Seed Appearances: What’s Natural and When To Worry

If you’ve ever wondered why some seeds are dark, while others are light, or why some cannabis seeds are smaller than others, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll look at what determines how each seed looks and why seeds from different strains may look indistinguishable from one another.

Should Cannabis Seeds Be Striped?

Growers often see the classic tiger-stripe seed as an indication of viability, and we’re all a bit happier when we pop a good-looking seed; it just feels as though it’s more likely to germinate.

This is true to a degree, but not always.

The tiger-striped appearance of a seed is a good indication that the parent plant was left to flower properly throughout its cycle and that the seeds were given enough time to develop. But these stripes occur on the outer layer of the shell, and the reality is that they can wear off during handling.

Handling Can Remove The Stripes

Seeds stored in a way where they can move around a lot are more prone to losing their stripes, simply from shipping and handling. After the thin outer layer of the seed is worn off, the seed remains viable, but often lacks the striping that one looks for.

This has become more common in recent years, where breeders are using automated mechanical systems to sort their seeds. The friction caused by this process can remove the outer coating, making seeds look less viable than they are.

Genetic Factors

Some strains simply don’t create tiger stripes, even when flowered out for the full term. This is often a result of genetic variability. Some strains simply lack these features and oftentimes just have a uniform color to them.

Environmental Conditions

Humidity, temperature, and other environmental conditions can also influence the development of these tiger stripes. Sometimes, a lack of balanced nutrients can have the same effect.

Seeds From Different Strains Can Be Indistinguishable From Each Other

Some new growers may assume that different strains have different-looking seeds, and while that’s true in some cases, most of the time, there’s no way to differentiate the seeds of two different strains. Ultimately, it comes down to their genetics. 

The most common differences between different lineages are having some seeds are darker or smaller than others. I remember growing Chernobyl a few years back and was shocked by how different the seeds were from other strains – they were large, almost black seeds. I initially thought it may have been related to the grow, but when I crossed it with another strain, that same expression came through in the resulting seeds, showing it was a genetic factor and not an environmental one.

Similarly, you may wonder why seeds from the same strain may look a bit different. In those cases, the differences are typically related to handling or the seeds coming from different parts of the plant. Seeds towards the bottom of the plant may not get as much light and not show as much maturity.

Not All Pale Seeds Are Bad

A common misconception is that every light coloured seed is not viable, and while there is some truth to this, it’s not always the case. Seeds can be lighter than usual for several reasons, ranging from age and maturity to genetics.

As discussed, seeds can lose their outer coating when sorted, handled, or moved around in their container a lot. Once the stripes are stripped off, the underneath can often be fairly light.

It’s these lighter seeds that can often benefit from a pre-germination soak. If the seed refuses to sink after 18 hours, even if you push down on it, that may indicate a problem with the seed. These soak tests are better than a visual gauge.

Frequently Asked Questions