Sativa or Indica: what's the difference

Sativa and indica are subspecies of the same plant, cannabis sativa, cannabis weed. The sativa subspecies developed in Colombia, Thailand, Africa, Brazil, that is, in regions close to the equator. The indica grew mainly in the mountainous regions of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Morocco. Even Kazakhstan had its own "mountain" landraces - in the famous Chu Valley, the original strains can be found in the Altai and Crimea. Differences in the climate of the regions - hot tropical and cool mountainous - had a noticeable impact on the appearance, character and psychoactive effect of cannabis. The pure sativas and indica varieties are quite different, and below we will describe exactly how.

Appearance

Sativas are usually much taller than indica: two- or three-meter-long bushes of the former against one and a half-meter-long - that's the maximum! - of the second one. Sativa grows upward, has long internodes, and has large fan-shaped leaves of a light green color. This is exactly the plant that the imagination pictures when you say "marijuana". Indica grows broadly - it is a bushy "herringbone" with dark green leaves and a root system that goes deep. Its inflorescences are also different, with sativas being larger but looser, while indica's are small but very dense and resinous.

The effect

Sativa varieties deliver a high, a heady, energizing effect that brings you to your feet and loosens your tongue. A sense of overpowering happiness attaches. Indica, on the contrary, provides the stoner: thoughts lose focus, the body relaxes and spreads out on the first horizontal surface found. Everything is accompanied by a state of complete tranquility and an unwillingness to move even a finger. Of course, both descriptions are somewhat exaggerated. In reality, the intensity and nuances of the effects will depend strongly not only on the genetics of the strain, but also on the individual himself. Also, in hybrids, strains that combine indica and sativa genes, these effects are often combined in different variations.

Care

The difference between sativa and indica is evident in their care: The former likes humidity and heat, and feels good in hot summers, while the latter prefers dryness and cooler temperatures, up to 24C, and tolerates a drop to 15C or even lower. Sativa strains tend to be resistant to mold and fungus, and indica tolerates frosts more easily. In addition, indica varieties ripen faster, but sativa varieties - on average - produce a larger yield.