Best Quality Hemp Flower

Best Hemp Flower Brands 2020

You can Smoke, vaporize, or eat it. Hemp flower is used in the same way as marijuana.

Just like marijuana, there are a ton of different hemp strains out there, each with their own unique flavor and high profile. It’s fun trying new, interesting strains to see how they taste and how they feel.

In this article, I will describe everything how to buy, about CBD and use of CBD flower.

I will also provide my shortlist of the best CBD rich hemp flower brands that I have tried so far.

Best Hemp Flower Brands for 2020

1. Higher Hemp CBD – Free same-day delivery of best CBD Products & the best supplier.
2. Kat’s Naturals — Best Edible Hemp Flower
3. Blue Ridge Hemp — Quality Products at a Fair Price
4. The Brother’s Apothecary — Best CBD Flower Blends
5. Industrial Hemp Farms — Best Source of Hemp Flower Overall
6. Canna Flower — Runner-Up, Excellent Source of High-Quality Flower

What is the Difference between Hemp and Marijuana?

Hemp and marijuana flowers are very similar - almost indistinguishable with the naked eye - but there is a big difference between the two plants.

Hemp and marijuana plants are of the same species - Cannabis sativa.

Genetically, these two plants are virtually identical - the difference comes down to epigenetics (how these genes are expressed).

Both hemp and marijuana have the ability to make the psychoactive compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - however, only marijuana plants produce THC in significant amounts. This makes the marijuana plants psychoactive, while the hemp plants remain completely non-psychoactive.

Legally, for a cannabis plant to be classified as hemp, it must contain less than 0.3% THC by dried weight. According to the Farm Bill 2018, any Cannabis sativa plant with 0.3% THC or less is absolutely legal to grow, harvest, and own. This is what the majority of CBD products on the market are made from.

If marijuana is used to make CBD oil, it is considered a controlled substance, which is illegal at the federal level and legal only in certain states.

When ordering a hemp flower in place of a CBD product, it is very important to verify that the flower you are ordering is called hemp. If the flower doesn't specifically state hemp in the name, double-check. You could risk breaking local state laws by ordering marijuana flowers if you're not careful.

Comparing the Differences between Hemp and Marijuana

Comparison Metrics	Hemp	Marijuana
THC Concentration	<0.3%	0.4 – 30%
Psychoactivity	Non-Psychoactive	Usually Psychoactive
CBD Concentration	1 – 30%	0.1 – 25%
Legality	Legal in Most Countries and all US States	Illegal in Most Countries and most US States

 

How to Buy Hemp Flower-like a Professional

It is important that you find a good quality hemp flower if you want the experience to be enjoyable. Much like marijuana or tobacco, if you use a low-quality product it just won't taste great and may not give you the level of high you are looking for.

But it can be difficult to buy hemp flowers when there are literally thousands of options available. Which strain should you choose? How do you know if it's worth the price?

You can answer all of these questions yourself by following these 5 simple steps when buying a hemp flower:

Pay Attention to How the Hemp Smells

The smell of the hemp flower is highly dependent on the terpene profile of the herb.

Strains of hemp with a high concentration of terpenes will have a very strong smell, while strains of hemp with low terpenes will have a more subtle aroma. Hemp with no terpenes at all will have a grassy smell - you'll want to avoid these varieties if you can.

The actual scent of the smell may also change - cannabis makes many of the same terpenes responsible for the aromas of lavender, hops, nutmeg, rosemary, citrus, and cinnamon. Different ratios of these terpenes can drastically change its aroma. This is why some hemp smells of citrus, others of chocolate.

Also take note of bad odors - a musty smell is not a quality of hemp terpenes - make sure that if your weed smells sour or moldy, contact customer service representatives immediately for a refund.

The best hemp will have a strong aroma, indicating a rich terpene profile and stronger effects. Hemp that has not been processed or stored properly will generally smell (and taste) like grass and will likely be low potency as well.

