Sometimes with clones or from seed, you will encounter a cannabis plant with irregular growth. Stress is the primary cause for a one leaf or three leaf weed plant. It usually is the result of a plant that started flowering, stopped and reverted back to vegetative growth. Photoperiod fluctuation will not only stress your plant out, but it will also diminish your harvest potential dramatically. To avoid this situation, indoor growers should employ a good timer. Timers are cheap but are very important for maintaining a stable photoperiod for your plant. If you are an outdoor grower, look for light sources like patio lights or street lamps that might be affecting your grow.
Three Leaf Weed Plant
Like I mentioned above, single blade leaves or a three leaf weed plant is primarily caused by a fluctuation with photoperiod lighting. While rare and unlikely, other factors such as heat stress and bugs can also lead to this phenomenon. However, most cases occur because of plants with photoperiod stress. On the other hand, certain strains are more prone to irregular growth. OG’s and Skunk’s tend to demonstrate this characteristic most often; though I wouldn’t go as far as declaring them a 3 leaf cannabis strain.
We avoid this problem by maintaining a stable photoperiod environment. Sometimes we employ the Gas Lantern Routine when vegging our plants outdoors. This trick works great for almost all strains, but we have experienced the rare exception. Although very rare, some plants are more prone to flowering than others and will flower despite using the Gas Lantern Routine.
If your plant is experiencing any type of irregular growth, do not take clones. Always take clones from healthy, stable mothers! Gardeners looking to clone a plant with one or three fingered leaves should wait for normal vegetative growth to resume before doing so. To increase the odds of your plant resuming regular growth, place in a stable environment. Make sure you plant gets enough light, water and fertilizer. Some gardeners claim that plants that are forced to re-veg never quite get the yield of the original. Probably because one and three leaf plants tend to produce stringy loose buds. If your plant has 3 leafs, looks healthy and is flowering, I would recommend staying on course. At that point, there is really nothing you can do that late into flower.
Conclusion
I hope this short blog helped a little. Lastly, if you have any questions please post them in the comment section. If you are interested in learning even more about growing cannabis, please check out my blog. Here are a few of my most recent posts:
- The Cannabis Growing Season – Southern California
- Is a Grow Tent Necessary
- Trichomes When to Harvest
- Cannabis Water Filter
- Organic Fertilizers for Cannabis
- Cannabis Pot Size Guide
56 Comments on “Three Leaf Weed Plant – Cannabis Growth Problem”
Great thanks that was helpful
My plant withered and lost all it’s leaves,,but now has rejuvenated it’s growth once I fed it with a liquid compost mixture.It has about 14 hours sunlight and is starting to leaf again..
My plant is growing three leaves and five leaves on one plant what’s the problem?
i have a three leaf directly from seed. currently in a 12 12 light cycle outdoors. is this a strain (the bud it came from is lemony taste with a heavy skunk scent)
Would you keep a plant with three leaves…its fairly young…it has new normal growth but some three leaves?
3 point leaves are normal if it is the early growth as long as your new growth is growing 5 points or more its fine
What can I do if I have s e leaf plant that started to flower at a very small stage and stopped and now is growing like crazy but all 3 leaf leafs . How can it be fixed .
Melvmull65@gmail.com
squeeze some lemon juice in each watering
Hi Chris. I Also grew outdoor from seeds off the street. 3 Out of many plants ended up having 3-finger leaves. Also grew far apart from each other. One was suffering from being squashed by 2 big males next to it. On removing these huge males I discovered this little Lady. The other 2 have Never been stressed for any reason at all. I have this feeling that it is more like a hibrid with a strain/relapse. But very interesting… All have the skunkiest smell I’ve ever came across with lots of cristalisation. Can’t wait to taste it though.
So, how did it go??
I have a three leaf..same 12/12hr issue..but its never flowered bud i have hundreds of buds..
I have two plants I started from seeds and just leave them in the window for sunlight during the day hours and the same place for the nite hours .I have not used any lights and have never heard of the three leaf my husband mentioned it to me so my question is how can I fix this issue without hurting my plants. They r growing very good rite now getting big but only three leafs
Hi Tami,
To fix the three leaf issue, your plants probably need more direct sun light to maximize its growth potential. By producing only three leafs, your plants are telling you that something is off the mark. Most indoor cannabis growers use powerful grow lights to achieve and sustain vigorous growth. However, if this is simply not an option for you, the good news is that your plants will still mature and flower in its current condition. The bad news is that the limited light from your window may severely limit your harvest. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, lmk!
