What to look for when buying cannabis flower: sorting the best cannabis from the rest of the cannabis
When shopping at a dispensary, you will often find yourself with many different options when it comes to buying cannabis flower. A big price tag or strong potency may seem like an easy way to assume flower is high quality, but it’s good to have a few more tools in your back pocket when selecting flower. And we’d hate to see you spend money on mediocre bud. Here are some qualities we look for:
1. Start by engaging your senses
Indulging in the aromatic experience is one of the most enjoyable ways to identify quality cannabis. Over 60% of cannabis consumers rely on their sense of smell to make informed decisions about their purchases, and for good reason. The potency and pleasantness of the aroma often correlate with the overall product quality. Terpenes, the compounds responsible for these captivating scents, play a significant role in contributing to the therapeutic, entourage, and psychological effects of cannabis. A skunky, dank, or intense aroma is generally a positive sign, while scents resembling lawn cuttings, mildew, or mold should be avoided.
2. Potency is complicated, so don’t put too much weight into it
Contrary to popular belief, higher THC levels don’t always equate to greater potency or quality. Focusing solely on THC percentage can lead to misconceptions, as other factors play crucial roles in the overall experience. The entourage effect, resulting from the interaction of various cannabinoids and terpenes, is a more accurate indicator of quality. Lab tests may not always provide precise or reliable results, so considering the full range of compounds is essential.
3. Really give it a good look
Being attentive to visual cues can also aid in assessing cannabis quality. Trichomes, the shiny microscopic crystals covering buds, indicate the presence of cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. Abundant trichomes suggest a more unique and potent strain. Additionally, thick and dense buds often imply better indoor cultivation techniques.
4. Good buds are good friends
What do we mean by that? Well, texture is also really important in knowing if your flower is good or not. And just as friends hold hands, you want to see the buds sticking together. That “stickiness” signals that the flower was trimmed and dried carefully as to not disturb the flavorful tricomes containing the powerful terpines and cannabinoids. You also definitely want to be sure there isn’t any moisture present on the jar or container you’re inspecting, or on the other side of things, you don’t want to see flower that is so dry it’s crumbling as the container moves.
While other factors come into play as well, this is a good starting point. At FireFlower, we pride ourselves in our meticulous craft cannabis production. We treat our plants like the ladies deserve (since smokable cannabis plants are all female) and monitor every nutrient, drop of water, temperature and breeze they experience. Pampered cannabis is delicous cannabis. Please visit us and chat with one of our friendly budtenders about the FireFlower difference. Use this list to observe and engage with our flower, and we know you will walk away with a product you’ll enjoy!