What is Indica / Sativa / Ruderalis?

Bob Marley

All about Indica, Sativa and Ruderalis

Even experienced cannabis enthusiasts don’t always know what Indica or Sativa is, how they are different or where Sativa or Indica grows. Let's begin with the simplest outline:

    Sativa is a tall long-maturing variety that grows in tropical regions. The effect of Sativa marijuana is invigorating and energizing. 

    Indica is a broad-built branchy plant, very resinous. It comes from Central Asia or oriental regions, and its effect is sedative – the so-called stone-effect.

What is cannabis Sativa like?

    Sativa strains are normally consumed when people are about to party, move and communicate. Some users like to smoke Sativa at work for inspiration – it doesn’t make you drowsy or passive.

    Fun fact: although cerebral high, the effect of Sativa, is regarded as an uplifting influence, any kind of marijuana actually causes relaxation! In the case of Sativa cannabis, it doesn’t “increase the gravity”: on the contrary, your fatigue dissolves and if there’s music, you might dance. At the same time, Sativa is considered more potent and psychedelic.

    How come? The answer is simple: Sativa tends to contain more THC (stimulation and trippy feelings) and less CBD (sedation) compared to Indica. That’s why the stereotypical image of a red-eyed guy who won’t stop giggling and talking definitely comes from people on Sativa. Among its magic powers is also the aphrodisiac potency. Sativa, indeed, makes your body produce the right chemicals. Luckily, it’s not like with alcohol – people don’t usually get high to find themselves in bed with somebody they don’t like in a sober state of mind. 

    Geographically, this kind of cannabis originates from joyful places like Brazil, Colombia or Mexico. So you can get an idea of its energy and mischievousness by watching Latin American dances like the cha-cha-cha or samba – imagine the state of mind that allows the dancer to move quickly but without tension. 

When is Sativa helpful?

    As an inspiring and motivating agent, Sativa can be prescribed to patients combating depression, ADHD, PTSD. Apart from therapy, such weed helps the user to unwind and take it easy! Be warned that people react to psychedelic effects in different ways. Sometimes anxiety and a rush of thoughts are the result of smoking Sativa. If it happens to you, try to level up your vitamin C levels by taking vitamins on a daily basis. No use? Then Sativa is not your kind of marijuana, but Indica may be enjoyable. The effects of Sativa are less long-lasting than those of Indica: the high usually lasts about an hour, followed by relaxation. As an inspiring and motivating agent, Sativa can be prescribed to patients combating depression, ADHD, PTSD. Apart from therapy, such weed helps the user to unwind and take it easy! Be warned that people react to psychedelic effects in different ways. Sometimes anxiety and a rush of thoughts are the result of smoking Sativa. If it happens to you, try to level up your vitamin C levels by taking vitamins on a daily basis. No use? Then Sativa is not your kind of marijuana, but Indica may be enjoyable. The effects of Sativa are less long-lasting than those of Indica: the high usually lasts about an hour, followed by relaxation. 

Sativa marijuana in cultivation

    From a grower's point of view, Sativa is often a challenge. These naturally elongated plants tend to grow to 2-3 m tall, with a longer growing and maturation period than Indica or hybrids. In temperate climates, outdoor growing of Sativa is hampered by the fact that the cold weather in the autumn leaves such crops unripe, Meanwhile indoor growing is not easy either due to the impressive size of plants.

    The scent of Sativa may include every fruit or flower that grows in tropical locations: citrus, grapes, pineapples, kiwi.

Cannabis Indica – peculiarities

    Its sedative effect suppresses your activity – people who have difficulties relaxing value Indica for these leisure moments. If Sativa dances with you, Indica puts you to bed with a warm blanket. There’s a good reason for that. Indica comes from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan. What do we know about this area? The climate is so sultry that summer is hardly bearable! It is not difficult to realize that a walk in the mountains under the Afghan sunshine only ends well if downtempo mode is on. Otherwise a heatstroke is possible! That’s why cannabis Indica, a local medical plant, forces people to slow down as much as possible.

Indica in Therapy

    Indica is more widely used in medicine. First of all, it alleviates panic, anxiety, irritation. Sleep and appetite disorders are, too,  suppressed by Indica. On the contrary, if you tend to overeat, it is better to smoke Sativa! Indica's analgesic properties make it effective for headaches, post-operative pain and other pain syndromes. It also blocks muscle spasms and seizures. Mostly lowers your blood pressure – that’s why people with lower blood pressure should approach Indica dosage very carefully, because at some point you may find it difficult to stand or even sit.

Cultivating Indica: easier and faster

    With its smaller height and branchier structure, Indica is more convenient to handle. Most novice growers choose Indica or learning Indica varieties for their first experiences. Quicker to vegetate and mature, it may be successfully grown outdoors in most regions. Indica is more adaptive to hot dry weather. Also, when properly watered, fed and given enough light, it gives heavier yields. The scent of Indica is musky and earthy, sometimes with hints of pine, diesel, and spice – those are the features of 80-90% Indica strains that inherit some Sativa genes as well. 

What is cannabis Ruderalis?

    Ruderalis is, simply said, wild cannabis. It is differentiated by its ability to switch from vegetation to flowering once after it has been vegetating for 1 month. That’s why Ruderalis grows small. This feature is required to multiply in such parts of our planet as Canada or the north of the USA. Breeders use it to create automatic-flowering strains. That’s why Ruderalis is important for the canna-world despite the fact that it has no remarkable psychedelic potency. 

    However, in some countries, people make edibles using big amounts of blossoming Ruderalis. Imagine about 1000 g of marijuana flowers boiled in the milk! Then the milk is evaporated until only 2-3 glasses are left. One glass for a person is a potion that sends your mind adrift for 4-6 solid hours, and users often get overdosed. But smoking such buds has no effect.

    Modern botany science has not yet settled the question of whether Indica is a subspecies of Sativa or a separate species. 

Frequently asked questions:

    - What's more potent, Indica or Sativa?

Such different effects can hardly be compared. Buds taken from a well-grown plant, properly dried and cured are more potent. Sativa is trippier, Indica is more relaxing – which one to prefer is up to you. 

    - What if you mix Indica and Sativa?

The mixed effect is known to almost all long-time smokers since one hundred percent pure genetics are almost unheard of. Mostly Indica-Sativa hybrids are smoked, sold and cultivated. Depending on which component predominates (and on the dosage), a person will either slow down or perk up a bit, and after an hour they will also slow down.

    - Will Sativa cheer me up if I’m tired after smoking Indica? 

It might stimulate your system, but for a very short period. The only way to rest from marijuana is being sober and drinking enough water.

    - Will Indica calm me down if I’m nervous after Sativa?

       Yes, it will.

Recommended: Top Most Potent Marijuana Strains, How to tell if a marijuana plant is female or male and Medical Marijuana and Smoking for Therapeutic Purpose.

02.02.2017

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