Subtotal | $0.00 |
---|---|
Taxes | $0.00 |
Total Cash or Debit | $0.00 |
Even in the modern cannabis industry where innovative products are constantly emerging, cannabis flower is still a tried-and-true favorite. Flower high in delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol — also called THC flower — has been enjoyed since ancient times. And while cultivation and breeding techniques may have changed significantly, cannabis flower’s staying power hasn’t changed. Read on to learn about just what makes THC flower so special. changed.
THC flower is the dried and cured flower harvested from a high THC strain (also called cultivar) of cannabis. It’s the most common variety of cannabis flower you’ll encounter in a dispensary. Because THC flower is high in THC content, you can expect to feel its famous intoxicating effects after smoking or vaporizing it.
Most high-THC flower in dispensaries contain 1% CBD content or less, but that’s not always the case. There are varieties of THC flower that have heightened levels of CBD too, including strains like AC/DC, which may contain up to 20% CBD and 5% or less THC. This type of CBD flower is distinct from CBD flower sourced from industrial hemp, which is legally defined as Cannabis sativa L. containing 0.3% THC or less. If you want some THC alongside high levels of CBD, then CBD flower is the right choice for you.
THC flower is diverse; indica, sativa, and hybrid cultivars of cannabis are all common in dispensaries. Each of these species of cannabis — and each cultivar found within each species — has its own unique set of cannabinoids and terpenes alongside THC. These various compound profiles significantly influence the way a particular strain may make you feel. In other words: Not all THC flower is going to affect you the same way.
Conventional wisdom suggests that you can gauge the effects of THC flower based on which species of cannabis it comes from. Indica flower, for example, has historically been referred to as relaxing and sedating, while sativa varieties are said to provide an uplifting, energetic experience. This basic understanding of cannabis may sometimes be right, but it’s far from a certain way to determine how a particular strain of THC flower may affect you.
A more effective way to determine how a strain may affect you is to consider the compound profile as a whole. The best way is to try it and take note of your experience.
It’s not just called “cannabis” or “marijuana.” Our beloved plant has picked up quite a number of nicknames along its storied journey. Here are some other ways you may hear people refer to THC flower:
Bud
Chronic
Ganja
Grass
Green
Herb
Kush
Loud
Mary Jane
Nug
Pot
Reefer
Sensi
Weed
Zaza
There are, of course, many other slang terms you may encounter when discussing THC flower. The long history of cannabis prohibition has resulted in coded language that remains part of the cannabis culture today. Even as legalization has made cannabis products available in New York City and beyond, that history and culture have left an indelible mark on the vocabulary we use to talk about the plant today.
While THC flower is the most sought-after part of the cannabis plant for consumers, it takes a lot more to bring a plant to harvest. Here’s a quick lesson on the anatomy of a cannabis plant, including the components that make up THC flower and how they work:
Seed: Unless it’s a clone, every cannabis plant begins as a seed. Within the hard outer shell of a seed is all the genetic information of a plant just waiting to be germinated.
Cotyledon leaves: Once a seed sprouts and emerges from the soil, the seedling develops its first pair of leaves, called cotyledon leaves. These leaves eventually fall away as the plant matures and develops broader fan leaves to support photosynthesis.
Stem: The stem supports the plant as it grows taller and broader. The stem can be strengthened with the use of fans and low-stress training techniques to direct its growth.
Node: Nodes form along the stem where branches emerge. They also provide an early way to determine the sex of a cannabis plant. Only females produce THC flower, and more THC develops when the flower isn’t pollinated. As a result, cultivators want to identify and cull male plants before they mature and pollinate the female plants.
Fan leaves: Fan leaves are the iconic leaves that adorn much of the plant. These leaves act as solar panels to soak up light for use in photosynthesis. On sativa-dominant varieties of cannabis, these leaves tend to be long, thin, and farther apart, while the fan leaves of Indica-dominant varieties tend to be broader and closer together.
Flower: The flower appears on a mature, female cannabis plant. It first forms as a tiny bud and as it grows it develops resin glands and reproductive organs.
Cola: Colas are large clusters of cannabis flower. Generally, the main cola forms on the top of the plant around the stem. These large, conical structures can grow to be quite dense and make up the majority of the yield for most plants.
Sugar leaves: Sugar leaves form alongside colas, sticking out from clusters of flower. They are named for their sugary appearance, which is caused by the development of trichomes, or resin glands, on and around the flower.
We can further break down the parts of THC flower to gain a better understanding of what makes it work the way it does. Here’s a closer look at each component and how it contributes to the consumption experience.
Bud: The bud itself is the plant material that develops in a mature, female cannabis plant.
Trichomes: These resin glands develop on the bud, sugar leaves, and surrounding areas of the plant. These are areas where most cannabinoids and terpenes are developed, and they’re the reason THC flower affects us the way it does. Trichomes are recognizable as the frosty-looking layer that surrounds the bud.
Pistils: These are the reproductive organs of the cannabis plant, appearing as tiny, white-yellow hairs along the bud. As the plant matures, these often shrivel up and turn a rusty amber color. If your THC flower has little shocks of orange on it, those are pistils.
The potency of THC flower depends on the strain of the cannabis plant, how it was grown, how it was harvested, and how it was stored. THC flower typically ranges in potency from 10 percent to 30 percent, though it is not uncommon to find outliers.
For low-tolerance consumers and those who want a more subtle experience, 10 to 20 percent THC flower should suffice. For those seeking a more intense experience or who have higher tolerances, consider THC flower that ranges from 20 to 30 percent, or even higher.
THC flower is versatile and can be consumed in a wide variety of ways. Here are some of the most popular methods of consuming THC flower that we recommend.