The aroma also gives you a clue about the effects of the strain. Heavier, more musky or cinnamon aromas will generally have a heavy high (high body), while lighter aromas like hops or citrus generally indicate more heady effects.

What If I’m Shopping Online?

Of course, it is not possible to smell the product when you buy online, so look for notes on the smell and taste of the variety in the product description. Most suppliers will tell you what to expect from each variety and if you are buying from a reputable source, the description should be fairly accurate.

Look at the Trichomes

Trichomes are small structures protruding from the surface of flowers. They're made from a hardened resin that stores a lot of the terpenes and cannabinoids that make hemp useful in the first place.

When you take a close look at a cannabis flower, you can actually see these terpenes.

The best hemp flower has a lot of trichomes visible on the surface of the leaves. The visible and densely populated trichomes are a good indication that the hemp flower has been handled with care throughout the growing and harvesting process.

The densely packed visible trichomes mean three things, each of which has a strong impact on the quality of the flower:

A) Healthy hemp plants

The only way to get really nice trichomes out of the hemp flower in the first place is to have a combination of good genetics (strain selection) and exceptionally happy hemp plants.

Plants that have been exposed to minimal amounts of pesticides, grown in nutrient-rich soil, and that have not been exposed to insects or disease will produce numerous trichomes rich in terpenes and cannabinoids on the surface of the leaves.

Conversely, if hemp comes from a poor genetic line, has been stressed during the growth stages, or has been exposed to harsh chemical sprays during production, it will have lower trichome concentrations to begin with.

You just can't have a lot of trichomes in the end product if the original hemp plants didn't have them to begin with.

B) Minimum post-harvest treatment

The second cause of low trichome levels is improper handling or storage of hemp plants after harvest.

The treatment of hemp flowers can easily damage the hemp flower. The process involves cutting them off, removing the buds from the tops of the plant, drying them and drying them for several weeks.

Some manufacturers will put the hemp through a separate process to actively remove some of these trichomes. They do this to make other CBD products such as hashes, resins, and various extracts. This gives the farmer two products to sell - but can drastically reduce the quality of the hemp flowers as a result.

Finding hemp flowers that have many trichomes still intact is a good indication that the hemp you are using did not harvest the flower's trichomes.

C) Fresh hemp flower

Once the hemp is harvested, dried and packaged. The clock starts ticking. Over time, the trichomes gradually begin to break down.

If the hemp is stored properly, it will take several months to a year to be noticeable. However, improperly stored hemp will age much faster, and trichomes can start to break down in just a few months.

It's important to look at the harvest date of the hemp you've ordered to make sure it's within the past 6 months or so.

Hemp flowers over 6 months old are still good to use, but this should be reflected in the price.

Read Reviews or Talk to Experts

It's important to remember that not all hemp is the same. Some strains are more sedative, others more euphoric or analgesic. If you are using hemp for a specific application, getting the right strain for the job is important.

A good way to decide this is to talk to experts who have experience with different strains of hemp.

Those looking for a sedative action should opt for the heavier strains such as Elektra from Blue Ridge Hemp or Mendocino Purps from Higher Hemp CBD.

People who use the weed during the day and want to avoid the sedating effects of certain strains should instead look at strains similar to Sour Diesel from Higher Hemp CBD or Hawaiian Haze from Blue Ridge Hemp.

Reviews are another good way to gauge which strains you should be looking for. Our reviews indicate the general effect profile of each strain to help you find more or less sedative strains, offering more or less strong anti-anxiety or analgesic effects, etc.

Consider Moisture Content

In general, hemp that still looks cool and moist will have the best flavor and will be less harsh to smoke.

Unfortunately, it's very common to get completely dried out hemp flowers, even from some of the best suppliers in the business. Drought can be the result of many factors, ranging from lazy hemp growers who haven't taken the time to dry and cure the hemp flower properly, or secondary factors like using containers that are not airtight. This is a common problem with government-regulated packaging for hemp-based products that is notoriously low-quality and not completely airtight.

