Phenotype
Definition: A phenotype is the set of observable traits a cannabis plant shows, including height, leaf shape, aroma, bud density, color and flowering time. It results from the plant's genotype interacting with its environment. Seeds from the same pack can express different phenotypes, which is why growers hunt for standout plants worth keeping.
How Phenotype works
Think of phenotype as what the plant actually does in your space. Two seeds of the same strain are siblings, not twins. Each inherits a different shuffle of its parents’ genes, so one may grow 3 feet with a grape smell while another reaches 4 feet and smells like diesel. Growers call these distinct versions phenos.
Genes plus environment
The same genotype can look different under different conditions. Cool nights below 60°F (16°C) late in flower can bring out purple coloring in plants that carry the pigment genes. Strong light shortens the gaps between nodes. Stress can change bud density and terpene intensity. A pheno is always genes and conditions together.
Pheno hunting
- Start several seeds of one strain, ideally 5 to 10, in the same conditions.
- Take a cutting from each plant before flipping to flower and label everything.
- Compare finished plants on yield, smell, resin, mold resistance and finish time.
- Keep the clone of the winner and discard the rest.
Stable lines such as an IBL show little pheno variation. Polyhybrids can show a lot, which makes them fun to hunt but less predictable for a single-plant grow.