Hermaphrodites & intersex traits

Cannabis is normally dioecious — separate male and female plants. But under stress (light leaks, heat spikes, nutrient lockout, root damage, late harvest) some female plants produce male flowers or 'bananas' (anther-like structures) that release pollen. This is stress-induced hermaphroditism.

Genetic hermaphroditism is different — some lineages carry an inherited predisposition toward intersex traits. Stress-tested lines from skilled breeders generally screen this out, but it can resurface in F2 or feminized progeny.

Why it matters: a single hermaphrodite in a grow room can pollinate every flowering female nearby, dropping seeded buds across the whole crop. One stressed plant can cost an entire harvest.

Early warning signs: yellow pollen sacs (look like small ball-shaped growths between the bud and stem), single anther 'bananas' protruding from flower clusters, or unexplained mid-flower seed development.