For centuries, cultivators worldwide have been growing sativa seeds for their psychoactive effects, medicinal properties, and hemp fiber.
Originating from tropical regions such as Southeast Asia and Central and South America, Cannabis sativa seeds thrive when grown outdoors in warmer climates.
Cannabis from sativa marijuana seeds is well-known for its high THC levels. The strongest cultivars provide an intense, uplifting cerebral high, a burst of energy, and a wide range of reported medicinal properties.
For cultivators, sativa cannabis seeds mean high-yielding crops that are often easy to grow.
Read on as we explore the benefits and growth traits of marijuana sativa seeds and how they compare to indicas.
What are sativa seeds?
Marijuana strains are categorized as sativa, indica, hybrid, or ruderalis.
Classified in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, the primary difference between indica and sativa seeds is most visible in their growth traits: How they grow and their shape, size, and foliage.
While indica plants are generally short and bushy, Cannabis sativa seeds develop into tall, tree-like plants with thinner, narrower leaves. Their foliage is a lighter shade of green, and the flowers are less dense.
Originating from tropical regions, plants from sativa seeds prefer growing in warmer, more humid climates. Through breeding and cultivation techniques such as a screen of green (SCroG) setup, they can be grown indoors as well.
While sativa cannabis seeds are easy to grow, there are more challenging strains to cultivate.
Even though all cannabis strains contain both CBD and THC, marijuana produced by sativa seeds tends to have higher levels of THC. It’s this trait that allows these cultivars to provide that exceptional energetic and cerebral buzz.
Available as autoflower, feminized, high THC, high CBD, hybrid, and pure sativa seeds, there’s a sativa strain for every purpose.
Autoflower sativa seeds require less space and automatically change over into the flowering phase, eliminating the need for a complex light cycle. On the other hand, feminized varieties produce female plants 99% of the time, making sexing your crop a breeze.
Cannabis from sativa seeds is well-known for its intense, energizing, and potent cerebral impact. These effects, being mood-elevating, uplifting, and good for creativity, makes sativas a great choice for daytime use.
That’s not where the benefits of cannabis from sativa seeds end, though.
For millennia, healers have been using marijuana from sativa seeds for its supposed therapeutic effects.
According to recent research, the effects of CBD are wide-ranging, containing sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antipsychotic properties. These traits make high CBD sativa strains exceptionally popular in medical marijuana circles.
If you’re looking to procure some sativa seeds, Homegrown Cannabis Co.’s seeds inventory holds a vast array of sativa seeds for all needs.
Indica vs. sativa seeds
Recreational and medicinal users have two main options when it comes to choosing marijuana: indica or sativa. While sativa seeds produce buds that deliver an uplifting, energizing high, cannabis from indica strains deliver stronger, more physically sedating effects.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the differences between Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa seeds.
| Indica seeds | Sativa seeds | |
| Origin | ||
| Countries | Tibet, Kashmir, and Afghanistan | Thailand, Mexico, Columbia |
| Originates from | Colder, higher-lying regions | Tropical climates |
| Cultivation and appearance | ||
| Leaves | Deep colored, short, and wide | Light-colored, long, and thin |
| Buds | Dense and plump | Airy and tall |
| Stature | Shorter and bushier (2–6 feet tall) | Taller and less dense (up to 15 feet tall) |
| Ideal climate | Cooler regions, 30–50° North and South of the equator | Warmer territories, up to 30° North and South of the equator |
| Flowering period | 6–10 weeks | 8–12 weeks |
| General information | ||
| Average THC content | Medium to high | High to very high |
| Average CBD content | Low to very low | Very low |
| Typical effects | Cerebral relaxation, sedation, and lethargy | Mentally energizing, creativity inducing, mood-elevation, cerebral stimulation |
| Best time to use | Night-time | Daytime |
Sativa seeds benefits
Recreational users most commonly express the effects of cannabis from sativa seeds as:
- Happy
- Euphoric
- Uplifting
- Energetic
Sativas are wake-and-bake strains that invoke productivity and focus, helping you get through the day’s challenges. The creativity-inducing effects of these cultivars clear and sharpen your mind, allowing you to finish old projects or take new ones.
