Is Weed a Vegetable or a Fruit? Or Neither? Find Out Now!

Is weed a vegetable, a fruit, or something else entirely? It may seem like a simple question, but the weed plant is deeply intricate. It could have more in common with the two primary food groups that keep our bodies healthy and functional.

Classifying fruits and vegetables isn’t black and white. Understanding the differences and looking at the anatomy of the cannabis plant can help us determine where it fits in.

Weed continues to prove its multi-faceted purposes and make its way into edibles and beverages. How can it become part of a healthy diet, and how do we classify it? Join us as we return to biology class for a fun lesson on fruits, vegetables, and weed.

Fruit vs. vegetable: What’s the main difference?

Is marijuana a fruit or a vegetable? The answer isn’t as clear-cut as classifying a carrot and apple. There are distinct differences, and weed could fall into both categories. There’s also food that bears the characteristics of fruits and vegetables.

The basic distinction is that fruit is seed-bearing, developing as the sweet, edible, fleshy part of a plant’s ripened ovary. They grow on vines, trees, or shrubs and you typically eat them without cooking them.

A vegetable is a broad term describing the savory section of a herbaceous plant. It can be the roots, flowers, stems, or leaves. You usually cook them into a dish instead of eating them raw.

Another category exists that poses the question: is marijuana a herb? 

The term “herb” typically describes non-woody, strong-smelling plants used for medicine or to add flavor to dishes. They also produce seeds, and you can consume them without cooking them.

Most people don’t call weed a fruit or vegetable, instead referring to it as an herb. The debate of how to classify it still perplexes many, so we must explore the plant’s anatomy more closely to reach a conclusion.

Parts of a cannabis plant

Cannabis belongs to the hemp family known as Cannabaceae. It can be dioecious, meaning the male and female plants are separate, or monoecious, containing flowers from both sexes. 

Debating a male vs. female plant depends on what you want to use it for. A single structure can have reproductive organs from both. 

Males are vital for breeding and creating new strains, while humans typically only use females for consumption. They produce flowers, or buds, which we can smoke or cook into various dishes.

We can answer the main question by exploring the weed plant anatomy:

• Roots: Like most plants, cannabis roots are the anchors that help collect and absorb water and nutrients in the soil. They form as tiny taproots during seed germination, then develop into a larger structure once you transplant them.

• Stem: The central section that supports the leaves and their flowers. It also takes nutrients and water from the roots and transports them throughout the plant.

• Leaves: The cannabis plant grows the recognizable, uniquely shaped fan leaves that aid in photosynthesis. They provide energy and also have stomata that contribute to carbon dioxide uptake and transpiration.

• Seeds: Some may say that marijuana is a fruit because it produces seeds. These parts of the plant carry the strain’s genetic information and make new crops with the same characteristics.

• Flowers: The reproductive plant organs that produce colas with cannabis buds in females and pollen sacs in males. White, sparkling trichomes coat the nugs of the female flowers, which we use for consumption because of their various cannabinoids.

These are the primary parts of the cannabis plant. It also has nodes, internodes, phloem, and the xylem. Females have unique structures like the calyx, pistils, and sugar leaves.

How do we use this knowledge of cannabis plant anatomy to classify it? Let’s reframe the debate and determine what it is.

Is marijuana a vegetable or a fruit?

We now understand the definition of the two primary food groups and the cannabis plant anatomy.

So we could conclude that weed is a vegetable because it matches the definition. We use a specific part of the non-woody, herbaceous plant for consumption. You can put marijuana leaves in a salad, smoke the buds they produce, or cook them into a delicious, mood-boosting meal.

A female cannabis plant also produces fruit clusters. This characteristic is identical to strawberries, with a fleshy outer layer that carries the seeds.

Is weed a flower or fruit? We could classify it as a fruit because it has seed-bearing fruit clusters.

There’s also a debate surrounding the difference between hemp and marijuana. The former typically has less than 0.3% THC levels and more worldwide legal recognition. The latter has more cannabinoids that produce euphoric effects and could be medicinally beneficial.

Knowing what a hemp plant looks like can help distinguish it from typical marijuana crops. It usually has taller, thinner leaves, while the ones from marijuana are shorter, broader, and bushier. 

Many consider hemp a vegetable because the leaves are more suitable for consumption without getting high. You can eat them raw for their omega-3 and 6 essential fatty acids. They also contain healthy minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

So, is weed a fruit, or can we call it a vegetable?

It suitably fits both categories, but a more accurate classification is an herb. This group describes plants we can use for culinary, therapeutic, or aromatic purposes. 

The history and use of weed consumption for cooking and medicine make it more appropriate to classify it as an herb.

Weed can be part of a healthy, beneficial diet

Cannabis is an intricate plant with many parts working together. You can use some sections for various purposes, including adding them to a healthy diet. Smoke the crushed buds in a joint or cook it into your favorite dish to boost your day.

Weed is a fruit, vegetable, and herb all in one. It has diverse applications and can provide many benefits when you consume it. 

Homegrown Cannabis Co. is the perfect destination to start your cultivation journey. Browse our store to find top-quality cannabis seeds in various categories to suit your preferences.

FAQs

Are you still curious about weed as a fruit or vegetable? We answer other common questions below to help round up your knowledge.

Is hemp considered a vegetable?

Hemp is part of the same plant species as marijuana but typically has no or very little THC. Many consider it a superfood and vegetable that offers nutritious value and can form part of a healthy diet.

Why is weed called weed?

There are many names for marijuana, but weed has become more common in the 20th and 21st centuries. It became an official term for the cannabis plant in 1929 and has since grown in popularity.