Cannabis indica is the name for short, broad-leaved cannabis whose ancestors came from Afghanistan and neighbouring parts of Central Asia. Most botanists today treat it as a subspecies of Cannabis sativa, not a separate species. After decades of crossbreeding, the "indica" label on a plant says little about its THC or CBD content.
Key facts
- First named
- 1785, by the French botanist Lamarck, who thought C. indica originated in India
- Botanical status (as of October 2026)
- Usually ranked as a subspecies: Cannabis sativa subsp. indica
- Where "Indica" comes from
- Central Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkestan
- Typical plant
- Broad leaflets, short and compact habit, early maturation
- Traditional chemistry
- Afghan landraces: THC-to-CBD ratio below 7, often with more CBD than South Asian types
- Reliability of the label today
- Low: a 2021 study found "Indica" and "Sativa" samples genetically indistinct
What does indica mean?
"Indica" is Latin for "of India". In 1785, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck described two species: Cannabis sativa, which he thought grew naturally in Persia and was almost naturalised in Europe, and Cannabis indica, which he thought originated in India (McPartland 2018).
The word now has two meanings. In botany, it names a subspecies. In shops and grow guides, "Indica" became a label in the 1980s for short, broad-leaved drug-type plants, as opposed to tall, narrow-leaved "Sativa" plants (McPartland and Small 2020). The two meanings don't line up, which causes much of the confusion around the word.
Where does indica grow naturally?
The plants now sold as "Indica" trace back to landraces from Central Asia, mainly Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkestan. Their wild relatives grow in an arc of Central Asian mountains, including the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Pamir and Tian Shan. Botanists call these wild plants C. sativa subsp. indica var. asperrima. Natural selection in the different climates of Central and South Asia started the split between "Indica" and "Sativa" types, and domestication widened it (McPartland and Small 2020).
The genus as a whole is much older. Fossil pollen points to an origin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and cannabis had reached Europe 1.8 to 1.2 million years ago (McPartland 2018).
What does an indica plant look like?
In the everyday sense, an indica plant has:
- broad leaflets, which are wider in relation to their length than in "Sativa" plants;
- a short, compact, bushy habit with short spaces between the branches;
- dense flower clusters;
- early maturation, so it finishes flowering sooner.
Those traits made "Indica" genes popular with breeders: they raise yields, speed up maturity outdoors at high latitudes and keep plants short enough to grow indoors (McPartland and Small 2020).
Indica vs sativa: what is the difference?
There are two answers, one from botany and one from everyday use, and they conflict.
| "Indica" (everyday) | "Sativa" (everyday) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical plant | Short, compact, broad leaflets, early maturing | Tall, open, narrow leaflets, late maturing |
| Origin of landraces | Central Asia (mainly Afghanistan) | South Asia (mainly India), then Southeast Asia, Africa and the Americas |
| Traditional THC-to-CBD ratio | Below 7 | 7 or more |
| Formal name (McPartland and Small 2020) | C. sativa subsp. indica var. afghanica | C. sativa subsp. indica var. indica |
| Genetics of plants sold today | Genome-wide, samples with the two labels are indistinct (Watts 2021) | |
The formal names surprise many people: botanically, both drug types belong to subspecies indica, and the everyday "Sativa" is variety indica. The botanical Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa refers to European-type plants with more CBD than THC (McPartland 2018).
Does the indica label tell you what is in a plant?
Not reliably. Over the past 50 years, "Indica" and "Sativa" have been crossed so widely that the differences between the hybrids sold today have been largely erased. Strains sold as "Indica" are often defined simply by having more CBD than "Sativa" strains (McPartland and Small 2020). Genetic studies agree:
- Across 81 drug-type and 43 hemp samples, reported indica or sativa ancestry matched the genetics only moderately, and strain names often didn't reflect a meaningful genetic identity (Sawler 2015).
- In more than 100 samples, "Sativa" and "Indica" were genetically indistinct genome-wide. The labels tracked only a few terpenes, which are controlled by terpene synthase genes (Watts 2021).
So the idea that "indica relaxes and sativa energises" can't be read from the label. The THC and CBD content of a plant or product has to be measured; see how hemp is tested for THC. The terpenes behind the labels are explained in what are terpenes?
Is hemp indica or sativa?
Hemp is Cannabis sativa grown for fibre, seed or CBD with very little THC. In the genetic study above, hemp turned out to be closer to indica-type marijuana than to sativa-type strains (Sawler 2015). That is one more sign of how little the everyday labels say. Hemp is defined by its low THC content, not by a plant shape. Read more in what is hemp?
Is cannabis indica harder to grow?
Compact, leafy flower clusters hold moisture. In a three-year study of more than 2,000 samples, mould and yeast counts were higher in genotypes with more leaves in their flowers and with higher temperature and humidity around the flowers. Air circulation from fans and thorough drying to 12 to 14% moisture lowered them (Punja 2023). Growers of dense, broad-leaved plants therefore pay close attention to airflow.
From our production
Our hemp is grown in Central Switzerland. Switzerland's dry weather suits hemp; it grows much better here than in moister regions such as parts of the Mediterranean.
— Robin Roy Krigslund-Hansen, co-founder and CEO
Frequently asked questions
What is cannabis indica?
It is the name for short, broad-leaved cannabis whose ancestors came from Central Asia, mainly Afghanistan. Most botanists rank it as a subspecies of Cannabis sativa, and in shops "Indica" is a label for compact drug-type plants.
Where does indica grow naturally?
Its landraces come from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkestan. Wild relatives grow in the mountains of Central Asia, including the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Pamir and Tian Shan.
What does indica mean?
Indica is Latin for "of India". Lamarck named Cannabis indica in 1785 because he believed it originated in India, although the plants now called "Indica" trace back to Afghanistan.
Is indica a separate species from sativa?
Mostly not. Genetic data support treating them as subspecies of one species, Cannabis sativa, and all cannabis plants can interbreed. Widespread crossbreeding has made the everyday labels almost meaningless.
Does indica have more THC than sativa?
Not as a rule. Traditional Afghan "Indica" landraces had a lower THC-to-CBD ratio than South Asian "Sativa" types, but modern hybrids vary widely. Only a lab test shows a plant's THC and CBD content.
Related guides
This article is general information about cannabis botany. It is not a growing guide or legal advice; growing cannabis is restricted in most countries. Formula Swiss CBD oils are cosmetics for use on the skin. Read our full disclaimer.
Last reviewed:
Sources
- McPartland JM, Small E. A classification of endangered high-THC cannabis (Cannabis sativa subsp. indica) domesticates and their wild relatives. PhytoKeys 2020;144:81–112. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.144.46700
- McPartland JM. Cannabis systematics at the levels of family, genus, and species. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2018;3(1):203–212. doi:10.1089/can.2018.0039
- Sawler J et al. The genetic structure of marijuana and hemp. PLoS One 2015;10(8):e0133292. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0133292
- Watts S et al. Cannabis labelling is associated with genetic variation in terpene synthase genes. Nat Plants 2021;7(10):1330–1334. doi:10.1038/s41477-021-01003-y
- Punja ZK et al. Total yeast and mold levels in high THC-containing cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) inflorescences are influenced by genotype, environment, and pre- and post-harvest handling practices. Front Microbiol 2023;14:1192035. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1192035
