Anatomy of the Cannabis Plant

Based in Los Angeles, Vinayak Shastry is the co-founder and CEO of Ember Valley, a cannabis cultivator and provider. Vinayak Shastry and his team oversee the production of flowers, concentrates, and pre-rolls.

The cannabis plant is made up of several components. First, the leaves, which help determine whether the plant is of the Indica variety, with broader, darker leaves, or the Sativa family, with long, thin, lighter leaves. Next, the cola, which refers to a cluster of blossoming buds, and is only found on the female plant. Each plant contains cannabinoids. The two major types are THC and CBD, which affect users by interacting with the nervous system.

The flower is the most versatile and thus most consumed part of the cannabis plant - it can be smoked using a pipe or bowl, rolled and smoked, and used as an ingredient in the kitchen. Female plants produce these flowers in the “bloom” stage. The crystals on top of the flowers are called trichomes, and are a source of THC and indicate the plant’s potency.