What is an indica plant?
An indica plant is a type of cannabis plant that is short, compact and broad-leaved, and usually takes less time to flower than a sativa. Its effect is normally described as relaxing and more physical.
Indicas originally come from mountainous areas of Central Asia, such as the Hindu Kush region, between Afghanistan and Pakistan. There, summers are short and the climate is harsh, and that produced hardy, fast-cycling, very resinous plants.
If you compare them with a sativa, you can see the difference at a glance: the indica is like a short, wide bush, with thick-fingered, dark green leaves, while the sativa is taller, more stretched out and has thin leaves.
What an indica plant is like
- Height: short or medium, with short branches set very close together.
- Leaves: broad and dark green.
- Buds: dense, compact and very resinous.
- Flowering: the stage when the plant forms its buds is usually shorter than in sativas. On each product page you'll see the time given by the seed bank.
Are there pure indicas today?
Very few. After decades of crossing, almost all the strains on sale are hybrids, meaning mixes of indica and sativa in different proportions. When a product page says "indica" or "indica-dominant", it means the plant leans towards that side.
What "indica" means on a product page
Take it as a practical guide to two things: the type of plant you're going to grow (compact, with shorter flowering, good for small spaces) and the type of effect usually associated with it (relaxing, more physical). It isn't a guarantee: every strain and every plant has its own character.
If you're looking for a manageable plant for indoor growing or a calm effect, indica-dominant strains are a good place to start.
Related terms
Before you grow, check the laws in your country: growing cannabis is not allowed everywhere.