I have one plant at 6 weeks and all it is producing is 3 leaves. It is a seed from lambs breath and the plant itself looks awesome. The stalk is sturdy. There has been absolutely no stress on the plant and it is under a full spectrum grow light. 18 and 6 light schedule. It is producing secondary leaf clusters on branches and growing great. Should I waste time and space on this. It is about 6 weeks and is a female.
I have many different strains but I have these two Whit widow auto flowering plants and one of them had five blades and the other has three the one with the three blades also started to bid very early and the one with five blades is just starting to bud. I’ve always used proper light nutrients and I good timer so I don’t understand the problem
I had the white widow auto. Something I learned,” They will bloom in there own terms !!! Not a very tall plant but potent
I’ve got 3 leafers I brought from a cloner not doing that again
I have a one to three leaf plant that looks like its wilting? Just fed it food. Should I be worried? It is a clone from a friend.
Any input would be great. 🙂
i have a three leafer that is budding like crazy. it may be just the breed. It is healthy and I just love the smell. Don’t discount your three leafer as it may turn out just fine. I have heard that some of the autoflower plants are 3 leafers
3 leaf isn’t always a bad thing.
I have a 3 leafer. Sour LSD from seed. It’s growing very fast idk if it’s a male or female yet though, so I take it it’s common for this to happen to plants .
Last of the muskoka thunder flash grew w consistent 3 leaf leaves , stringy buds but lots of them going up the stem I don’t think my seed programworked out tho but the big is crystal ly and plump. Poor light in my outdoor grow need to go logging to improve it the muskoka Bree’s our performed the Durban poison adjacent for quantity
So I had my plant on a 16-8
And just switched it to 12-12 tho once I did that it started growing 3 leaf sets!! Some times 2 and some 1 idk wtf! I’m trying to keep heat, humidity, air flow, water and nutrients to schedule
When you switched to 12 12 the plant didn’t get enough light.. lowering the lights a little after flipping gets the dli in range.
I have plans with 1,2,3 leaf fan leaves. And I’m doing ever right. I got some seeds from a friend. I feel body buzz for the pain from it. And the smell is fruity/grape
I have 4 autos of OG Kush, all 4 have been given the same conditions and one started out early as a 2-3 leafer and has stayed that way, flowering like crazy right now due to no blockage of light from leafs, that one is growing bigger also than others.
Everything looks right on point except leafs, indoor grow also
My plants have one leave growing on them what’s the fix more light ?
My plants all come with 3 leafs grown from the seed. All 4 of them. They get direct sunlight all day. I use rain water to water them. One of them bearly started to bloom at 11 inches. I was just wondering why the 3leafs only?
I have a similar situation. I am growing 1 blueberry widow, 2 g-13 haze and 1 ak-47 all from seed. All four plants germinated about the same time. They are now around 3 weeks and all are growing 3 finger leaves. The plants are in a Cool Works (48 x 48 x 80) grow tent outside in a covered pitch. Heater keeps the temperature between 73F – 78F, a have a humidifier set at 45% and they are under an 18-6 lighting schedule with a 1000 watt grow light. They were transplanted from plastic cup to soil about a 10 days ago and are watered lightly every 4-5 days. They really took off after transplant and the seedlings are no longer stretchy and droopy. Each plant has between 4 and 6 sets of leaves. Are these the fan leaves and is this normal for post transplant stress?
I don’t understand why they are only producing 3 finger leaves. All seeds are autoflowering. I can only think they need more light so should I change the schedule and increase light time and.
/or move the light closer than 24 inches?
I have a bbc that’s also a 3 leave it’s starting to flower and its 1.2m tall a d bushy!!
If your tri-blader looks healthy and is flowering just fine…don’t bother trying to fix Anything! Wait it out and you’ll most likely get some bomb bud
It appears to me as though the plant may be evolving? I am in South Africa, and most of our plants are also 3 leaflets.
I am also in South Africa, in Durban. I am growing Grand Daddy Purple and am on my third grow . I am using seeds from my last harvest and of the 8 plants, 6 have the 3 finger leaves. Some even have 2 and 1 finger leaves. They are the healthiest looking plants I have had.
I’m not sure what it could be but I’m not worried. I also think the seeds are starting to adapt to the climate here. GDP is made for cooler climates. Also GDP has a heritage that has Duckfoot in it and maybe that is showing stronger this time around. First seeds were feminised, maybe seeds from feminised plants have a mutation because of the process to create feminised seeds. So many variables that I doubt it’s light.
I planted same time last year in the same place, this time I have duckfoot leaf formation. Got to be something in the genetics.
I have three tree and wondered if I stumbled on sumthing new to this growing indoor with outside sun. Well we’ll see how it goes, just Brita water…so far..thanks from CO.
Cannabis(possibly stativa) just started growing with my aloe plant.
