# Purple buds - Anthocyanin production and Chlorophyll degradation



## Closet Grow (Jan 25, 2011)

Anthocyanin and chlorophyll
I am currently growing a few cannabis pants from bag seed that came with some form of purple kush. I am veging until 6 th set of true leaves than 24 hour dark period and flower. I am trying to make purple buds of these plants, and am not sure how to produce them and have not seen any substantial information on how to do so. I know anthocyanin is the second most common pigment in cannabis (followed of course by chlorophyll) and changes in color from red yellow and purple based on pH. In pants anthocyanin is present in the surfaces of almost all parts of the plant, in leaves it serves several purposes and shows with the degradation of chlorophyll in autumn (that's what causes the fall colors). In flowers it's used to attract pollinating insects and other animals. So inducing normal chlorophyll degradation may not effect the bud color or effect the lead and bud color, which would of course be negative to my purpose. So um, help?


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## dudemandigo (Jan 25, 2011)

all you have to do is lower night time temps and make sure there healthy.. in the northeast where its cold by the end of the season almost every plant turns purp.


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## Closet Grow (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks, that's really helpful! But, can anyone tell me why?


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## dudemandigo (Jan 25, 2011)

i believe it is just the natural response to lowered temperatures


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## Micromaster (Jan 25, 2011)

The colder temps lock out phos, therefore turning them purple. Dont force purp a plant, not good for it


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## Closet Grow (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks Micromaster, I know it slows plant growth, but I've heard you force it the 7 th week of flower, and you flower for an extra week. But I don't know it'd actually work.


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## Micromaster (Jan 26, 2011)

Closet Grow said:


> Thanks Micromaster, I know it slows plant growth, but I've heard you force it the 7 th week of flower, and you flower for an extra week. But I don't know it'd actually work.


unless youre selling and want "bag appeal" dont do it. Doesnt make the plant any more potent


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## Closet Grow (Jan 26, 2011)

Yeah I know it doesnt, and I'm not selling it. I just wanna show off the buds I grew to my friends


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## ooli (Jan 26, 2011)

I believe a quick blast of nitrogen towards the end of the cycle (though I've actually only seen the colder temp. method in action--on my outdoor grows; it happened automatically) will produce a similar effect. Quick temperature drops don't help anybody.

~ooli~


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## datruth585 (May 11, 2012)

I have 90% success turning all my plants purple its kinda weird I accomplish this thru heavy foliar feeding of kelp, amino's and purple max every few days from start to finish some strains have so much Anthocyanin that they actually bleed .. i also use led for flower 40% blue wavelengths so accessory pigments get good absorption


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## SOGfarmer (May 12, 2012)

It is more than ok to drop temperatures at the end of flowering, in fact probably recomended, but not to an extreme extent. I don't agree with mimicking nature in your grows all of the time, but dropping the temps at the end of the flower cycle, not too much and not too quickly, will definately cause your plants to show more color. This will not turn all of your plants just pure 100% dark purple like stress inducing them through extreme and quick drops in temperature would, but some strains and phenotypes will show more purple, red, pinkish colors towards the end of the cycle when temps are slightly decreased as what naturally happens in their natural environment. 

Stress induced purple colored plants look like shit IMO.


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## BigeoffTidwell (May 12, 2012)

datruth585 said:


> I have 90% success turning all my plants purple its kinda weird I accomplish this thru heavy foliar feeding of kelp, amino's and purple max every few days from start to finish some strains have so much Anthocyanin that they actually bleed .. i also use led for flower 40% blue wavelengths so accessory pigments get good absorption


 I think that purple max has some kind of cancer causing material in it
Ill look for the link an repost it.


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## BigeoffTidwell (May 12, 2012)

https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/36756-gravity-purple-maxx-bushmaster-2.html


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## merlubroza (May 13, 2012)

hola muy buenas


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## pharmacoping (May 26, 2012)

ooli said:


> I believe a quick blast of nitrogen towards the end of the cycle (though I've actually only seen the colder temp. method in action--on my outdoor grows; it happened automatically) will produce a similar effect. Quick temperature drops don't help anybody.
> 
> ~ooli~


A green plant wont turn purple unless genetically predisposed to the condition typically. Nitrogen at the end of flowering is a mistake, as it should be in flush by this time. Excess nitrogen is not only unhealthy, but also will be food for mold spores and rot during flower, and dry times. 

