Do Auto Plants Produce Seeds?

Like every other plant autoflowers can produce seeds, but you need a male and a female plant for this to work. Discover how breeders create autoflowering seeds, what stress factors lead to seed production, and the roots of autoflower genetics. Learn about feminised seeds, why cloning autoflowers is impractical, and whether male auto plants exist.

Can auto plants produce seeds?

Yes, in short autoflowers can make seeds. Breeders create autoflowering seeds by pollinating female autoflower plants with male pollen. This process involves having both a female plant and a father plant. When the flowers on the female plant have been pollinated by the male pollen, seeds will begin to grow inside the flowers. The seeds will also inherit the autoflowering trait.

Do autoflowers produce seeds?

If both parent plants are autoflowering plants, then yes. However, the seeds made by any cannabis plant, such as autoflowers, inherit characteristics from both of their parents. Auto seeds are carefully bred by hybridizing a regular cannabis strain with a ruderalis variety, which gives the autoflowering characteristic. If an auto plant is pollinated by a non-autoflowering strain, the produced seeds would not necessarily be autoflowers. The more crossing between autoflowers and non-autoflowers the more the ruderalis 'autoflowering' trait would be bred out of the plant.

What causes a stressed autoflower produce seeds?

Stress in all cannabis plants can cause them make seeds and is actually a survival mechanism. When an auto plant experiences stress, which could be caused by anything such as nutrient imbalances, physical damage or disease, it can cause the plant enter survival mode. In this state, the plant's main goal is to survive and keep its genetics alive after it dies. While stressed a female plant can produce male flowers or become hermaphroditic, allowing it to pollinate itself. This self-pollination results in the creation of seeds, which the plant creates as a way to survive to ensure its genetics continues despite the stress.

Image reference: cannabis plant that has hermied

How do you get an auto plant to produce seeds?

It's not a good idea to stress a plant into self-pollination as this could potentially harm the plant. Breeders use several pollination methods. One popular method is hand pollination, where breeders gather pollen from a male plant and carefully brush it onto the flowers of a female plant. The benefit of this approach is that as a breeder you can select the best female plant and the best male plant and only cross those, creating even better offspring.

Another method is open pollination, where male and female plants are grown together in the same area, allowing natural breeding to occur. A more controlled approach is selective pollination, where breeders separate specific branches of a female plant and apply pollen to those areas only.

Are auto seeds feminised?

No, not all autoflower seeds are feminized. However, to make your growing easier, all the seeds we stock at Auto Seeds are feminized.

Standard autoflower seeds are available and nativesusa.com, will give you both male and female autoflower plants. However, they are not very popular and unless you are a breeder growing regular autoflowers is unnecessary.

Where does auto genetics originate?

Autoflower genetics trace back to a wild cannabis species called Cannabis ruderalis, which is indigenous to Siberia. The extreme weather conditions and short summers where it grows have pushed the plants to adapt by developing the ability to flower automatically, regardless of light cycles. This unique trait allows autoflowers to finish their life cycle fast, making them ideal for regions with brief growing seasons. Breeders such as Auto Seeds have since crossed ruderalis with other cannabis strains to create modern autoflowers that combine automatic flowering with desirable traits like higher yields and potency.

Image reference: wild ruderalis cannabis plant

How many seeds can an individual autoflower plant produce?

An individual autoflower plant can produce over 1,000 cannabis seeds based on the strain and how large the plant is.

Why shouldn't you clone autoflowers?

While technically possible, cloning autoflower plants is just not very practical. Autoflowers only spend 2-4 weeks in the veg stage and if you propagate an autoflower, it requires time to root and start growing. However, before the clone can establish itself, the plant's internal clock will cause it to start flowering. The result is a small, underdeveloped plant with minimal bud production.

So yes, you can propagate autoflowers, but you would only produce enough weed for a few joints.

Can you get male autoflowers?

Yes, you can get male autoflowers. Standard autoflower seeds give you both male and female plants. However, you just don't find regular seeds very often unless you are breeding your own strains.