I have no idea how this happened because I’ve never had nor planted any cannabis seed.
The cannabis seems to be happy and healthy but only has 3 leaves.
In your opinion do you think this cannabis has any chance of producing flower?
X me è perché l’ho fatta germogliare a gennaio, infatti ora è già alta 200 cm e ha iniziato a fiorire. Il seme e di una madre femminizata Big Devil , e tra l’altro ha sofferto anche l’anno scorso la madre comunque come qualità era eccezionale. Grazie a tutti
Very very helpful
Im still not sure why my plant has 3 leaves but it is an OG.
I was freaking out over my 3 leafers, but they are healthy and growing up fast! Thank you soooo much, your input has helped my understanding more!! 420 all the time!!
If half of my plants are starting to bud and the other half aren’t. Outdoors should I just start budding them now. Plenty big enough
I bought some seeds from China, and planted them indoor in april, have had artificial light 12/12 to them, but they seemed to be very weak, long tiny stems (had to help them stand upright), they are now growing better (early july) and have come to 6-7’th pair of blades, but they are all three leafers, all the plants :'( Will they be useless? I have no idea what strain they are, i don’t read chinese 🙁 It’s the first time i tried artificial light, can i have done something wrong? Or is the lathitude to high (type Alaska), with 23 hrs midnight sun right now? Can they have got too much light? Do they need it very dark at night? Or just bad seeds? Anyone else who bought from china with bad results?
Thank You for writing this article it and the comments were very helpful
Thanks Julie, I hope it helps!
My 3 leafer is doing great and budding like crazy. Also smells great.
Very helpful thanks!
Hello my question is my plants are producing three leaf growing in 4×4 under a TSW 2000 quantum board set it 45%, how do I correct the problem of the three leafing do I intensify the light for what any help and information is greatly appreciated.
Hi Archie,
I think more intense light will benefit your plants. 45% seems low. Your plants will take as much light as you can give them. Just make sure your grow room environment is dialed in.
Good luck
bought two clones in April and planted them outdoors one turned into hermorphodite pulled it and the other one bud only two weeks old its gone from five, three to one leaf now it’s been 2 months and 6 more branches it’s still growing one leaf but still have buds. And smells skunky.
Will it ever go back to full blud and more leaves?
Thanks . Made for a good read. Quite informative . Can you recive picture. I have five plants. So what your are saying with single leaf growth I will not get the tight buds. They will be stringy (loose). Thank you again.
I have all blue dream & Bruce banner seed from a Colorado grower. I have 1 plant that is 3 blade. It is half as tall as the rest, and looks like it’s on the verge of flowering. The growth is dense and thick, stalks are hard and strong. I has the female hairs at every node and make the plant look like it is budding, even though we are in the dead of summer. Even with 120° heat, the girls are thriving and competing to be the first to reach the sun. I am letting nature take it’s course. I like things that are different. It’s not necessarily a bad thing guys! I’ll follow up with results. Wish I could post some pics
I meant to say I have 47 plants…one is a 3 blade
I have a huge 3 leaf plant. It is a plant that died a few times due to accidental dry up, but it came back with water. I had pulled it and just placed it into general daylight in the home, then planted it outdoors.
It is now August, the plant is 6 months old, the stalk is about 3/4-1 inch wide and super bushy about 3 feet tall. Lots and lots of buds just started sprouting, I will update you guys in 6 weeks! Fingers crossed for a good yield in spite of the 3 leaves.
I have a regular blueberry kush seed that is at about 6 to 7 weeks all 3 leaves and its flowering. It is also very Healthy. Should I switch it to a 12/12 light dark cycle
I’m growing a Kiwi Banana OG plant from seed indoors under a Phlizon Cree Cob 500 lamp and it’s grown several sets of 3 finger leaves. Its 2 1\2 months old, only 10 inches tall and has been in pre flower stage for about a week now with female pre flowers at all nodes and atop. I don’t know how flowering will go but the plant is already giving off a mild pot aroma sporadically and there are many budding sites developing but the 3 finger leave issue has me a little worried. Some people say that OG and skunk strains have a genetic predisposition for the 3 bladed leave mutation others say it’s caused by light stress. I might have missed the light switch time once or twice when it was a seedling and I put in on the window sill in it’s starter cup but since it transplanted into the 3 gallon pot it’s been on a timer. Other then the stunted 3 blade leaves the plant is very healthy looking so I’m keeping my fingers crossed and I’m expecting the little white hairs any day now….
Patrick,
Thanks for sharing. Please keep us posted on your harvest!
I have a huge 3 leaf plant from birth, the center leaf is nearly a foot long and 2” wide and
Is one of the best plants I have ever had, with nice buds.