Anatomy of the plant
Hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa. Its stalks were historically prized for fibre; its seeds for oil and protein; and its flowers for the cannabinoids and terpenes that today’s CBD category is built around. Each part of the plant produces different compounds in different concentrations, which is why the same species can appear on both a nutrition shelf and a cannabinoid shelf.
Trichomes: where cannabinoids live
Under magnification, hemp flowers are covered in tiny stalks capped with resinous globes. These are trichomes — the site where cannabinoids and terpenes are produced. Denser, clearer trichomes are often used as informal quality signals for flower, though they are not a substitute for a laboratory result.