White Widow Auto & Your Endocannabinoid System

When looking for the right strain of cannabis to begin growing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the options available. At Green Nexus, we want you to feel confident when making a choice to find the right strain that will align with your growing skill and wellness needs. To help you, we’ve provided in-depth profiles of each strain to include growing details, terpene and flavonoid profiles, and how they affect your endocannabinoid system. 

White Widow Autoflowering is cultivated by Green House Seeds from the autoflowering Ruderalis strain and White Widow. White Widow has global recognition and popularity and, because its parentage comes from South American and South Indian Short Photoperiod Plant, it is used as a foundational cultivar for a wide array of strains. 

Growing White Widow Auto

White Widow Auto is ideal for beginning growers as it’s hardy, resistant to many common mildews, pests, and other problems, and can grow in a variety of conditions. It will flower at any time of the year as long as the temperature doesn’t dip below 45 degrees. Like most autoflowering plants, this is a short plant with short branches, often only reaching between two and three feet tall. 

However, don’t let its bushy appearance fool you, it’s still a solid producer. Outdoor growers can expect around 80 grams of consumable flowers per plant, while indoor plants yield around 400 grams per square meter. Even better, it’s a quick moving plant, reaching the flowering stage within around seven weeks and ready for harvest a few weeks later.  

About Autoflowering Plants

Most cannabis strains are photoperiod, meaning they will grow through their vegetative phase as long as there is long periods of light exposure (usually 14+ hours), but will not begin to produce flowers until reduced exposure to sunlight. That’s why most cannabis grown outdoors grows quickly in June, July, and August, but doesn’t begin producing flowers until the days are shorter in late September or October. 

Autoflowering plants don’t need these light changes. Instead, they simply go from seedling to vegetative to flowering as long as there is a minimum of 12 hours of light exposure per day. Many indoor growers will provide 18 to 20 hours of light per day for the entirety of its growth cycle. 

How Does White Widow Auto Interact with Your Endocannabinoid System? 

Cannabis is often used for relaxation, recreation, and to relieve symptoms of pain, nausea, and insomnia. It achieves these sensations and responses by the way it interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

Understanding the Endocannabinoid System 

The endocannabinoid system is a highly complex cell-signaling network within the nervous system consisting of enzymes, neurotransmitters, and receptors to create, carry, and receive messages between the body and brain to ensure proper balance (Lu, Mackie; 2016). The ECS is necessary to stimulate responses and regulate functions in the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system (Komorowski, Stepien, 2007), including: 

• Hunger and appetite
• Fatigue and sleep
• Mood and how we process stress, worry, and depression;
• Inflammation, both acute and chronic;
• Pain response, including joint pain and headaches;
• Creating and recalling memory;

For example, when the stomach is necessary, the ECS carries and receives messages to the brain to stimulate hunger. 

There are  three components of the ECS: 

1. Endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters produced by the body to send signals between the nerve cells.
2. Endocannabinoid receptors sit on the surface of cells, binding to endocannabinoids and interpreting the signals to send out responses. CB1 receptors are found in the central nervous system and necessary for increasing appetite, elevating the mood, relieving pain, and assisting with sleep. CB2 receptors are found in the peripheral nervous system and are primarily necessary for immune responses. 
3. Enzymes break down the endocannabinoids once they have transmitted signals. 

Understanding Phytocannabinoids

The active ingredients of both Cannabis L. long photoperiod plant and cannabis L. short photoperiod plant are chemical compounds called phytocannabinoids which have a similar structure to the endocannabinoids produced by the body (Swift, Wong, Arnold, McGregor; 2013). The two most abundant phytocannabinoids in cannabis are: 

• Tetrahydrocannabinol (Potency): This phytocannabinoid produces the psychoactive effect by binding to CB1 receptors in the central nervous system and inducing euphoria, deep relaxing feelings, and stimulating the appetite. While endocannabinoids are produced as the body needs them, Potency is introduced into the body in a more concentrated manner to produce a stronger effect.  
• Cannabidiol (CBD): This phytocannabinoid does not bind to CB1 receptors, nor does it produce a psychoactive effect. However, research shows that it most likely extends the life of endocannabinoids produced by the body to prolong feelings of pain relief, relaxation, and improved sleep  (Laprairie, Bagher, et al. 2015). 

White Widow Auto is a moderately potent strain with 18 percent Potency and low levels of CBD and CBG. 

