Purple Weed: Ultimate Guide (+ 4 Best Purple Strains)

Color plays a vital role in our daily lives. It can affect our actions, thinking, and reactions. It can also soothe our eyes, increase or suppress our appetite, or even raise our blood pressure. 

As with other areas of life, color is one of the most important components of marijuana. Although most people generally associate cannabis with green, it comes in various colors, including the irresistibly charming and attractive purple. Yes, there are actually purple marijuana plants, and they are popularly called “purps.”

But what is purple flower weed? Why does weed turn purple? How is it grown? How does it differ from green buds? Are purple weed strains potent and better? Is purple haze weed the only popular purple cannabis? What are the best purple cannabis strains? 

We know you have many questions about purple weed. After all, it seems to be the holy grail in the cannabis community these days. This article provides answers to all your questions about purps. 

What is purple weed?

Purple buds are cannabis strains with a shade of purple, ranging from light to dark purples. Since purple is an attractive color, weeds with purple pigment stand out in the sea of green buds. 

But Why Does Marijuana Turn Purple?

All plants, including cannabis, use phosphorus to create energy, sugars, and nucleic acids. The lack of phosphorus triggers the production of anthocyanin, and the leaves would start to turn purple. Phosphorus deficiency is usually caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures and wet soil. 

What’s Anthocyanin?

Anthocyanin is a pigment that belongs to the group of flavonoids, a subclass of the polyphenol family. 

Anthocyanin makes plants turn red, purple, blue, or black, depending on the pH level. In acidic pH, the plant appears red, in alkaline blue, and in neutral purple. 

These pigments are found in high quantities in many fruits, vegetables, and flowers. But cannabis plants have low quantities of anthocyanin, which is not enough to alter the buds’ appearance. 

How is it grown?

Once you’re able to control the conditions that influence the anthocyanin production, you will be able to grow a variety of purple weed flowers. The major factors to consider include pH, temperature, light, structures, seeds, etc.

Interestingly, flavonoids can also turn cannabis into dark green, red, gold, or even black, depending on the plant’s genetics and how it is grown. 

As mentioned earlier, subjecting a plant or, in this case, your cannabis stain, to cold weather will trigger anthocyanin production, and the leaves, buds, and stems will begin to turn purple.

There are also modern ways to grow purple weed flowers without subjecting the plant to extremely cold temperatures, for example, selective breeding, genetic augmentation, and the use of LED grow lights. 

Growing your purple cannabis in a controlled environment is more healthy for the plant, thus preserving its potency. 

Where does it come from?

Purple flower weed is genetically traced back to shorter, bushier Indica plants that initially grew in the colder Asian climates. Over time, cross-breeding was implemented to produce now numerous strains.

What’s the difference?

Color is basically the only difference between purple weed flowers and green marijuana strains. 

Is it better?

The visual appeal is not enough to conclude that purple cannabis is better than regular weed. 

While anthocyanin is safe for consumption, the European Food Safety Authority notes that there’s no substantial evidence that the chemical pigments have any effect on human health or ailments. 

However, the National Center for Biotechnology Information claims that “Anthocyanins possess antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity effects, as well as prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, anthocyanins extracted from edible plants are potential pharmaceutical ingredients.” 

Other reports also claim that Anthocyanins contain therapeutic properties that help to improve visual acuity, reduce cancer cell proliferation, lower blood pressure, etc.

How to Grow Purple Weed?

As you already know, anthocyanins are responsible for the change in color in plants, including cannabis strains. Thus, to grow purple weed, you must consider several factors like anthocyanin production, strain, temperature and pH levels, etc. 

Use the right seed

Although finding the seeds to produce the purple weed is quite challenging, but it is essential if you truly want to grow purple stains. You should take note of the flavonoids and anthocyanin of the particular seed. 

Then carefully examine the strain’s genetics to be sure the color purple can be achieved. Strains containing carotenoid will never give you the color purple, so it will be useless trying. But purple weed haze seeds are excellent for growing purple buds. 

Mimic fall temperatures

Since cold climates induce anthocyanin production, replicating fall temperatures would help your weed become purple. 

Cold weather also helps decrease chlorophyll’s presence (which is responsible for green coloration in plants). Hence, reducing the temperature of your indoor farm will help grow purple weed strains. 

For the best result, slowly reduce the temperature during the plant’s Calvin cycle to around 50°F/10°C during nighttime. Doing this more frequently in a few weeks would yield purple harvests. 

The Myth of Purple Weed

We encounter bad information in almost every human endeavor, and purple weed is no exception. Here are some common myths about purple cannabis strains that you should ignore. 

Oxygen/Carbon dioxide deprivation

The concept that depriving your cannabis strains of oxygen or carbon dioxide will make it turn purple is false. Like every living thing, plants, including marijuana, need both oxygen and carbon dioxide to survive. Restricting these essential nutrients from the plant will leave you with brown or dark unhealthy weed. 

However, as mentioned earlier, exposing your cannabis plants to cold temperatures will trigger anthocyanins, turning the leaves purple. But keep in mind that too much cold will do more harm than good as the plant can die. So don’t think about freezing your weed.

Altering the light cycle

Cannabis purple coloration can be tied to different factors, such as genetics and the environment. Altering the light cycle doesn’t basically turn your marijuana to purple. Light is another fundamental nutrient for a healthy plant. 

LED lights also play an important role for those who desire to rear their cannabis indoors. It will increase the anthocyanins that promote deep purple coloration.

Popular purple weed strains

Purple weed strains have gained popularity over the years, with one of the earliest plants being purple Urkle, a well-balanced strain with delicious earthy and grapey taste. 

Other popular purple marijuana strains include Granddaddy Purple, Purple Haze, Purple Trainwreck, and Purple Afghan Kush. 

Granddaddy Purple

Granddaddy Purple is one of the first purple strains to receive wide recognition in the cannabis market. No wonder it’s called the grandfather of all purple marijuana. 

This purple weed flower was first propagated in Northern California in 2003 as a cross between Purple Urkle and Big Bud. 

As an indica strain, its aroma, aesthetics, flavor, and effect makes it extremely special. Grandaddy Purple has a deep pigment and produces a unique grape smell with a hint of marshmallow. It contains THC between 17% and 23%. 

Purple Haze

Purple Haze weed is another popular and one of the most wanted purple cannabis strains on the market. It is a sativa strain that is easy to grow in warm sunny climates. Purple Haze weed has a rich grape flavor and up to 20% THC. 

Purple Trainwreck

Purple Trainwreck is an indica hybrid of Mendo Purps and Trainwreck. It combines citrus, lavender, and pine aroma to give your taste buds unending pleasure.

It is slightly shaped like a Christmas tree. Purple Trainwreck grows well in warm, dry conditions, both indoors and outdoors. It can grow up to 3 meters high, and as the temperature drops, the leaves turn purple and violet. The THC level is at 15-17%. 

Purple Afghan Kush

The Purple Afghan Kush is an indica strain and a cross between Purple Kush and Pre ’98 Bubba genes. The plant is highly resistant to diseases and pests. Purple Afghan Kush is highly therapeutic with a pineapple flavor and THC levels ranging from 15% to 20%.