Cannabis seeds or a whole plant may not be the first thing you think to buy when you go to the dispensary. Yet, beyond smoking dried cannabis flower, the whole cannabis plant can be used for a variety of functions. Getting to know the plant, beyond just the bud, can help you appreciate cannabis in a new way and from a more holistic perspective. Here are some ways you can utilize it.
Make cannabis smoothies
Once your plant is mature and your harvest the bud, don’t forget about the leaves! Consuming the leaves of the cannabis plant won’t get you high, but will nonetheless become a nutritious addition to your diet. Make juice out of the raw leaves or add them to a smoothie. You’ll not only replenish your endocannabinoid system, but you’ll reap the benefits of cannabinoids like THCA and CBDA in their raw form, which have anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antifungal properties.
Make a flower bouquet
Cannabis leaves can be a beautiful garnish to any bouquet of flowers, and so too, can the cannabis buds if you’re looking to gif the bouquet to someone special. Here’s some inspiration:
Make cannabis tea
Use the leaves and/or the stems to make cannabis tea. It’s up for debate whether this will get you high. While THC needs to be heated up to have an effect (otherwise it’s just raw THCA), the resin holding the cannabinoids is only fat soluble, meaning that if you steep it in water (without adding, say butter or coconut oil), it won’t be as bioavailable. That said, it still may help you relax.
Make a topical
Grind up the stems, leaves, or even the bud, and other plant material and mix it to a fatty substance like shea butter or coconut oil. Add other herbs like lavender or peppermint and voila, you’ll be able to use it to soothe aches and pains.
Make a flower crown
Soon to become your favorite DIY smokeable hair piece.