Terpene Profile of White Widow Auto

Plants get their unique aroma profile due to chemical compounds called terpenes. Interestingly, terpenes are also found to interact with the ECS, often supporting or enhancing the effects of Potency and CBD. While each strain of cannabis may have up to 150 terpenes, the dominant three or four typically make the strongest impact on both the effects as well as the aroma and flavor profile. 

White Widow Auto’s terpene profile is primarily: 

• Pinene is known for its bright, sharp, pine scent and is found in evergreen trees, pine trees, and rosemary. Recent studies show pinene as having analgesic effects to relieve pain as well as anti-inflammatory properties (Salehi, et al. 2019). 
• Carophyllene has a warm, spicy aroma found in cinnamon and black pepper, this terpene supports deep relaxation and minimizes inflammation (Scandiffio, Geddo, Cottone, et al. 2020). 
• Myrcene creates an earthy, herbal aroma, that’s also found in hops, lemoncannabis, and basil that has anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, and pain relieving properties (Surendran, Qassadi, Lilley, 2021). 

Overall, the aroma profile is predominantly a pine aroma but is balanced with the familiar herbal “skunk” and spicy notes to create an interesting fragrance. The flavanoid profile is similar with many users noting the piney, earthy flavors with slight sour notes.

Type of Strain: Short Photoperiod Plant vs Long Photoperiod Plant

Cannabis used for wellness can be divided into two types: cannabis L. short photoperiod plant and cannabis L. long photoperiod plant. Short Photoperiod Plants blend a physical and mental high to allow the user to experience feelings of euphoria, deep physical and mental relaxation, and often sleepiness. Long Photoperiod Plants provide a more cerebral, energizing experience that many users find promotes increased focus, creativity, and motivation as well as euphoric feelings. Combination Between Short and Long Photoperiod Plants often provide a more balanced experience, with the dominant type providing more noticeable effects.  

White Widow Auto is 40 percent short photoperiod plant, 40 percent long photoperiod plant, and 20 percent ruderalis which provides the autoflowering capability. Thus, it’s a very balanced combination between short and long photoperiod plant that allows users to experience the physical and mental relaxation while still having the energy and creativity to go about your day. 

Physical and Psychoactive Effects of White Widow Auto

Looking at the data on White Widow Auto as well as the user experiences, we find that users can expect the following benefits and effects after consuming this strain: 

• Quick onset and a long-lasting experience
• Physical relaxation without “couch-lock” sensation
• Clear, cerebral high
• Increased focus and creativity
• Uplifting and happy effects
• Euphoria balanced by relaxation
• Increased appetite
• Dry mouth

Purchase White Widow Auto Seeds Today

If you feel that White Widow Auto is right for you, purchase your high-quality seeds today! If you have additional questions, reach out to us today by calling [phone]. 

Author

Mo Smyth, BSN, RN Cannabis Nurse Educator

References

Komorowski J, Stepień H. Rola [The role of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of endocrine function and in the control of energy balance in humans]. Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2007;61:99-105. Polish. PMID: 17369778. (originally published in Polish)

Laprairie RB, Bagher AM, Kelly ME, Denovan-Wright EM. Cannabidiol is a negative allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Br J Pharmacol. 2015;172(20):4790-4805. doi:10.1111/bph.13250

Lu HC, Mackie K. An Introduction to the Endogenous Cannabinoid System. Biol Psychiatry. 2016;79(7):516-525. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.07.028

Salehi B, Upadhyay S, Erdogan Orhan I, et al. Therapeutic Potential of α- and β-Pinene: A Miracle Gift of Nature. Biomolecules. 2019;9(11):738. Published 2019 Nov 14. doi:10.3390/biom9110738

 Scandiffio R, Geddo F, Cottone E, et al. Protective Effects of (E)-β-Caryophyllene (BCP) in Chronic Inflammation. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3273. Published 2020 Oct 26. doi:10.3390/nu12113273

Surendran S, Qassadi F, Surendran G, Lilley D, Heinrich M. Myrcene-What Are the Potential Health Benefits of This Flavouring and Aroma Agent?. Front Nutr. 2021;8:699666. Published 2021 Jul 19. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.699666

Swift W, Wong A, Li KM, Arnold JC, McGregor IS (2013) Analysis of Cannabis Seizures in NSW, Australia: Cannabis Potency and Cannabinoid Profile. PLoS ONE 8(7): e70052. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070052