Marijuana from sativa seeds delivers a boost of serotonin, giving it the potential to alleviate various conditions, including:
- Chronic Pain
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Acute pain
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD)
- Mental fog
- Headaches
Due to the many other compounds present in cannabis from sativa seeds, such as phytocannabinoids, it can potentially treat many health ailments, like:
- Chronic inflammation
- Mood and brain disorders
- Auto-immune disorders
Of course, research into the therapeutic effects of marijuana is ongoing, but these are the most oft-reported effects of sativas.
How to germinate Cannabis sativa seeds
Germinating your sativa seeds is the crucial first step in cannabis cultivation. While there are various techniques available, sticking to a simplified approach is the key to success. Here’s a quick breakdown of three of the most straightforward and frequently used sprouting methods.
Starter Cubes
If you’re looking for a “set it and forget it” solution, seedling plugs or starter cubes are the solutions. It’s a foolproof, simplified, yet highly effective method for sprouting sativa seeds. All that’s required when using this approach is to:
- Drop one of your favorite Cannabis sativa seeds in the provided hole in the plug or cube.
- Gently water the unit, and allow nature to run its course.
The taproot of your sativa seeds should break through the shell in due time, prompting you to move on to the next phase.
Take note: These units come pre-packed in bundles of 50 and dry out within a week after opening the package, rendering them useless. If you intend to develop only a few sativa marijuana seeds, this approach may lead to significant waste.
Direct planting
The most natural approach to germinating sativa seeds is to plant them directly in the soil. It’s a straightforward and highly effective technique used by cultivators worldwide. It also minimizes the risk of shocking or damaging your seedlings when moving or planting them.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Buy some moderately fertilized potting soil, then use it to fill one small pot for every sativa seed you wish to grow.
- Using a small, round object, like a pen, burrow one-inch deep holes into the soil’s surface in every pot.
- Next, place one of your favorite sativa seeds in every hole and cover it with soil.
- Group the pots and place them under a fluorescent lamp to ensure they remain warm, then gently water them using sterilized water. It’s crucial to keep the pots moist during the entire sprouting process.
- A few days later, your seedlings should break ground, displaying two small leaves (cotyledons).
The paper towel method
The paper towel approach is famous among cannabis cultivators as one of the most simplified sativa seed germination techniques.
- Dampen some kitchen paper with sterilized water and lay one sheet over a dinner plate.
- Put your Cannabis sativa seeds on top, leaving about an inch of space between each, then cover them with a second sheet of kitchen paper.
- Add extra water if needed, and remember to lift the kitchen paper to check and remove pooling water.
- Turn a second dinner plate upside down, put it on top of the first, and put the enclosed unit in a warm, damp, and dark space.
- The taproots of your sativa cannabis seeds should break through the shell within 120 hours, making them ready for planting.
How to grow Cannabis sativa seeds
Cannabis cultivation remains the same regardless of which variety you grow. Even so, when cultivating sativa seeds, there are a few elements that need tweaking, including:
- Cannabis sativa seeds tend to develop into huge, tree-like plants, so providing them with enough overhead space is essential.
- If you’re developing pure or feminized sativa seeds, planting them around mid-to-late May limits their vertical growth, making them easier to manage.
- Avoid subjecting your sativa plants to too much moisture. Oversaturating your garden inhibits your crop’s growth and leaves it vulnerable to pests, mold, and mildew.
- If you’re growing your sativa seeds indoors, be sure to provide your plants with plenty of ventilation and maintain relative humidity between 50 and 80%.
- Sativa seeds, left to grow naturally, become spindly and weak, making deliberate pruning and shaping necessary. It also promotes optimal growth and higher yields.
- Topping your sativa plants significantly increases the overall yield.
- Even though Cannabis sativa seeds prefer to grow in warmer temperatures, intense heat or cold may damage your crop. Keep your plants in an environment between 64 and 82 °F.