A quick blast of liquid nitrogen would freeze and kill the plant, both are bad ideas


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## pharmacoping (May 26, 2012)

pharmacoping said:


> A green plant wont turn purple unless genetically predisposed to the condition typically. Nitrogen at the end of flowering is a mistake, as it should be in flush by this time. Excess nitrogen is not only unhealthy, but also will be food for mold spores and rot during flower, and dry times.
> 
> A quick blast of liquid nitrogen would freeze and kill the plant, both are bad ideas



all natural expressions, from superior genetics.


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## BigeoffTidwell (May 26, 2012)

The macro of that purple trich is fucking crazy


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## The Yorkshireman (May 26, 2012)

pharmacoping said:


> A green plant wont turn purple unless genetically predisposed to the condition typically. Nitrogen at the end of flowering is a mistake, as it should be in flush by this time. Excess nitrogen is not only unhealthy, but also will be food for mold spores and rot during flower, and dry times.
> 
> A quick blast of liquid nitrogen would freeze and kill the plant, both are bad ideas





pharmacoping said:


> all natural expressions, from superior genetics.



I'll second that.

View attachment 2185725View attachment 2185726
(Livers/Blues)


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## SuperFunker (Dec 21, 2014)

As a preceding post indicated, Anthocyanin is only produced if the associated strain is genetically predisposed to do so. Although most plants can adapt to various conditions, if you want FULL expression, consider two critical variables: 1) Research has established that white light is important for Anthocyanin expression. White-Light-Blending will effectively cover the mid 500nm's and enhance the development of Anthocyanin. This will occur, because there is peak Anthocyanin production at about 540nm. 2) Anthocyanin is also pH-dependent. Expect improved Anthocyanin production at about 4.5 pH. Yes, this is well outside the typical range for nutrient absorption, so I suggest you seek some expert advice regarding such a drastic change in pH. I have not personally explored such a huge modification to feeding; nevertheless, I would expect that as you get close to harvest, a more moderate change (maybe a pH of 6.0 to 5.5) would be enough to improve Anthocyanin production.


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## Fruitbat (Dec 21, 2014)

Just get yourself some of Sannie's Killingfields seeds. You'll get your purple and purple trichs. Or buy a can of spray paint.


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## Daub Marley (Dec 22, 2014)

Lowered nightime temps (behind genetics) are the most influential in purpling a plant. You're trying to mimic the natural seasonal progression though.
"When a number of warm, sunny autumn days and cool but not freezing nights come one after the other, it's going to be a good year for reds. In the daytime, the leaves can produce lots of sugar, but the cool night temperatures prevent the sugar sap from flowing through the leaf veins and down into the branches and trunk. Anthocyanins to the rescue! Researchers have found out that anthocyanins are produced as a form of protection. They allow the plant to recover nutrients in the leaves before they fall off. This helps make sure that the tree will be ready for the next growing season. Anthocyanins give leaves their bright, brilliant shades of red, purple and crimson" http://dnr.wi.gov/eek/veg/trees/treestruecolor.htm


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## AverageJoe88 (Dec 23, 2014)

Fruitbat said:


> Just get yourself some of Sannie's Killingfields seeds. You'll get your purple and purple trichs. Or buy a can of spray paint.


Wow a purple sativa, never seen that before.


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## Uncle Ben (Dec 26, 2014)

pharmacoping said:


> A green plant wont turn purple unless genetically predisposed to the condition typically. Nitrogen at the end of flowering is a mistake, as it should be in flush by this time. Excess nitrogen is not only unhealthy, but also will be food for mold spores and rot during flower, and dry times.


Depends on what you call excessive. Flushing is newbie bullshit, a myth. I usually fertilize with a slow release 18-4-9 until the end with excellent results.

