Cannabis is a Flower
Did you know?
The universe has blessed us with hundreds of thousands of flower varieties, with an estimate of over 400,000 different flowering plant species.
All plants (flowering or not) are considered part of the Plant Kingdom (or Plantea as it’s known in latin). If a plant is able to produce flowers, it is called an Angiosperm (stay with me, I know we’re getting a little scientific up in here).
Angiosperms are comprised of three basic parts: roots, stems, and leaves. These types of plants are just about everywhere - in our households, gardens, kitchens and workspaces. Common angiosperms include succulents, culinary herbs, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and even cannabis (yes, I said it)!
Now that we’ve established that cannabis is a flowering plant, let’s get into some of the special properties this plant offers.
Cannabis is well known for its medicinal and psychoactive effects, specifically created via the compounds THC and CBD. While there is a myriad of research regarding the benefits of cannabis, we are here to remind people that aside from being a medicinal plant, cannabis is indeed, just a plant.
As florists, we are constantly searching for new and exciting botanicals to add to our arrangements. Sometimes these elements are added for visual effect, but they can also be used for their aroma and structure to build a well-crafted bouquet.
The Scent of Cannabis
At Flowers + Herb, we utilize cannabis fan leaves as accent greens - not just because they are beautiful, but they also have a light, earthy scent which has proven to be relaxing and calming. The leaves themselves offer a wisp of scent compared to the strong odor of the whole cannabis plant. Our fan leaves offer a green, woodsy backbone to complement the floral, sweet notes of our bouquets.
Where do scents come from?
The aromas of cannabis (and all plants) are based on their terpenoid compounds - or more commonly called “terpenes”. Terpenes are what make oranges smell “citrusy” and evergreens smell “piney”.
The Structure of Cannabis
Another reason we utilize cannabis leaves in our arrangements is to create a robust structure while weaving stems together.
If you’ve every tried to create an arrangement, you are probably familiar with the distinct difficulty to get flowers to “stay in place”. Florists utilize a variety of greens to create an interlocking base - this provides structure to the piece and also gives the flowers a luscious green background to contrast the focal flowers.
Greens, please!
Cannabis leaves, when trimmed correctly, offer a large area of coverage and interest to our arrangements. Their leaves can last weeks after being cut, ensuring a long lifespan for your arrangement.
Side Note: The Cannabis Flower
Unfortunately we are unable to provide cannabis flower in our arrangements at this time. Current regulations regarding the sale and packaging of THC products makes it nearly impossible to use these flowers for artistic purposes.
At Flowers + Herb Florals, part of our mission is to help end the stigma around cannabis. We may not be scientists, but it doesn’t take a scientist to recognize that weed is just a flower.
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Citations
8Billion Trees
https://8billiontrees.com/gardening/how-many-types-of-flowers-are-there/
National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7120914/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740396/
CNET
https://www.cnet.com/health/nutrition/what-are-terpenes/
Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/plant/angiosperm/Distribution-and-abundance
BioExplorer
https://www.bioexplorer.net/plants/