Differences between PGR and Natural Cannabis

The quality and purity of cannabis is of great importance to both consumers and industry professionals. Learning to differentiate PGR-treated cannabis from natural cannabis is not easy, as it is not always evident by appearance or aroma. Here we tell you how to differentiate natural cannabis flowers from those containing PGR.

What is cannabis PGR?

Cannabis PGR refers to cannabis buds that have been treated with Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs). These chemicals are used to increase the flowering performance of cannabis by increasing the size and density of the buds.

However, this increase in production comes at a cost: the quality of the final product. PGR-treated buds tend to have less resin, aroma and potency than natural cannabis. In addition, PGRs may not be suitable for smoking or ingestion and may compromise the safety of the consumer. This is why more and more cannabis users are aware of the use of these products and want to avoid them.

Differences between PGR and Natural Cannabis

Cannabis PGR: Characteristics

PGR cannabis is not always easy to differentiate, but we can intuit that flowers have been treated with PGR when we observe hard and compact buds, with less resin and aroma compared to natural flowers. Although there is no exact formula to identify a PGR bud with the naked eye or with a magnifying glass, there are a number of clues that, taken together, can tell us if the flower has been treated with chemicals:

• Appearance: PGR-treated cannabis has an extraordinarily compact, sometimes rock-like shape, with inconspicuous or unevenly distributed resin crystals.
• Texture: The texture of these flowers is usually hard and compact, not so soft and sticky, due to the lower amount of resin.
• Shape: PGR cannabis can be more rounded and compact in shape than natural cannabis. The density of the flowers is very marked, almost rock-like (natural cannabis is usually more or less spiky).
• Aroma: The aroma is usually not very intense. However, it should be noted that growers may add terpene to camouflage or compensate for the lack of aroma.
• Consistency: Hard and heavy flowers, to the point that they do not crumble easily with the fingers. When passed through the grinder, it forms some small hard balls.

There is no single appearance for cannabis treated with growth regulators, as the final appearance depends on the amount of product applied and the subsequent processing of the flower. The only way to confirm with certainty whether cannabis has been treated with PGRs is through a residue analysis performed in specialized laboratories.

Natural Cannabis: Characteristics

To differentiate natural cannabis from PGR, it should be taken into account that there are many factors that can influence the shape, color or aroma of the buds, including the genetics of the plant, the type of cultivation, processing or even the trimming and cleaning process. Generally speaking, natural cannabis flowers have a dense but not completely compact appearance, and are coated with resin crystals. They are not extremely hard or heavy, they can be crumbled with the fingers. They are also distinguished by their resinous and sticky feel.

Organically grown cannabis can have different shapes, colors and aromatic profiles:

In general, the distinguishing features of good quality flowers are:

• Appearance: Dense and more or less compact flowers, uniformly covered with resin crystals.
• Texture: The texture of natural cannabis flowers is soft and sticky when pressed with the fingers, due to the large amount of resin they contain.
• Shape: The buds have a slightly conical shape, similar to a spike, not artificially round or uniform. You can appreciate that the density is good, without being compact like a rock.
• Aroma: The aroma of natural cannabis is intense and complex, characteristic of natural cannabis.
• Consistency: The buds can be easily crumbled with the fingers. They are not extremely hard, nor heavy. When passed through the grinder, they grind more or less homogeneously, without forming hard pieces (unlike cannabis with PGR, which can crumble into small hard balls).

Differences between Indica and Sativa

Conclusion

The use of PGRs in cannabis results in improved flower yields, with questionable effectiveness in terms of product quality (appearance, aroma and potency) and controversy for consumer safety. Therefore, it is best to opt for cannabis that has been grown without chemicals such as PGRs. At Cannactiva, we use only natural methods and avoid the use of these chemicals in our crops.