I wouldn't worry so much as fooling friends into thinking purple is somehow cool as much as I would growing a good plant.


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## johnny781 (Dec 29, 2014)

dudemandigo said:


> all you have to do is lower night time temps and make sure there healthy.. in the northeast where its cold by the end of the season almost every plant turns purp.


True I live in the colder climate all of our home grown bud is purple that's why around here purp doesn't mean anything


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## Fruitbat (Dec 29, 2014)

AverageJoe88 said:


> Wow a purple sativa, never seen that before.


I've grown it a few times. It's great stuff. Truly purple. My current Sannie's favorite is his Sugar Punch.

Above all just pay attention to the basics and plant biology 101.


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## pmgrowers (Jun 1, 2016)

Daub Marley said:


> Lowered nightime temps (behind genetics) are the most influential in purpling a plant. You're trying to mimic the natural seasonal progression though.
> "When a number of warm, sunny autumn days and cool but not freezing nights come one after the other, it's going to be a good year for reds. In the daytime, the leaves can produce lots of sugar, but the cool night temperatures prevent the sugar sap from flowing through the leaf veins and down into the branches and trunk. Anthocyanins to the rescue! Researchers have found out that anthocyanins are produced as a form of protection. They allow the plant to recover nutrients in the leaves before they fall off. This helps make sure that the tree will be ready for the next growing season. Anthocyanins give leaves their bright, brilliant shades of red, purple and crimson" http://dnr.wi.gov/eek/veg/trees/treestruecolor.htm


Any Updates of new experiments on this topic?

This is the best scientific response I have found for "Why Marijuana Plants Turn Purple"...It is definitely a phenotype of the plant, so genetics is at the forefront of this debate. My best advice for getting a purple strain, get a bag of seeds 20+ of something that has a tendency for the purple and grow it with a 20+ degree swing in temperature from day to night. Should yield at least two (on the low), 1 being a female which you can clone. also follow DJ Shorts advice (blueberry creator) and use the light schedule 11/13, on/off respectively, this help express the phenotype of the plant (color).


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## Psyphish (Jun 2, 2016)

If it doesn't turn purple on it's own, helping it turn purple will only make the buds worse.

Here's a happy purp accident, I'm sad about losing the genetics, I flowered the mother three times and she kept getting better every time.

 



Fruitbat said:


> I've grown it a few times. It's great stuff. Truly purple. My current Sannie's favorite is his Sugar Punch.
> 
> Above all just pay attention to the basics and plant biology 101.


Grew a sugar punch, it was wack shit even though it looked and smelled good. I'm probably going to run the rest of the seeds at some point, because the one I grew had to be a bunk pheno.


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## SamsonsRiddle (Jun 2, 2016)

Uncle Ben said:


> Depends on what you call excessive. Flushing is newbie bullshit, a myth. I usually fertilize with a slow release 18-4-9 until the end with excellent results.
> 
> I wouldn't worry so much as fooling friends into thinking purple is somehow cool as much as I would growing a good plant.


There's a few people at the beginning of this thread saying that lowering the temps "excessively" during late flowering is bad for the plant, but from what i've gathered it's just the opposite. Don't most fruits turn out better if they have a larger nighttime swing in temps? I believe i read before where you outlined that lowering nighttime temps during the last few weeks of flowering (15 degree swing) will create a better product. Am i remembering right, because i've been doing that the last week on a couple test plants?


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## Thorhax (Jun 2, 2016)

my purple prized male, black cherry dojo by @bigworm6969 

5th or 6th day of flower 81F temp 62%humidity


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## caveman117 (Jun 2, 2016)

A lot of strains I've noticed will purple on their own if you let them go way past maturity. I'm not sure why exactly probably just the plant dying I guess, but I've left small plants of a lot of different strains/phenos go like 4-5 weeks past maturity and they get purple all through the buds. 
Some strains are more extreme than others


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## trinketswittrichs (Sep 19, 2020)

pharmacoping said:


> all natural expressions, from superior genetics.


 Cereal Milk


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## trinketswittrichs (Sep 19, 2020)

check the colors some quality shots i collected


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