sticky, and frost-like outgrowths are called trichomes. They seem to emerge from the epidermis of your cannabis plant and the surface of leaves.

The word ‘trichome’ comes from the Greek word ‘Trichoma’ which means ‘growth of hair’. Technically, any outgrowth on the surface of your cannabis plant from thread-like hairs to thorns can be classified as trichomes.

There are three categories of trichomes that you should be familiar with:

• Bulbous trichomes
• Capitate sessile trichomes
• Capitate stalked trichomes

When do trichomes start appearing on autoflowering cannabis plant buds?

When it comes to the development of these resin structures, the most important question to ask as a cannabis cultivator is when do trichomes appear.

Most trichomes will begin appearing at least 3 – 4 weeks in the flowering stage of your cannabis plant. In this least potent stage, their appearance will resemble that of shards of glass or crystal filaments. Their physical appearance will be more transparent and less opaque at this stage.

This stage is the initial development stage of cannabis plant trichomes and it is also when they have the least psychoactive content packed in their buds.

Development of trichomes

Around 2 – 3 weeks after the initial stage, your trichomes will turn a milky color. Their appearance will become a cloudier shade of white and less crystal clear. At this stage, your trichomes are packed with the most THC content.

Another week into this stage and your trichomes will start to turn brownish yellow as THC is broken down into THC-A. Consuming your autoflowering cannabis buds when the trichomes are amber-hued will invoke a sedative high instead of a psychoactive one.

The best time to harvest your autoflowering cannabis plant is when the majority of your trichomes are milky-white with only a few yellow or brown trichomes.

Why are trichomes important?

According to the American Journal of Botany, trichomes located in different parts of your cannabis plant serve different functions to enable the survival of your cannabis plant.

Some of these functions are:

Protection

Glandular trichomes are known to secrete a bitter substance with an unpleasant smell that is useful in warding off pests and animals.

It also traps insects that come in contact with the surface of the plant. These glandular hairs ooze a lipophilic (able to dissolve in lipids more than water) secretion that protects the autoflowering cannabis plant from being eaten by animals.

Moisture retention

Trichomes also release mucilage (a viscous fluid) which helps balance the water concentration of your plant by covering its surface in a thick coat that prevents excessive loss of water.

In general, mucilage acts as a barrier that can protect your plant from external environmental conditions such as temperature fluctuations, changes in humidity, and pathogens.

Other functions

Apart from physical protection and moisture retention, trichomes are important because they help with the following:

• Protect the cannabis plant from extreme sunlight.
• Release oils to protect buds that are developing.
• Excrete toxic substances, salts, and chemicals.

Conclusion

The biological functions carried out by trichomes are critical to the survival of your autoflowering cannabis plant. Knowing when trichomes start to appear on your cannabis plant is useful information in helping you decide the ideal harvesting time for your cannabis plant.