Mold is a common issue with all types of cannabis, and hemp mold can be hard to spot with pictures alone. In this article, we will show you what moldy hemp flower looks like and talk about some of the other issues it can be confused with.
Moldy Hemp or Dark Colored Hemp?
Hemp flower of the same strain and from the same batch can still widely vary in appearance, mainly the bud color. While some strains are naturally darker or have hues of purple, others can be green and have hues of yellow. Hemp buds come in all sorts of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Like appearance, the dryness of the hemp bud can also vary widely. Here is a list of variable hemp features that are common and natural, but also the subject of complaints from those who are less familiar with the normal variation of hemp flower.
- Bud color, shape, and size
- Amount of leaf left on when trimmed
- Dryness and moisture level
- Cannabinoid potency and terpene profile (per strain)
- Smells and flavors
- Personal experience and perception
Keep in mind that hemp is a natural agricultural product. It is more like produce from the grocery store than any other type of retail product and it encounters similar issues and variation.
What Does Hemp Mold Look Like?
There are two main types of hemp mold that you can see in the pictures below. There is the fuzzy gray mold (Botrytis cinerea, aka strawberry mold), fuzzy white mold (powdery mildew), or a brown mottled flower mold. These molds are extremely common to all natural agricultural products. They come from the fungus species like Botrytis cinerea or Fusarium and their spores can spread easily in the cultivation environment.
Final Thoughts on Moldy Cannabis
Mold in cannabis can be very difficult to assess. If you find mold in your hemp flower, you should not smoke it. You can contact Plain Jane customer service via [email protected] and send them the best possible picture of the moldy hemp with your message. You will most likely be asked to return the product so we can look into the issue more closely. Once we get that return you will be refunded.
