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What are terpenes

Terpenes are the chemical compounds in plants that typically give it its smell and taste. Terpenes could range from a plethora of different combinations including sweet fruity, to sour citrus, to piney earthy, to elegant floral and even to cheesy pungent smells and tastes.

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Uses for terpenes

Manufacturers often use terpenes as fragrances for perfumes, lotions and is even added to foods. terpenes are highly used in the cannabis community as it has a array of different effects when consumed with cannabinoids and also has a viscosity that is conducive to vaping waxy cannabinoids.

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Entourage effect

Terpenes create an entourage effect which means that it influences how cannabinoids react with your endo cannabinoid system. One type of terpene mixed with THC could have a significantly different effect then another.

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Terpenes in cannabis

Aside from the looks and the way the plant grows, terpenes are the biggest identifier of stains due the unique combination of terpenes giving it the specific smell, taste and effect. Cannabis strains are often named after these properties. For instance in lemon smelling cannabis stains like lemon Kush contains the terpene limonene which is what gives it its lemon taste as it is actually the same compound found in lemons.

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Terpenes are not unique to cannabis

There are over 1000 terpenes found across all types of plants with about 150 in the cannabis plant. They are typically the unique smell and taste in flowers and fruits which are often shared amongst cannabis stains. There are about 150 of these terpenes found across different cannabis strains.

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Crossbreeding

Cannabis cultivators often cross breed strains to get specific desired combinations of terpenes for unique flavors and effects and new strains are created everyday. The plant has sex by the pollen from pollen sacks of the male plant getting on the hairs on the flowers(buds) of the female plant.

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Image by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova

What are terpenes?

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