Where Does Marijuana Gets Its Medical Benefits?
Purple strains look luscious in appearance and have a marvelous taste. For example, Purple Kush possesses a taste which reminds you of sandalwood with an indication of sweet grapes when smoked. The tangy zest is reminiscent of cold-climate fruits and berries which makes this sweet flavored marijuana strain hard to forget. It also has medical benefits.
What role does the purple color play in this? Growers look for ways to increase the potency and value of their purple marijuana.
Purple Color, Passion and Myths.
Some beliefs about beautiful purple marijuana floating in the air are wrong. People think that factors like less sunlight or a colder climate degrade chlorophyll and anthocyanin pigments which cause the marijuana to acquire purple, reddish and burgundy tones. This means environmental conditions influence the purple color regardless of the genetics involved.Several people buy ILGM’s “purple kush” indica cannabis strain to grow purple cannabis plants. However, like all kinds of strains cultivated from seeds the purple cannabis strains breed have different phenotypes.
Out of the ten cannabis seeds that claim to produce purple marijuana plants some go totally purple, a few display a little purple color while a couple don’t turn purple at all. Unless the seeds are from a purple cannabis plant then they will not produce purple plants.
Remember, in a non-purple stem the stalks or veins purple color can even indicate a lack of nutrients like potassium, copper and phosphorus. In this case you will need to fix the root zone pH level and nutrients.
Knowledge About Purple Marijuana Strains
Flavonoids are a category of plant pigment. Pigments along with other chemicals give the plant its varied color and distinctiveness. Basically Flavonoids means ‘Flavus’ [Yellow] in Latin as they appear yellow. In purple weeds anthocyanin is the flavonoid that gives it a blue, red, or purple shade depending on the pH traits.
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Acidic pH – red shade
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Alkaline pH – blue hue
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Neutral pH [acid and base are equal] – purple tone
During its growing phase chlorophyll dominates anthocyanin. Therefore, plants seem green and they even serve the purpose of capturing solar energy. When chlorophyll breaks in the fall season flavonoids are no longer dominated by green. Therefore, you can see reds, oranges, yellows and purples. It is a signal that winter is around the corner.
Colors are not for show but for a purpose. The genetics of the plants determines the level of flavonoids. Therefore, you cannot force a cannabis plant to turn purple unless the traits are already present in the seeds.
Medical Benefits
Researchers have discovered good health benefits for different marijuana types. It is a good medication for people suffering from muscle aches and body pain due to daily physical activities. It acts as an efficient pain reliever. Even those suffering from pneumonia or sleep disorders can enjoy a good night sleep. The other medical conditions that can be treated using purple strains are migraines, anxiety, appetite loss, chronic pains, spasm and anorexia.
Adverse Reaction
Side effects of Purple Kush are minimal. Some users have reported experiencing headaches and dizzy spells but this can be monitored while smoking Purple Kush.
Obviously, if you consume a large quantity an adverse reaction like a panic attack can be experienced. Other common side effects are dry eyes and a cotton mouth sensation because sometimes this strain can leave you feeling a little dehydrated.
Is the Purple Color in Marijuana Strains Responsible for its Medical Benefits?
The idea that benefits can be gained from only purple weed is just hype. The claims from cannabis users about purple weed benefits can be because of their altered perception or strain usage. The color does not play any role in this.
Anthocyanin has been shown to be a good anti-oxidant which is found in fruits like blueberries, raspberries, and grapes. These anti-oxidants in high levels can create anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, purple strains, can offer good results to people suffering from inflammatory disease, arthritis, etc. It is still not proved scientifically but based on the role of anthocyanin present in purple colored food the possibility that health benefits are involved is strong.