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Cannabis ruderalis is a putative species of Cannabis originating in central Asia. It flowers earlier than C. indica or C. sativa, does not grow as tall, and can withstand much harsher climates than either of them. Cannabis ruderalis is purported to go into budding based strictly on age and not on changes in length of daylight. This kind of flowering is also known as auto-flowering.Greg Green. 2005. The Cannabis Breeder’s Bible. Green Candy Press 14.
Cannabis ruderalis has a lower THC content than either C. sativa or C. indica; thus, it has little use as a drug. However, C. indica drug strains are frequently cross-bred with C. ruderalis to produce plants combining a higher THC content with the hardiness and reduced height of ruderalis.
The term 'Ruderalis' was originally used in the former Soviet Union to describe the varieties of hemp that had escaped cultivation and adapted to the surrounding region.
Similar Ruderalis populations can be found in most of the areas where hemp cultivation was once prevalent. The most notable region in North America is the midwest, though populations occur sporadically throughout the United States and Canada. Without the human hand aiding in selection, these plants have lost many of the traits they were originally selected for, and have acclimatized to their locale.
Though they contain little THC, these plants hold large potential for use in breeding, both in hemp and marijuana applications. Early flowering and resistance to locally significant insect and disease pressures are but a few of the important traits present in these feral populations.
Despite years of US government sponsored eradication programs, these wild plants still remain in bountiful abundance.
Marijuana smokers often call this wild cannabis "ditch weed."
References
=See Also=
"Cannabis ruderalis"