Hemp flower has grown to be a smart alternative to cannabis and tobacco smokers too. Hemp flower is rich in CBD. It is CBD in hemp flower that not only restricts the effects of THC but also delivers many health benefits. In addition, the terpene profile of a hemp flower adds a new dimension to smoking it. With both CBD, terpenes and other phytocannabinoid and flavonoids, hemp flower smoking is much more enjoyable without getting high.
But it is important that one must be able to spot good quality hemp flower to enjoy the full benefits. The sheer variety hemp flower makes it a bit difficult to select the best kinds. Well, fear not as I will list a few tell-tale signs which will help you identify a good quality hemp flower from a poor one.
But before we dive straight into detecting a good quality hemp flower from a poor one, let us understand what a hemp flower is.
What is a Hemp Flower?
A hemp plant produces buds along with leaves and stems. But it is the hemp buds of a female plant that contain cannabinoids. So, the hemp flower growers selectively grow female hemp plants to get hemp flowers. It is from these very flowers CBD, Terpenes and CBG is extracted. THC which is a psychoactive cannabinoid is also present but in miniscule quantity. The 2018 farm bill stipulates hemp flowers must not contain more than 0.3% THC.
So now check out my checklist of items that you need to tick off to get the best quality hemp flowers
The first on the list is:
1. Appearance
The appearance is one of the first items on the checklist. As with everything the first tell-tale sign of any item is appearance. So, when you look at a flower notice the color. The hemp flower is characteristically green. Hence, a predominantly green hemp flower is the best flower to go with. There may be many shades of green to look at. But even a casual look at the green color will indicate how good and healthy a hemp flower is. Secondly, you may find tinges of other colors on the hemp flower. If the tinges are purple, even then it is a sign of good hemp flower.
If you have the equipment, do resort to careful examination. You can turn to your mobile phone. Click a picture and zoom in to checkout the trichomes which look like tiny hair. Do look at the pistils. Presence of pistils means that the flower is mature. The presence of pistils means an experienced grower who harvested them at the right time.
Additionally, if the flower is crowned with crystals, it is a clear indication of the good quality. Lastly, a hemp flower with dense clusters of nugs too means a good quality hemp flower.
The second characteristic to look on the checklist is the smell.
2. Fragrance
A hemp flower is packed with terpenes. Terpenes are naturally occurring chemicals in the hemp plant that acts as a part of defense mechanism of the plant. Terpenes help the plant keep the pests attacking the plants at bay. Additionally, terpenes also attract select insect pollinators that help propagate its variety. Every hemp flower is blessed with a distinctive fragrance owing to its terpene profile.
Artisan hemp flowers or craft hemp flowers growers take extreme caution that these hemp flowers are grown and dried with great care so that they do not lose their terpene profile.
Understandably, a good quality hemp flower will draw your attention due to its distinctive aroma. Trust your olfactory sense and go for fragrant hemp flowers. Craft Hemp Flower is one of the most convenient way to enjoy full spectrum CBD. A hemp flower that is processed to retain all its naturally bestowed terpenes and cannabinoids is qualified to give you a full spectrum CBD. The other term for full spectrum CBD doing rounds is Entourage Effect. In other words the CBD, THC and all the terpenes together produce an effect of healing and happiness is only possible when all the terpenes and other phytocannabinoids are retained. Most reputable hemp growers work towards retaining the complete terpene profile of a hemp flower.
3. Cannabidiol (or CBD) Content
A hemp flower contains CBD and other cannabinoids. But it is primarily grown for CBD content. On the other hand, another chemical that you need to keep an eye on is THC. It is THC whose limit is set at 0.3% by the 2018 Farm Law. If the help flower has THC value higher than the stipulated limit, then it is illegal. You would not want to be on the wrong side of the law. Would you?
Ideally, a good quality hemp flower will have high quantity of CBD and THC lower than 0.3 percent.
The best way to check this is to refer to lab report. All good companies including Dreamland Organics publishes lab reports that lists the THC percentage of their hemp flowers.
So, lastly the item to be ticked off the checklist is the Lab Report
4. Lab Report
Laboratory Testing Guidelines as per U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program mandates that every Hemp flower put for sale must carry a product description. The description should mention the THC and CBD percentages along with other chemical details. The report must be published within the last two years to be reliable.
The standard testing procedures for hemp flower must be as prescribed by the Sampling Procedures for the USDA Hemp Production Program. These procedures are to be followed to measure the total delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration levels of samples on a dry weight basis.
So as the common-sense dictates, do not purchase a hemp flower for which an appropriate lab report is missing. Companies following good business practices will always put on display lab report for their hemp flowers on sale. A lab report overtly suggests that the hemp flower put on sale are genuine and a product of legit process.
Look for the following details for a hemp flower in the lab report.
- Date of report
- CBD details
- Additional ingredients
- Presence of Heavy metals
You may consult an expert to fully understand the report. The expert can guide if the help flower is fit for consumption or not. Be safe.
Conclusion
Hemp flower consumption should be enjoyable experience. Do tick the four simple points off your checklist to identify the best hemp flower fit for consumption. Appearance is one indicator of the goodness of a hemp flower but if you combine it with aroma, you can deduce the hemp flower is good to go for. However, a deeper look at it will confirm its goodness. So, do look at the CBD content and most importantly the lab report that puts to rest any doubts clouding the clarity on the richness of hemp flower selected for consumption.
Also, before making a purchase with an online dispensary or retailer, do read about how they grow their hemp. There are many industrial hemp producers. But the real deal hemp flower growers focus on growing small quantities. They are sun grown. Industrially grown varieties with added nutrients give off irritating smoke. So, follow these simple rules and be assured. Enjoy.
