Trichome anatomy & harvest timing

Trichomes are the tiny mushroom-shaped resin glands on cannabis flower and surrounding leaves. They produce essentially all the cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, etc.) and terpenes that make cannabis cannabis. Three main types: bulbous (tiny, on leaves), capitate-sessile (medium, on flower), and capitate-stalked (largest, the iconic resin globe on a stalk).

Capitate-stalked trichomes are what growers watch for harvest timing. Under a jeweler's loupe or microscope:

Clear trichomes = cannabinoids still developing. Harvesting now yields lighter, more cerebral effects but less potency overall.

Milky/cloudy trichomes = peak THC. Most growers target 70-90% milky for the strongest effect.