Using Sight to Determine Quality Cannabis

Sight is the first sense we use to engage with cannabis. The appearance of the product often shapes our initial judgments. Whether you’re picking out flower for the first time, or you’re an enthusiast searching for craft-quality bud, we are easily swayed by good looks. 

In this episode of Senses, DOJA Cultivation Manager, Dylan Zaitsoff gets an up-close and personal look at the cannabis plant with the help of Mike Palmer. As a fine art photographer, Mike has a knack for making the unseen visible. 

Together, Mike and Dylan use macro photography to traverse the abstract landscape of the cannabis plant. Wild curves, surprising colors, and dense trichome coverage both dazzle and amaze, giving viewers an uncommon glimpse into the plant’s natural beauty. 

Dylan goes in-depth to explain what factors to look out for when sourcing quality bud. “The number one thing you want to look for is the trim,” he says. “Are there excess leaves, is there stuff you don’t want to have on your cannabis?” 

After that, it’s time to take a closer look. Crystal-like resin glands called trichomes adorn cannabis flowers, housing the active chemical constituents of the plant. An abundance of milky white trichomes is a hallmark of high-quality cannabis. 

The premium flower showcased by DOJA, a craft/small-batch cannabis brand from the famed Okanagan Valley, provides the perfect example. 

As the dried flower ages and cures, these milky trichomes may take on amber coloration. Depending on the cannabis variety, trichomes may even showcase purple tinges, picking up pigment from the plant material beneath. 

The presence of red-orange pistillate hairs is another indicator of quality. As cannabis flower ripens, white pistils slowly begin to change color. A flower is ready for harvest when these pistils transform from white to shades of warm auburn, tones expertly captured by Mike’s artistic expertise.

Watch and enjoy it!