Either way, you want to avoid buying completely cured hemp if you are looking for the best flower possible.

If you receive dried hemp, there are several ways to fix it. While hemp will lose some of its flavor and potency as it dries out, its rehydration can bring back a lot of flavor and significantly reduce the harshness of its smoking.

We recommend that you rehydrate the dried hemp by throwing a few packets of Bovida into a sealed jar with your hemp. This product will balance the humidity to a perfect 67% over the course of a few hours or days (depending on how dry the hemp is initially).

Check for Seeds

Hemp plants have individual sexes - male flowers produce pollen, while female flowers produce seeds. We only use the female plants for hemp products as this is where all of the cannabinoid-rich hemp resin is produced.

As long as the female plants have been grown completely isolated from the male flowers, they will not produce any seeds.

This is easier said than done, but any high-quality hemp flower will be virtually seedless, while lower-quality flowers could be riddled with seeds.

The seeds are undesirable in a hemp flower because not only do they add weight to the flower (thus increasing the price), but they have nothing to offer in terms of benefits.

Yes, cannabis seeds are valuable, but only in very large quantities, and certainly not because they have been smoked or vaporized. The seeds can ruin the flavor of hemp and can even make users nauseous if they smoke enough of it at once.

If you're looking for inexpensive hemp, you'll probably need to spend a few minutes plucking all the seeds before wrapping the pipe, vaporizing, or rolling your hemp cigarette.

Consider the Other Cannabinoids

CBD is not the only active ingredient in hemp flower. Other important cannabinoids to consider include CBC (cannabichromen), CBG (cannabigerol), and CBN (cannabinol). None of these accessory cannabinoids are psychoactive, and each offers their own benefits.

For example, CBG flower is the best option for stimulating appetite and relieving anxiety. It has become so popular recently that several prominent cannabis breeders are coming out with flowers rich in CBG. Other CBD companies even offer their own selection of CBG products.

Comparison of different qualities of hemp flower

Like any farmed product, there are several grades of hemp flowers that you can find online and in nearby stores.

High-quality hemp flower

• Price range: $ 7 - $ 14 per gram
• High Quality Flower Indicators:
• Pleasant odor
• Rich green, red or purple color
• Plump feeling (not wet, not crispy, but just in between)
• Lots of clear or white trichomes
• Little or no seeds

This quality of hemp is reserved for the most beautiful and tasty flowers. To get to this point, plants need to be grown, harvested, and stored almost perfectly. Growing a premium hemp flower is no easy task and can only be done by expert growers.

To be graded, the hemp must be less than 12 months old, retain around 65% moisture, and have a pungent aroma.

Much like a good bottle of wine or whiskey, a high-end hemp flower simply tastes better and feels better in almost every way. The downside, of course, is that high-end hemp can get expensive.

Medium quality hemp flower

• Price range: $ 4-8 per gram
• Average quality hemp flower indicators:
• Sweet smell
• Healthy green color, but maybe more faded than high quality
• Dry and crispy feeling
• Medium to low concentrations of trichomes on the buds
• Little or no seeds

The vast majority of hemp flowers sold online and at local dispensaries can be considered of average quality.

This category applies to flowers that are in very good condition but are not exactly perfect. There may be a little too many seeds, the buds could be a little too dry, or maybe the genetics of the flower were not optimal, to begin with.

Either way, these flowers are a good option for people who want their hemp to taste great, feel great, but don't cost them an arm and a leg to get it.

Lower-grade hemp flower

• Price range: <$ 4 per gram
• Low-quality hemp flower indicators
• Grassy or hay aroma
• Dull color
• Dry and crisp or moist and leathery
• Little or no visible trichomes on the bud surface
• May or may not contain a lot of seeds

Try to avoid inferior "schwag" hemp if you can. Not only do these strains not have a very pleasant flavor, but they tend to register harmful contaminants from pesticides when tested.

