A critical aspect of cannabis cultivation involves understanding the gender of the plants. Cannabis is typically a dioecious plant, meaning individual plants are either male or female.
 

• Female Cannabis Plants: These are the plants primarily cultivated for their aromatic flowers. The flowers on female plants contain the highest concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes. If female plants are not pollinated, they continue to produce more resinous flowers in an effort to catch pollen, leading to larger, more potent yields. These unpollinated flowers are often referred to as "sinsemilla" (Spanish for "without seed").
   

• Male Cannabis Plants: Male plants primarily produce pollen, which is contained in small, ball-like sacs. While they produce some cannabinoids, their concentration is generally much lower than in female flowers. In cultivation aimed at producing high-quality flowers for consumption, male plants are typically removed early to prevent them from pollinating the females. Pollination causes female plants to focus their energy on seed production rather than developing cannabinoid and terpene-rich flowers. Male plants are crucial, however, for breeding new strains and for producing seeds.