Genotype vs. Phenotype in Cannabis: What's the Difference?

A genotype is a plant's genetic code: the full set of possibilities it carries. A phenotype is what actually shows up when those genes meet a real environment, the smell, structure, potency and yield you can see and smoke. Plenty of growers mix the two up when talking about weed, so let's clear it up.

First things first: every living organism has both a genotype and a phenotype. So what's the actual difference between genotype and phenotype?

Genotype vs. phenotype: what are they?

What is a genotype?

Every living thing is the product of evolution, and evolution runs on the same basic principle across the board. So what does genotype mean? The genotype, or genetic code, holds all the genetic information that decides how a plant grows, what it looks like and every trait you'll notice later on. The key thing to understand: a genotype doesn't lock in one outcome. It defines a range of possibilities.

Which parts of that genotype get switched on depends mostly on the environment the organism lives in. In other words, the genotype-environment interaction is what produces the phenotype.

Put simply, genotype plus environment equals phenotype: the physical expression of certain genes that the environment has activated.

What is a phenotype?

Back to growing weed, then: what does phenotype mean? A plant's phenotype matters because it shapes the flavor, the effect and the look of a strain, among other things.

In short, phenotype is the word we use for the observable traits of a plant.

Why do growers use phenotypes to describe cannabis strains?

A lot of us cannabis users love a mix of traits from different strains, so breeders can build a specific strain around the characteristics people prefer.

One of the coolest parts of growing cannabis is what's called pheno hunting. It means the grower or breeder goes looking for the best individuals within a batch of plants from the same strain.

The "best phenotype" is whatever the grower or smoker wants it to be, and it can come down to any trait you care about. Heads up: most of what pheno hunters are looking for doesn't show up on a cannabis plant until it starts flowering.

Pheno hunting always runs on the grower's or breeder's own selection criteria. These usually include aroma, growth rate, potency and yield.

How to pheno hunt cannabis, step by step

Before you start hunting for cannabis phenotypes, you'll need a good amount of space, enough containers for several rounds of clones, light and nutrients to keep the plants healthy, and an area to dry and cure the harvest. In other words, the genotype-environment interaction is going to play a big role in hitting your growing goals.

Just so you don't get your hopes up too high going in: a grower can take several generations of plants to land the phenotype they're after. Expect it to take at least 9 months.

Step 1: Sow your seeds

To kick things off, pick and sow the strains you want to grow. Label your plants carefully so you know exactly which is which. Wooden sticks stuck in or around each container work fine, or you can switch to proper plant tags once your plants are big enough.

Step 2: Take clones from your original plants

After germination, grow your plants the way you normally would. Somewhere around 4 to 6 weeks in, they'll have some size on them and plenty of healthy "true leaves"; that's your signal it's time to take cuttings. You can root them in a few different mediums, like soil, rockwool or water.

Taking clones from your freshly sown plants gives you a biological copy of each one. As long as they're kept in fairly similar conditions, the clones will show exactly the same traits as the mother plants they came from.

Step 3: Grow the clones separately

At this point you've doubled your plant count. The next step is setting up a separate grow area for the clones.

Meanwhile, your mother plants will start putting out buds you can sample to see which cannabis phenotypes you like best for flavor and effect. Once the clones start forming buds, you can test them to see how they handle future stressors.

Step 4: Flip your first batch into flower

Switch the light cycle to 12/12 to trigger flowering in the mother plants. Depending on the strains you chose, they'll take 8 to 12 weeks to finish.

Step 5: Pull the male plants

Once you flip to the flowering light cycle, keep a close eye out for any sign of males. Females produce resinous buds loaded with terpenes and cannabinoids, while males grow little pollen sacs that burst open and release pollen that fertilizes the female flowers.

If you spot a male, get it out of there. Sadly, you'll also have to toss the clone of that phenotype.

Step 6: Look for the traits you want

With all the males gone, you'll have one grow tent full of flowering mother plants and another full of clones in veg. Now the real work starts.

Step 7: Cull the phenotypes you don't want

Time for the purge. Once you've picked your favorite phenotypes, get rid of the plants that didn't live up to your expectations. And don't forget to toss their matching clones too.

Step 8: Repeat the process

Now that you're a phenotype pro, you've got a few options. First, take new cuttings from your first round of clones. These will carry exactly the same traits as the earlier clones. Label them and keep them in veg in a grow tent or grow room.

From there you can flower your first round of clones, or pull them to free up space for the new clones you want to experiment with.

Once you find exactly what you're looking for, you can keep taking cuttings from your prized phenotype for a steady supply of the weed you love most.

You can also grow out a few of them for seed, then cross them with other cannabis genetics to create new strains and phenotypes built around your own taste.

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