The problem is that there are a lot of farms that prioritize profit over the quality of their hemp plants. They use harsh synthetic fertilizers or growth promoters, spray toxic pesticides at regular intervals, or grow in areas with high heavy metal contamination.

It's not impossible to order hemp flowers for less than $ 4 a gram - but these plants often come from areas like India or China where labor is cheap and the soil is often contaminated. by toxic chemicals or heavy metals.

The low cost can be tempting, but it's definitely best to look for mid-level deals if you're on a budget.

One of the best lower-end suppliers is higher hemp CBD. The deemed inferior quality of this company is not at all bad and costs much less than most of the hemp you will find on the market.

How to use the hemp flower

So now that you've purchased some hemp buds, you're good to go - but how do you actually use them?

Here are the top three ways people use hemp flower in the home.

Roll It Up

This is the most common way to use hemp flowers. It's easy to do and provides almost instant effects. Smoking hemp can also be very pleasant if you use a good quality product.

In order to avoid stating the obvious, smoking is not very good for your health - so it is definitely a major factor to consider when weighing the pros and cons of each mode of consumption.

Smoking raw hemp flowers is exactly the same as smoking marijuana - you will usually get the hemp in the form of small nuggets which you can then chop with a grinder and roll with cigarette paper.

You can also find hemp flowers in the form of pre-rolled cigarettes or in smokable blends that also contain other herbs.

Some people like to combine their hemp flower with tobacco or marijuana - it's all up to you and your individual preferences.

Vape It (Dry Herb Vape)

Vaping is our favorite way to use hemp flower because it works just as well as smoking, but without hurting your lungs.

This form of vaping is different from vaping e-liquids. You cannot use raw hemp flowers in your vape pen unless it is specifically designed to be able to handle dry herbs. You also won't be able to get the thick white plumes of vapor from raw hemp like you do in your vape oil pen.

Vaping hemp flowers is similar to smoking. Cannabinoids are quickly decarboxylated and activated under heat, and the resins containing the active ingredients evaporate into the air and to your lungs.

The only difference with a vape is that it does not heat up to the point of combustion. This is important because combustion is the chemical process responsible for releasing many toxic compounds that make smoking unhealthy.

Instead, vapes keep temperatures within specific ranges of between around 180 and 220 degrees Celsius (350 to 430 F). Keeping the hemp flower in this range allows the resin to evaporate, but will not produce free radicals and toxic byproducts of combustion.

Make your own DIY products

The hemp flower is the starting point for all other cannabis products. You can use different techniques at home to make any CBD product you want.

Common products that people make from raw hemp flowers:

1. Hemp teas
2. Smoke mixes
3. Coconut oil or honey infused with hemp
4. Hemp tinctures and oils

More advanced products you can make from hemp flowers:

1. Hemp resin extracts
2. Hemp hash
3. Hemp distillates
4. CBD isolates (very advanced technique)
5. Essential oils

The world of hemp craft products is very large - you can make hundreds of different types of products.

Final thoughts: buying hemp flowers

The most basic form of CBD is the humble hemp flower. It is the raw product from which all other CBD products are made and by far the oldest method of using the herb.

Hemp flowers are naturally full-spectrum products rich in various cannabinoids, terpenes, and other phytochemicals. They can be smoked, added to a dry herb vaporizer, or even eaten as food.

For those of you who are feeling creative, you can also order bulk hemp flowers to convert into your own CBD concentrates or extracts.

Buying hemp flowers can be overwhelming if you don't know what to look for, but with so many great strain options to choose from, we think you'll soon learn to enjoy the process of finding great new strains to try your next order.

If you're not sure where to start, we recommend checking out one of the companies mentioned below. All of these companies source or grow top-notch hemp nuggets. All the companies on this list have been thoroughly tested and there are no chemicals or added preservatives.