Under optimal conditions, and depending on the strain you’re growing, you’ll harvest copious amounts of your favorite cannabis after 8–12 weeks of flowering.
4 best sativa seeds
Choosing the right cultivar can be challenging, with a huge selection of pure, hybrid, feminized, and autoflower sativa seeds for sale. To assist you, here’s a list of some of the best sativa strains.
Autoflower sativa seeds: Haze XL
As the budchild of Jack Herer and Haze 2.0, Haze XL autoflower sativa seeds are an easy-to-grow cultivar that produces potent, high-THC cannabis. This feisty sativa-dominant hybrid delivers a powerfully energetic and euphoric high, making it ideal for use during the day.
These sativa seeds develop into highly resilient, sturdy plants that grow, thrive and survive in just about any environment. After a flowering period of 8–10 weeks, Haze lovers will rejoice when they harvest the sticky, distinctly scented buds.
Feminized sativa seeds: Sour Diesel
Sour Diesel feminized sativa seeds are an iconic, award-winning sativa-dominant hybrid known for their acrid aroma and superior potency. As it induces an intense, energetic high, this strain is ideal for wake-and-bakes.
For decades, consumers have been enticed by this marijuana’s strong, sour, diesel fragrance.
Crops developed from these sativa seeds grow tall and thin, which can cause problems for indoor cultivators. By implementing the right training methods, you can manipulate the plants to promote horizontal growth, making them more manageable.
Successfully raising these plants rewards the grower with a generous yield of potent, trichome-rich buds.
Pure sativa seeds: Durban Poison feminized
As far as pure sativa seeds are concerned, Durban Poison feminized earned its place among the top contenders. Boasting THC levels as high as 25%, these buds bring on a potent cerebral high while simultaneously boosting energy and creativity.
As a highly resilient strain, Durban Poison is a breeze to grow and ideal for anyone attempting to grow cannabis for the first time. These sativa seeds tend to develop into huge plants.
When grown indoors, implement a screen of green (ScrOG) set up to promote lateral growth. After a flowering period of 8–10 weeks, cultivators can enjoy a bountiful harvest of potent buds.
Dominant hybrids sativa seeds: Jack Herer feminized
Jack Herer feminized sativa seeds, named after the infamous author and cannabis activist, are an iconic sativa-dominant cultivar.
As the budchild of three legendary strains, this high-THC cultivar has much to offer to cultivators and consumers alike. Cannabis from these sativa seeds exhibits a unique aroma ranging from sweet and tropical to earthy and peppery.
While not ideal for first-time growers, Jack Herer is a fairly easy strain to cultivate as the plants are hardy and can grow in almost any environment. After a flowering period of 60–70 days, growers can rely on a hefty yield of exceptionally aromatic buds.
Where to buy sativa seeds?
Every state-licensed dispensary, at any given time, has a good selection of sativa seeds for sale. These outlets shouldn’t be at the top of your list when shopping for marijuana seeds, though.
They’re usually more expensive than online seed banks, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll find the sativa seeds you’re looking for.
Online is a better option because you’ll enjoy discretion, a larger selection of seeds, and access to the most reputable sellers in the marketplace.
Sativa seeds for growing: size matters
When it comes to growing sativa seeds, it’s all about size. These strains are known for their uplifting and enjoyable potent psychoactive effects and, of course, huge plants.
While consumers value these strains for their wake-and-bake properties, cultivators covet them for their easy-to-manage growth traits and capacity to produce heavy, fine-quality yields.
For patients, the potential medicinal benefits of cannabis from sativa seeds are immense. According to consumers, these strains can alleviate pain, mood and brain afflictions, and even autoimmune disorders.
If you’re in the market for cannabis plants that show rapid and abundant growth and buds with a broad range of benefits, sativa seeds are the answer you’re searching for.
If you value discretion, the safest place to purchase your sativa seeds is from the best online seed bank, Homegrown Cannabis Co.
