When mentioning the term autoflowering, we are talking about autoflowering cannabis plants. It almost sounds like a philosophical question, but what are autoflowering seeds?
As the name suggests, this type of cannabis plant turns to the flowering stage based on the age of the plant itself. This is unlike the more typical photoperiod plants, which base their movement into the flowering phase on the hours of light they receive during the daytime.
In this article, we will dive into the origin of autoflowering seeds and their characteristics, and we will highlight a few typical autoflowering strains that are great to add to your garden when starting out with his variety of cannabis seeds.
The origin of autoflowering plants
Due to the nature of the cannabis industry, it is hard to find one solid theory that explains the true origin of autoflower marijuana seeds. What we can say for sure, however, is that part of the puzzle of the original autoflowering genetics is Cannabis Ruderalis.
This type of cannabis is found in the very harsh climates of Russia, central Europe, and Central Asia, making this species rather hardy yet low in THC levels. Ruderalis was officially identified in the mountainous regions of South Siberia in 1924 by Russian botanist Janischewski.
These ruderalis plants often grow along mountain ridges and, therefore, cannot depend on steady light hours. This is why they evolved to grow based on the plant's age.
It is to be believed that the Lowryder strain is one of the first autoflowering strains, containing genetics from a Mexican sativa called ´Mexican Rudy´ and a Russian Cannabis ruderalis plant. Another story appoints the origins of autoflower seeds to Finola, the first oilseed hemp variety, developed in Finland in 1995.
Whatever the one true story might be, it is clear that the significant content of Ruderalis in early autoflowering cannabis strains slowly but surely subsided. This can be attributed to the fact that more and more breeders started to uncover the traits that would make autoflower cannabis seeds such an interesting alternative to growing photoperiod plants.
Characteristics of Autoflowering cannabis seeds
Most cannabis destined for recreational and medicinal use is often high in THC levels. As said before, early autoflowering seeds would produce weed that would be low in that field due to its Cannabis Ruderalis heritage.
However, through rigorous crossbreeding with well-known hybrids, we have ended up with Auto cannabis seeds that spawn easy-to-grow cannabis plants that can easily compete with many photoperiod plants when it comes to their powerful effects and big yields.
And autoflowering cannabis plants have many advantages over growing photoperiod cannabis. One of its main features is that this variety, on average, has a seed-to-harvest time frame of only 13 weeks. This consists of a vegetative growth of about 2 to 3 weeks after germination and an average flowering stage of 8 weeks. Not only does this mean that you will be able to reap your shiny new buds quickly, but you will also be able to oversee multiple harvests in one growing season when growing cannabis outdoors.
Related article: When To Harvest Autoflowers Explained
Not everyone is blessed with a Californian climate, and when you grow outdoors, this can be an issue with many regular photoperiod plants. With cultivating autoflowering seeds, this is not as much of a problem due to their shorter life cycle and ruderalis genetics, making them hardy and less vulnerable in cold climates. Most autoflowering plants grow relatively compactly, meaning you can easily hide them if you desire. Finally, if you grow autoflowers indoors, you can leave the lights on 24/7, as there is no need for a dark period in the light schedule.
Now that we have identified the benefits, you are ready to grow autoflowering seeds. However, which strain should you start with? What typical autoflower strains can we recommend?
Typical Autoflowering Strains
More and more strains are added over time, as both autoflowering and feminised seeds. We figured to help you through this potential maze and to point out some of the strains that we see as typical autoflowering marijuana seeds.
As mentioned before, Lowryder Auto is one of the OG autoflowering strains. This slightly Indica dominant hybrid is very easy to grow, like most autoflowering seeds, and you would be able to enjoy her sweet, lemony euphoria in no time. Unlike most modern autoflowers, however, you will find a tiny, compact plant when her seeds sprout, with a max height of only 60 cm. This makes her interesting to even more experienced growers, who like to hide their hobbies from their neighbors who spy on them.
Some strains bring us back to the past, and some just take us on a wild dream. Tangerine Dream Auto is one of the latter. This autoflower strain is one of the more typical modern autoflowering varieties, with a high 20% THC level and substantial yield. The sativa dominance will uplift you and refill your (potentially depleted) creative juices. Combine this with her delicious tangerine/citrus aroma and taste, and you get a dream of a strain to grow in your cannabis garden.
If you don't mind adding bigger autoflower cannabis plants to your cannabis cultivation area and are looking for a CBD strain, you should sow a handful of CBD Purple Kush Auto. The ultra-high CBD content will make both your body and mind feel oh-so relaxed without the use of any psychoactive effects. Growing CBD Purple Kush is not only easy as pie due to her autoflowering nature. It also is a feast for the eyes, as her leaves will turn purple during the growth process.
