Do Auto Plants Produce Seeds?

Like any other plant autoflowers can produce seeds, but you need male and female plants plant for this to work. Learn how breeders breed autoflowering seeds, what stress factors lead to seeds forming, and the roots of autoflower genetics. Learn about feminized seeds, why propagating autoflowers is ineffective, and whether male autoflowers exist.

Can autoflowers make seeds?

Yes, in short autoflowers can produce seeds. Breeders breed autoflowering seeds by pollinating female autoflower plants with male pollen. This process involves having both a female plant and a male plant. When the flowers on the female plant have been fertilized by the pollen, seeds will begin to grow inside the flowers. The seeds will also carry the autoflowering trait.

Do autoflowers produce autoflower seeds?

If both parents are autoflowering plants, then yes. However, the seeds made by any cannabis plant, such as autoflowers, inherit traits from both of their parents. Auto seeds are carefully bred by hybridizing a regular cannabis strain with a ruderalis variety, which passes on the autoflowering characteristic. If an autoflower plant is pollinated by a non-autoflowering strain, the resulting seeds would not necessarily be autoflowers. The more crossing between autoflowers and non-autoflowers the more the ruderalis genetics 'autoflowering' trait would be removed from the plant.

What causes a stressed autoflower make seeds?

Stress in all cannabis plants can make them make seeds and is really a survival mechanism. When an auto plant goes through stress, which could be triggered by anything such as nutrient imbalances, physical damage or illness, it can make the plant enter survival mode. In this state, the plant's main objective is to survive and keep its genetics going after it dies. While stressed a female plant can develop male flowers or become hermaphroditic, allowing it to self-pollinate. This self-pollination results in the creation of seeds, which the plant creates as a natural response to ensure its genetics continues despite the stress.

Image reference: cannabis plant that has turned hermie

How do you get an autoflower to make seeds?

It's not a good idea to stress a plant into self-pollination as this could potentially damage the plant. Breeders use various pollination methods. One common method is manual pollination, where breeders gather pollen from a male plant and gently brush it onto the flowers of a female plant. The advantage of this approach is that as a breeder you can select the best female plant and the best male plant and only breed those, creating even stronger offspring.

Another method is open pollination, where male and female plants are grown together in the same area, allowing natural breeding to occur. A more precise method is targeted pollination, where breeders isolate specific branches of a female plant and apply pollen to those sections only.

Are auto seeds feminized?

No, not all autoflower seeds are feminized. However, to make your life easier, all the seeds we stock at Auto Seeds are feminized.

Standard autoflower seeds are sold and will give you both male and female autoflower plants. However, they are not very common and unless you are a breeder cultivating regular autoflowers is pointless.

Where does autoflower genetics come from?

Autoflower genetics trace back to a wild cannabis species called Cannabis ruderalis, which is native to Siberia. The extreme weather conditions and https://nativesusa.com/ (nativesusa.com) short summers where it grows have forced the plants to adapt by developing the ability to flower on their own, regardless of photoperiods. This unique trait allows autoflowers to finish their life cycle quickly, making them ideal for regions with shorter summers. Breeders such as Auto Seeds have since crossed ruderalis with other cannabis strains to develop modern autoflowers that bring together automatic flowering with useful traits like bigger yields and potency.

Image reference: wild ruderalis cannabis plant

How many seeds can a single autoflower plant produce?

An individual autoflower plant can make over 1,000 cannabis seeds depending on the strain and how large the plant is.

Why shouldn't you propagate autoflowers?

While technically possible, cloning autoflower plants is just not very effective. Autoflowers only have 2-4 weeks in the veg stage and if you clone an autoflower, it requires time to establish roots and start growing. However, before the clone can establish itself, the plant's biological clock will cause it to start flowering. The result is a tiny, underdeveloped plant with minimal bud production.

So yes, you can clone autoflowers, but you would only produce enough weed for a couple of joints.

Can you get male autoflowers?

Yes, you can get male autoflowers. Standard autoflower seeds produce both male and female plants. However, you just don't see regular seeds very frequently unless you are developing your own strains.