Sugar Leaves
Definition: Sugar leaves are the small leaves, often with just one to three leaflets, that grow out from inside cannabis buds during flowering. They get their name from the dusting of trichomes that makes them look sugar-coated. Growers usually trim them from finished buds for a cleaner look, then save the trim for kief, hash or edibles.
How Sugar Leaves works
As buds develop, small leaves push out between the calyxes. Because they sit right in the flower, they collect a heavy coat of resin, especially near their base. Their tips often stick out of the bud like little green flags, while the resin-heavy parts stay tucked in.
Sugar leaves vs fan leaves
- Size: sugar leaves are usually 1 to 3 inches long; fan leaves can span 8 inches or more.
- Resin: sugar leaves are frosty, while fan leaves carry few trichomes.
- Location: sugar leaves grow from within buds; fan leaves grow from the stem and branches.
Trimming them
Most growers trim sugar leaves back to the edge of the bud, leaving the resinous base intact. Wet trimming right after the chop is faster because leaves stand up and away from the bud, and it speeds drying in humid climates. Dry trimming after hanging slows the dry, which many growers in arid regions prefer for preserving terpenes.
Putting trim to use
Sugar leaf trim holds a fraction of the potency of the buds, but enough to be worth keeping. Freeze it fresh for ice water hash, dry it for kief sifting, or infuse it in butter or oil after decarboxylation. Store dried trim in a sealed bag in the freezer until you have enough to process.