Terpenes

What are terps and why is everyone always talking bout terps? ‘Terps’, short for terpenes are a large group of volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons found in the essential oils of plants. Many of our everyday plants have terpenes. Some common examples include, mint, rosemary, and lavender. Fruits of the plant also have terpenes like lemons and oranges. The terpenes are naturally occurring for a reason. The terpenes are responsible for important things like attracting pollinators, warding off predators or helping plants recover from injuries. These compounds are what give plants (in our case different cannabis cultivars) their distinct smells and flavors. As we discussed in our Indica Vs Sativa post, in our experience the high you get when consuming cannabis is dictated by the different cannabinoids and terpenes interacting with your endocannabinoid system. Those cannabinoids and terpenes could be present in a Sativa or an Indica based on the different genetics. There have been hundreds of terpenes discovered in the cannabis plant with only a handful being tested and studied extensively. Some of the more commonly studied terps include: Myrcene, Linalool, Caryophyllene, Limonene and Pinene. Myrcene is found in most varieties of cannabis. It has arguably the most distictive effect of all terpenes in dictating whether a cultivar will have the “Indica effect”. However recently our friend @mdbackes has told us otherwise.

Heavy with earthy, musky notes and slight tones of fruity mangoes and grapes. A terpene that is also present in, hops, thyme and lemongrass.

Studying these different compounds and getting a greater understanding of how they affect us is essential in furthering the knowledge of this plant and unlocking it’s true medicinal benefits. Always remember that everyone's body is different and we all react differently to different substances. To continue sharing the knowledge we have started listing the top 5 dominant terpenes of each cultivar on the genetics page of our website. Check it out. Do some R&D. Pay more attention to the high you get after smoking different cultivars and products. You may be surprised by what you find to be the best terps for you.