Do Autoflowers Make Seeds?
Like any other plant autoflowers can make seeds, but you have to have a male and a female plant for this to work. Learn how breeders breed autoflowering seeds, what stress factors lead to seed production, and the roots of autoflower genetics. Learn about feminised seeds, why propagating autoflowers is impractical, and whether male auto plants exist.
Can auto plants make seeds?
Yes, in short autoflowers can make seeds. Breeders breed autoflowering seeds by fertilizing female autoflower plants with male pollen. This method involves having both a mother plant and a male plant. When the buds on the female plant have been fertilized by the pollen, seeds will begin to grow within the flowers. The seeds will also inherit the autoflowering trait.
Do autoflower plants produce seeds?
If both parents are autoflowering plants, then yes. However, the seeds produced by any cannabis plant, such as autoflowers, inherit traits from both of their parents. Auto seeds are carefully bred by hybridizing a regular cannabis strain with a ruderalis strain, which gives the autoflowering characteristic. If an auto plant is pollinated by a non-autoflowering strain, the produced seeds would not necessarily be autoflowers. The more crossing between autoflowers and non-autoflowers the more the ruderalis genetics 'autoflowering' trait would be removed from the plant.
What makes a distressed autoflower make seeds?
Stress in all cannabis plants can cause them make seeds and is really a survival mechanism. When an autoflower experiences stress, which could be triggered by anything such as feeding issues, physical damage or disease, it can cause the plant enter survival mode. In this state, the plant's main objective is to reproduce and keep its genetics going after it dies. While distressed a female plant can develop male flowers or become hermie, allowing it to self-pollinate. This auto-pollination results in the production of seeds, which the plant produces as a way to survive to ensure its genetic line continues despite the stress.
Image reference: cannabis plant that has turned hermie
How do you get an autoflower to produce seeds?
It's not a wise choice to stress a plant into self-pollination as this could potentially harm the plant. Breeders use various pollination methods. One popular method is hand pollination, where breeders gather pollen from a male plant and gently brush it onto the buds of a female plant. The advantage of this approach is that as a breeder you can select the best female plant and the best male plant and only breed those, creating even better offspring.
Another method is natural pollination, where male and female plants are grown together in the same area, allowing natural pollination to occur. A more controlled approach is targeted pollination, where breeders isolate specific branches of a female plant and apply pollen to those areas only.
Are autoflower seeds feminized?
No, not all auto seeds are feminized. However, to make your life easier, all the seeds we stock at Auto Seeds are feminised.
Regular autoflower seeds are available and will give you both male and female autoflower plants. However, they are not very popular and unless you are a breeder growing regular autoflowers is pointless.
Where does autoflower genetics come from?
Autoflower genetics trace back to a wild cannabis species called Cannabis ruderalis, which is native to Siberia. The harsh weather conditions and short summers where it grows have pushed the plants to adapt by developing the ability to flower on their own, regardless of light cycles. This special trait allows autoflowers to finish their life cycle fast, making them well-suited for regions with brief growing seasons. Breeders such as Auto Seeds have since crossed ruderalis with other cannabis strains to create modern autoflowers that bring together automatic flowering with desirable traits like bigger yields and potency.
Image reference: ruderalis cannabis plant
How many seeds can an individual autoflower plant make?
A single autoflower plant can produce over 1,000 cannabis seeds based on the strain and how large the plant is.
Why shouldn't you propagate autoflower plants?
While technically possible, cloning autoflower plants is just not very effective. Autoflowers only spend 2-4 weeks in the vegetative stage and if you propagate an autoflower, it requires time to root and start growing. However, before the clone can get established, the plant's biological clock will cause it to start flowering. The outcome is a small, underdeveloped plant with almost no bud production.
So yes, you can propagate autoflowers, but you would only grow enough weed for https://nativesusa.com/ (https://nativesusa.com/) a couple of joints.
Can you get male auto plants?
Yes, you can get male autoflowers. Regular autoflower seeds give you both male and female plants. However, you just don't find regular seeds very frequently unless you are breeding your own strains.