Whether you roll your own or buy prerolls at a cannabis dispensary, joints and blunts are a classic way to smoke THC flower. They’re ideal for sharing with friends, which is where the popular phrase “puff, puff, pass” comes from. Both joints and blunts provide a slow, even burn that allows you to enjoy your flower over time. Want to save some for later? No problem — just extinguish it and pop it in a container for another time. The primary drawback of joints and blunts is that you may need to smoke more than one if you have a high tolerance.
Bowls are small glass pipes that can be packed with THC flower and smoked over a longer period. Many feature a small hole known as a carburetor, or carb, which you cover while lighting the THC flower. When you’re ready, you simply release the carb and inhale deeply to take the hit.
Bongs are large glass pieces, often intended to be as decorative as they are functional. You’ll also see stainless steel and silicone models. No matter the material, a bong includes a bowl attached to a stem, known as a slider. The slider sits within the base of the bong, which is filled with water, while the bowl is packed with your THC flower.
When you light the flower in a bong and inhale on the mouthpiece, the water begins to bubble and the smoke is drawn into the base. When you’ve prepared the desired amount of smoke, remove the slider from the bong and inhale deeply to clear it. The water serves to cool down the smoke and reduce the harshness of the hit. Some bongs have additional components like ice catchers, which can enhance this effect even further.
Bubblers exist somewhere between bowls and bongs. These pieces are more compact than a full-sized bong but larger than a bowl. They can be filled with water to cool down the smoke and provide a smoother hit than a bowl, but they’re usually small enough to pack away and bring along with you, which can be a challenge with most bongs. Bubblers will still pack a punch too; one hit can produce a significant amount of potent smoke from your THC flower.
One hitters are your ideal on-the-go method of consuming THC flower. As the name suggests, these are usually small devices designed for one or two quick hits. They’re simple to use, as well. Just pack one end of your one-hitter with a bit of flower, light it up, and inhale from the other end.
Portable vaporizers are electronic devices that offer an alternative to smoking. Most portable vaporizers are compatible with flower, and some have components for switching between flower and concentrates.
Before you load dried flower into your vaporizer, check your device owner’s manual to make sure it is compatible with flower. Each portable vaporizer has its own usage and maintenance requirements as well, so take note of these details.
When portable vaporizers simply don’t cut it, desktop vaporizers offer bigger vapor production and more advanced features. The trade-off is that you can’t easily bring them with you; they’re designed to be plugged into the wall and stay put on a tabletop. Most desktop vaporizers feature precise temperature control and offer the power needed to produce some serious clouds. Again, make sure any vaporizer you use is compatible with THC flower before attempting to load it.
You can use THC flower as an ingredient to make homemade edibles and other infused cannabis products at home. By following a recipe to create infused oil or butter, you can make your favorite foods even better.
To start, decarboxylate your THC flower by baking it at a low temperature for a few hours. This serves to convert the acidic cannabinoids THCA and CBDA into their active forms, THC and CBD – without decarboxylation, orally ingesting your THC flower won’t do much. Once it’s decarboxylated, follow whatever recipe you wish to create infused edibles and other cannabis products.
Properly storing your THC flower can preserve its quality and extend its shelf life. There are several environmental factors that degrade cannabis, including ultraviolet (UV) light, oxygen, moisture, and heat. To best protect your THC flower and prevent contamination, store it in an airtight container and place it in a cool, dry, dark place. Never leave ground THC flower in a grinder unless you intend to use it in short order, as it can get stale quite quickly.
When you buy cannabis flower from a NY dispensary like The Travel Agency, you’ll find the bud prepackaged in varying sizes. You can buy it in 3.5-gram, eighth-ounce, quarter-ounce, half-ounce, and one-ounce packages. Within these packages, you’ll find smaller bits of cannabis, often called popcorn buds or smalls, alongside premium flower that’s meticulously grown and trimmed.
You’ll also find pre-rolls, which are available as singles or in multi-packs. And in both categories, you can find options for infused products, including “moonrocks,” which is flower rolled in concentrate and kief, and infused pre-rolls drizzled with high-quality concentrates.
When it comes time to order, you have options. If you know precisely what you’re looking for and just want to get in and out, place a pickup order online or select your THC flower through our self-checkout kiosks, where our entire menu is available at a tap and a swipe.
If you’re looking for more information or personal recommendations, our expert budtenders will also be on hand to help you. Their extensive knowledge of our cannabis products and breadth of experience helping consumers like you ensure you’ll bring home a product you’ll love.
Don’t even want to leave your house? That’s not a problem either. Place an order for cannabis delivery and we’ll get your THC flower directly to your door.
In New York State, adults 21 years of age and older can purchase up to three ounces of THC flower from a licensed New York cannabis dispensary. These consumers may also purchase up to 24 grams of cannabis concentrates as well.
Travel far without taking a step. Order THC flower for delivery in minutes to private residential addresses throughout Manhattan, most of Brooklyn, and select parts of Queens.
1. Visit the product menu, select “delivery,” and put in your address.
2. Add products to your bag.
3. Check out.
4. Wait for your package.
5. Enjoy.
You can always go another way. The Travel Agency offers a full selection of cannabis products at our Union Square, Downtown Brooklyn, and Fifth Avenue dispensary locations. Explore:
If you want to learn more about THC flower, visit the Flower Lounge at The Travel Agency. This immersive in-store experience offers you the chance to get well acquainted with the premium cannabis flower we keep in stock at our dispensary. Experience the smells and sights of flower, dive into the world of terpenes, and enter the endocannabinoid system and how it affects our minds and bodies. The Flower Lounge at The Travel Agency is a one-of-a-kind experience – we can’t wait to see what journeys it inspires in you.