Question on possible Hermie (pics included)

Hey guys, avid reader of the forums. This is however, my first time posting!

I'm on my second grow (greenhouse) and I believe i've come across my first Female that has decided to Hermaphrodite. This is the reason for my post. I'm not 100% sure it's what i'm dealing with.

I took the best pictures I could. I'll do a little bit of explaining just incase the picture isnt enough. I'm about 2 weeks into flowering and on the specific plant i'm referring to I have the straight pistols and flowers forming but on the upper portion of the plant im getting what looks to be a seed pods in and around the flower. There are no males in the room so this is what led me to believe it was Hermaphroditing(if thats a word lol). My main concern is that those don't pollinate the other plants thus creating seeds and how this will affect the final product?

I've read through a few sources as to what can cause a fem to change like this and I did have some problems with early flowering and the water that was being given to the plant (it was far to cold). This is speculation of course as, from what i've read, alot of things can cause this.

Any help is appreciated. And thanks!

thats a male!!! from the pics i see no hairs...but maybe they are lower down...either way you will get seed in your weed if you have girls around!!! hermie/male same outcome!!! Seed in the weed!!!

Sorry Man.........it is.

Pollen Sack!!! Garbage Disposal Time !!!

Thanks for the fast replies guys. Can someone explain this alittle better? I know the pictures may not show it but there are definetly female flowers on the plant and the seed pods are only on the top portion of the plant.

I've smoked bud off a Hermie female and although you can tell the difference I'd hardly say I want to scrap this plant cause of it. I just don't want the seeds in my others so would it be ok to move it to a different cornter of the greenhouse?

You guys want another close up of one of the flowers? If that would help..

Also another tidbit of information. I plucked one of the pods off and opened it and didnt find any white pollen in the pod (dont know if this makes any difference at all) but I found it to be interesting as previous males ive encountered had the pollen popping out when i would crush the pod.

Also, If one might give a quick explination as to what causes females to do this I would appreciate it. I do not want this to happen again if I can prevent it.

Like I said previously, I identified the plant early as Female and only now during the first stages of flowreing am I starting to see these damn pods.

..........What is an hermaphrodite?

An hermaphrodite, or hermie, is a plant of one sex that develops the sexual organs of the other sex. Most commonly, a flowering female plant will develop staminate flowers, though the reverse is also true. Primarily male hermaphrodites are not as well recognized only because few growers let their males reach a point of flowering where the pistillate would be expressed.

Hermaphrodites are generally viewed with disfavor. First, they will release pollen and ruin a sinsemelia crop, pollinating themselves and all of the other females in the room. Second, the resulting seeds are worthless, because hermaphrodite parents tend to pass on the tendency to their offspring.

Please note that occassionally specious staminate flowers will appear in the last days of flowering of a female plant. These do not drop pollen and their appearance is not considered evidence of deleterious hermaphroditism.

Here's an image of a hermaphrodite, specifically a female plant with staminate flowers.

If you don't want to trash it I would suggest you top it. I've had friends who have had luck at topping the male part of a hermie off and still getting a decent yield off it. Just keep a close eye on it and pull off any balls that may grow in the future.

From the pictures you posted it looks like a 100% male to me... Is it a clone or from seed?

Brandon Health said:

Thanks for the fast replies guys. Can someone explain this alittle better? I know the pictures may not show it but there are definetly female flowers on the plant and the seed pods are only on the top portion of the plant.

I've smoked bud off a Hermie female and although you can tell the difference I'd hardly say I want to scrap this plant cause of it. I just don't want the seeds in my others so would it be ok to move it to a different cornter of the greenhouse?

You guys want another close up of one of the flowers? If that would help..

Also another tidbit of information. I plucked one of the pods off and opened it and didnt find any white pollen in the pod (dont know if this makes any difference at all) but I found it to be interesting as previous males ive encountered had the pollen popping out when i would crush the pod.

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yeah man it might smoke alright but the risk of it ruining your other plants in my opinion is not worth it. i'd spray it down top to bottom gently with water to help stop the spread of pollen. then put a garbage bag over it and cut it at soil level. tie the back and dispose. it only takes ONE microscopic spec of pollen to put seeds in a female.

Ok I've decided with the information given that i'm going to scrap it. Mainly because I dont want it affecting the other good Fems that are near it. Hopefully i'm not to late.

Tahmi.Guhnn said:

yeah man it might smoke alright but the risk of it ruining your other plants in my opinion is not worth it. i'd spray it down top to bottom gently with water to help stop the spread of pollen. then put a garbage bag over it and cut it at soil level. tie the back and dispose. it only takes ONE microscopic spec of pollen to put seeds in a female.

