How to Tell if Cannabis Flower Is High Quality by Looking at Photos

When buying cannabis THC flower online, most of the time the first image that appears will be a photo of the “product”. Photos are limited in their ability to show all there is to know about an individual bud; however, photos do offer potential clues as to whether it has been well-grown, well-stored, etc. By learning how to use this information, you may have a better chance at identifying high-quality flower versus low-quality (poorly grown, bad storage, possibly unsafe) products.

1. Look for a Frosty Layer of Trichomes.

   One of the clearest visual signs of high quality cannabis is the abundance of trichomes. These tiny glands that are full of cannabinoids and terpenes appear as sparkling crystals covering the flower bud. A good bud should almost look as though it has been dusted with sugar or frost. If the bud looks smooth, dull or almost free of visible trichomes, generally that indicates the material is of lower quality or has been handled too much.

   

   (on photo THC flowers Lemon Haze)

2. Healthy Colour Matters

   Premium cannabis flowers usually display rich green tones but many strains develop purple, blue or burgundy hues during cultivation. Bright orange or amber pistils, fine hairs covering the bud, are also a positive sign. Hue varies among different strains but vibrant pistils usually indicate that the flower is properly matured. If most hairs appear faded and lifeless they probably are old or stored improperly.

3. A Properly Trimmed Bud

   There are several professional indicators that show the trim was done professionally. Trimmed premium cannabis THC flowers have a clean appearance. They usually don’t have many long stems on them.

   You will see a lot of small sugar leaves covered with trichomes. It’s normal to see these, they add no real weight to your bud. The exception to this would be if you see a few larger leaves (usually without crystals) sticking up from your buds. These can indicate that the product has been processed too quickly. This could also indicate a lower standard for commercial grade products.

Warning Signs to Avoid

Not all attractive-appearing flowers are safe. There will always be some visual flaws that would immediately make you concerned.

1. The Mould and rot issue. White fuzzy patches, grey cotton-like growth, dark cloudy areas inside flower = mold. Always avoid purchasing a cannabis product with these signs as this may contain mold like Botrytis (bud rot) and should be avoided.
2. Artificial additives. Your Trichomes should be very small and randomly dispersed. Large Trichomes, unnaturally reflective light, flake off in clumps – the product may contain foreign substances to make it weigh more or look better than it should.
3. Poorly dryed products. Although Photographs will never give you an accurate idea of how moist a cannabis product is, they can provide you with clues. Crushed flowers/flowers that are flat/compressed during transport – this is a bad sign. Very dusty flowers can also indicate over-dried.

Quality Checks Beyond the Photo

After you are able to see and smell your cannabis, there will be many other factors that will determine whether or not it is high-quality.

• Touch. The touch can help to identify if your cannabis was properly cured. When you hold a well-cured bud in your hand, it should have a slight “spring” when you squeeze it gently. Your buds should be sticky due to the natural resins on them but they shouldn’t be so moist as to leave an excessive amount of oils on your hands.
• Smell. The strong indication of quality of your cannabis is its smell. Quality grown cannabis contains unique terpenes that give off distinct scents such as citrus, pine, diesel, earth, fruit, or spices. If your cannabis smells like hay, damp grass, or has no scent at all, then most likely something went wrong with harvesting, drying, or curing it.
• The Stem Test. There is a relatively easy method for determining the curing quality by simply bending the main stem. When a cannabis plant’s stems are properly cured, they will produce a sharp “snap” when bent. If the stem bends and breaks easily and turns to powder upon breaking (the buds fall apart), this could mean that the buds were too dry.

Real quality THC Flowers at Weed Wonderland!

Photographs can show important quality features such as coverage of trichomes, color, trimming standards and visible blemishes. But no picture can fully show things like aroma, texture and moisture content or curing quality. Best approach is to use photos as initial quality check whenever possible and combine them with feedback from trusted suppliers and detailed product information before buying.