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Do Auto Plants Make Seeds?

Like every other plant autoflowers can make seeds, but you need a male and a female plant for this to happen. Discover how breeders create autoflowering seeds, what stress conditions lead to seed production, and the roots of autoflower genetics. Read about feminized seeds, why propagating autoflowers is impractical, and whether male autoflowers exist.

Can autoflowers make seeds?

Yes, in short autoflowers can make seeds. Breeders breed autoflowering seeds by fertilizing female autoflower plants with pollen. This method involves having both a mother plant and a male plant. When the buds on the female plant have been pollinated by the pollen, seeds will start to grow inside the flowers. The seeds will also carry the autoflowering trait.

Do autoflower plants produce autoflower seeds?

If both parents are autoflowering plants, then yes. However, the seeds produced by any cannabis plant, such as autoflowers, inherit traits from both of their parents. Autoflower seeds are specifically bred by hybridizing a regular cannabis strain with a ruderalis variety, which gives the autoflowering trait. If an autoflower plant is pollinated by a photoperiod strain, the resulting seeds would not necessarily be autoflowers. The more breeding between autoflowers and photoperiods 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 experiences stress, which could be caused by anything such as feeding issues, physical damage or disease, it can make the plant go into survival mode. In this state, the plant's main objective is to reproduce and keep its genetics alive after it dies. While distressed a female plant can produce male flowers or become hermie, allowing it to pollinate itself. This auto-pollination results in the creation of seeds, which the plant produces as a way to survive to ensure its genetics continues despite the stress.

Image reference: cannabis plant that has hermied

How do you get an auto plant 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 popular method is hand pollination, where breeders collect pollen from a male plant and carefully brush it onto the flowers of a female plant. The benefit of this approach is that as a breeder you can choose the best female plant and the best male plant and only cross those, creating even better offspring.

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

Are auto seeds feminised?

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

Regular autoflower seeds are available and will produce both male and female autoflower plants. However, they are not very popular and unless you are a breeder growing regular autoflowers is unnecessary.

Where does autoflower genetics come from?

Autoflower genetics come from a wild cannabis species called Cannabis ruderalis, which is indigenous to Siberia. The harsh weather conditions and nativesusa.com, short summers where it grows have forced the plants to adapt by developing the ability to flower on their own, regardless of light cycles. This special trait allows autoflowers to finish their life cycle fast, making them well-suited for regions with brief growing seasons. Breeders such as Auto Seeds have since hybridized ruderalis with other cannabis strains to create modern autoflowers that combine automatic flowering with desirable traits like higher 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 practical. Autoflowers only have 2-4 weeks in the veg stage and if you propagate an autoflower, it requires time to root and start growing. However, before the clone can establish itself, the plant's biological clock will trigger it to start flowering. The result is a tiny, underdeveloped plant with almost no bud production.

So yes, you can propagate autoflowers, but you would only produce enough weed for a few joints.

Can you get male autoflowers?

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