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This sounds like a good way to despose of it, while spreading the least amount of pollen. Does anyone else have some stuff to throw in to help prevent the spread of the pollen ?

Two other questions reguarding pollen in general:

First - Does more pollen = more seeds? or is it once the specific flower is polinated it just developes any given amount seeds based on the plants genetics?

Second - The quote above said to spray down the one i'm scrapping to prevent pollen from spreading, would some sort of foliage feeding help wash any pollen thats currently on the Fems if there is any at all?

I'm sure some of these questions may seem dumb but i'm learning! Thanks for all the advice!

Brandon Health said:

Ok I've decided with the information given that i'm going to scrap it. Mainly because I dont want it affecting the other good Fems that are near it. Hopefully i'm not to late.




This sounds like a good way to despose of it, while spreading the least amount of pollen. Does anyone else have some stuff to throw in to help prevent the spread of the pollen ?

Two other questions reguarding pollen in general:

First - Does more pollen = more seeds? or is it once the specific flower is polinated it just developes any given amount seeds based on the plants genetics?

Second - The quote above said to spray down the one i'm scrapping to prevent pollen from spreading, would some sort of foliage feeding help wash any pollen thats currently on the Fems if there is any at all?

I'm sure some of these questions may seem dumb but i'm learning! Thanks for all the advice!

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if you have pollen on your female leaves its already too late becuase more than likely if its on the leaves its gotten on the pistils. and im not sure but plants that i've had hermie on me seem to have more seed in certain parts of the plant so i would assume that those were the areas that were pollenated.

Tahmi.Guhnn said:

if you have pollen on your female leaves its already too late becuase more than likely if its on the leaves its gotten on the pistils. and im not sure but plants that i've had hermie on me seem to have more seed in certain parts of the plant so i would assume that those were the areas that were pollenated.

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Ok this makes sense.. Now what i'm contemplating is if the plant has already polinated the others (I dont know if it did or not but the plants are sitting right next to each other. so you tell me the odds) why would I take it down if the others are already messed up? I mean cause the hermie is eventually going to produce smokeable buds.

Is there anyway to tell if the fems are polinated already or do I need to wait till the final product/visible seeds forming?

Screw it, its coming down. I'll tell you what, if this one Hermie messes up my current batch i'm gonna be pretty pissed.

Thanks again for everyones help/advice!

Brandon Health said:

Ok this makes sense.. Now what i'm contemplating is if the plant has already polinated the others (I dont know if it did or not but the plants are sitting right next to each other. so you tell me the odds) why would I take it down if the others are already messed up? I mean cause the hermie is eventually going to produce smokeable buds.

Is there anyway to tell if the fems are polinated already or do I need to wait till the final product/visible seeds forming?

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its basicly a crap shoot at vegas. but if you have alot of air circulation in the room and they are right next to each other then i'd say its a safe bet that the other are pollenated. and to my knowledge you just have to wait to see the seeds pop up. i use to use a tooth pic to prod calyxes to see if they had a seed in em. but once the plant is pollunated most of the energy of the plant is divereted to seed production.

you have very pretty hands brandon

robert 14617 said:

you have very pretty hands brandon

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Lmao, that's the GFs hand. She said thanks tho

figured wife or gf

*positive note*..... if they in fact did seed your girls ??? idk if they did or not......but you will not have to worry about ordering some.....and for awhile!

Hopefully the pods did not open up then you may be in the clear....but keep an eye out for receeding hair's on calyx's then they will swell if they have been fertilized...

Good call on getting it out...better be safe than sorry!

Sorry to hear you have to get rid of HIM!!!

lime73 said:

*positive note*..... if they in fact did seed your girls ??? idk if they did or not......but you will not have to worry about ordering some.....and for awhile!

Hopefully the pods did not open up then you may be in the clear....but keep an eye out for receeding hair's on calyx's then they will swell if they have been fertilized...

Good call on getting it out...better be safe than sorry!

Sorry to hear you have to get rid of HIM!!!

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Yeah for sure man. I'm hoping to be in the clear. I'll keep an eye on the hairs like you said.

Brandon Health said:

Yeah for sure man. I'm hoping to be in the clear. I'll keep an eye on the hairs like you said.

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Well + rep for you for the awesome pics and for sharing!!! Good work and good luck with the rest of you grow.....see you around!

Welcome to RIU!!!