I've had them sprout with 3 before, and I've had ones that sprout with 1.. They all grew out to be fine and healthy plants (the time with the 1 leaf actually ended up being the highest yield at harvest) Why this happens? I havent a clue, but it probably wont make any difference in the long run
That is called a trifoliate. Some plants start with 3, some start with 2. Some start with one or the other and change. Most I have seen start with three leaves and then when they become mature and the branches begin to alternate, they lose the trait. I have one now that did the opposite though. Started with 2, and then as it matured, it just started growing in a spiral with each new branch 120 degrees offset from the previous. I've heard most trifoils are male or hermaphrodite, but in my experience I have only had two that stated tri when they matured, and one was male, one was female. If it stays that way, DO NOT KILL IT. Trifoliates are awesome. Read up on revegetating.
Sort of... they are both male and female. Most cannabis has a bit of this trait in it, but some are full blown hermies and show no matter what you do. Some others only put out a few nuts here and there at some point in flowering. I've only heard rumors about trifoliates going hermie, but I have definitely never experienced it.
It's just a mutant.
This happens quite frequently in nearly all forms of life.
According to Darwin, it is this spontaneous mutation that leads to the evolutionary process. If the mutation is good and helps the life-form to survive better, that mutation has a very good chance to be passed along to the F-spring (offspring/progeny).
If the mutation is not helpful chances are, if it doesn't kill the life-form, that it will not be passed along...recessive genes, anyone?
I had this happen to me 2x's now. Pretty cool. Unfortunately my research told me that these almost always go hermie if they start female. Not sure why, turned out both of mine were male. And because of this hermie trait most just cull them out of the garden. yeah, when I was told this I was bummed, when I read it in an article I almost cried. thought I was onto something special as it looked so cool.
Not trying to burst your bubble, just sharing my experience with a true triple leaf of LUI.
Hi Al,
I got your vissitor message, and yes I can answer most questions you may have about these. I also noticed that you are already subscribed to my 3 + 3=? thread, but just incase you lost the subscription while tidying some time, heres the link to the start http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=53476
Don't worry about the rumours, they were started by a couple of commercial seed sellers who don't want to do the work involved in stabalising the trait. There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that they are mainly males or hermis. You have the same chance of a female as with any other plant, and the same chance of a hermi as a bifoliar plant from the same seed line. If a breeder tells you their tri was a hermi, then watch your bi's from them very carefully lol. If you check my thread, you'll see a tri, and a quad, both female just starting their flower phase, so watch them and make your own mind up.