Node

Nodes are visible as slight bulges or joints along the main stem where lateral branches sprout outward. Cannabis growers count nodes from the bottom of the plant upward to track growth progress and determine when to apply training techniques like topping. The first few nodes produce single-pointed leaves, with leaf complexity increasing at higher nodes until the plant expresses its full multi-pointed fan leaf structure. The distance between nodes (internode length) varies by genetics and environment.

Nodes are where cannabis first reveals its sex during the pre-flowering stage. Small, pear-shaped calyxes with pistils (white hairs) at the nodes indicate a female plant. Small round pollen sacs without hairs indicate a male. This pre-flower identification typically becomes possible after four to six weeks of vegetative growth or when the plant has developed five to six nodes. Early sex identification at the nodes allows growers to remove male plants before they can pollinate females, preserving the quality of the female flower crop.