TABLE 1.
Phenotypic differences among C. indica, C. sativa, and C. ruderalis ecotypes.
| Trait | C. indica | C. sativa | C. ruderalis |
| Climate | Tropical intense sunlight, cool arid regions (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern India, Nepal) | Subtropical humid climate, more rainfall, In Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria, Thailand | Northern climates, cool and hilly places, grows in wild (Russia, China) |
| Height | Short 1– 2 m | Tall up to 3–4 m | Very short bushy 0.6–1.0 m |
| Cannabis female flower | Compact and short inflorescence | Loose packed and long inflorescence | Small, compact, very short inflorescence |
| Habit | Shorter internode | Longer internode | Very short internodes |
| Leaves | Broad | Narrow | Smaller leaves |
| Leaf color | Dark green | Light green | Dark leaves |
| Stalk | Shorter woody | Taller, fibrous | Short fibrous |
| Maturity | Early maturity 2–3 months | Late maturity 4–6 months | Very early maturity 1.5–2 months, autoflowering |
| Root system | Condensed root system | Deep, expansive | Shallow smaller |
| Cannabinoid content | Lower THC, could be higher CBD | High THC, Lower CBD in general | Low THC and CBD |
| Effect | Relaxing effect, inflammation reduction (Medical use preferred) | Incite euphoria, head high (stress relief, recreational use preferred) | Not grown commercially, only for breeding earliness |
Information derived from Schultes et al. (1974); Small and Cronquist (1976), Hillig (2004); Clarke and Merlin (2013), Farag and Kayser (2017), and Small (2017).