The sugar leaves on cannabis plants offer myriad possibilities for growers and processors when you know how to use them to their full advantage. These small leaves can be used to make lucrative SKUs including cannabis concentrates, topicals, edibles, and tinctures.
Sugar leaves that are trimmed from the buds using cryo technology (extremely cold temperatures) are especially valuable because the leaves and trichomes come out intact rather than chewed up. Sub-zero temperatures also open up the cell walls for more efficient extraction. Producing this kind of trim, “whole bodied trim,” is one of the primary advantages of using cryo technology for post-harvest processing.
What Are Sugar Leaves?
Sugar leaves are the small leaves that grow on cannabis buds, between the cannabis flowers. They are called “sugar leaves” because the small white trichomes with which they are covered have the appearance of sugar granules.
The concentrated trichomes on sugar leaves are rich in cannabinoids and terpenes (cannabinoids aren’t an integral part of the leaf tissue itself). And while the sugar leaves have a lower density of trichomes compared to the buds, the amount is still very decent. This makes them valuable for creating concentrates and extracts.
Sugar Leaves and Cannabis Plant Development
Sugar leaves develop on cannabis plants in the second half of the flowering stage. In time, they may curl up, turn brown, and fall off the plant along with the fan leaves. However, they are generally intact at the time of harvest if the buds are cut at peak maturity.
Sugar leaves that have turned yellow may indicate that the plant is near the end of its life and the sugar and fan leaves are about to wilt and fall off.
Sugar leaves that have turned brown may indicate:
- Nutrient burn
- A calcium/magnesium deficiency
- Bud rot
Cannabis-growing experts recommend observing the fan leaves as well as the sugar leaves when diagnosing issues with plant health. Sugar leaves alone aren’t a reliable indicator of problems, and if the fan leaves are okay, it’s probably best to continue with your current growing regime.
Trimming and Drying Sugar Leaves
The sugar leaves are typically trimmed off cannabis buds before sale. This is because:
- Cannabis users find manicured buds more aesthetically appealing.
- Buds that still have the sugar leaves on them will be less potent, gram for gram, because the trichome density is lower on the sugar leaves than it is on the buds.
You can trim sugar leaves off either before or after the drying stage (known as wet trim and dry trim, respectively). The best workflow will depend on your trimming method and equipment and the intended end-use of the leaves:
- Smokables. Sugar leaves that are destined for use in pre-rolls and joints are typically dried and cured together with the buds and then trimmed off. You can air dry your buds and sugar leaves or use a freeze dryer to expedite the process.
- Extraction. Either wet or dry sugar leaves can be used to make extracts and concentrates. If you freeze your plant material immediately after harvest and trim the sugar leaves at sub-zero temps using a bladeless trimmer such as The Original Resinator, you can make valuable live extracts with your cannabis trim, such as live bubble hash and live hash rosin.
Cryo-Trimming and Whole Bodied Trim
We alluded to the idea of “whole bodied trim” earlier on. However, we’ll go into the concept in greater depth here because it has significant implications for processors. Please note that The Original Resinator is uniquely positioned to produce whole bodied trim because of its nylon screens, the cold temperatures achieved with liquid CO2, and the gentle rotation of the chamber.
These are a few of the benefits of the Cryo-Trim® process using The Original Resinator:
- Clean separation. Ice cream temperatures, gentle rotation, and a smooth nylon trimming screen mean that the sugar leaves detach from the buds cleanly. This results in more attractive, better-cropped buds (whether dry or wet) and cleaner trim with minimal chlorophyll leakage.
- Intact trichomes. The Original Resinator separates the sugar leaves from the buds so gently that the trichome heads in the trim remain intact. You can see the intact trichome heads under a microscope. In contrast, bladed trimmers are more likely to slice up both the sugar leaves and the trichome heads. Intact trichome heads can mean better cannabinoid capture and better results with solventless extraction techniques.
- Greater extraction efficiency. The sub-zero temperatures that we use with The Original Resinator open up the sugar leaves’ cellular walls. This promotes extraction efficiency when washing or blasting the trim.
What Can You Do With Sugar Leaves?
The sugar leaves obtained in the trimming process can be used in a variety of ways. If you’re not sure what SKUs you can make with them, make sure to download our Product Pathways chart. Here, we’ll include both marketable cannabis products and preparations for personal use.
Marketable Cannabis Products
Sugar leaves can be used to make concentrates including:
- Dry sift. This is the refined version of kief from which the plant matter has been removed. Dry sift can be sold as-is, added to joints and bowls, dabbed (if it’s very pure), or pressed for rosin.
- Bubble hash. Extraction professionals make the bulk of their bubble hash with flower. However, you can also wash your sugar leaves and get great results if the trichome heads are intact (as they are with whole bodied trim).
- BHO. You can create potent concentrates like butane honey oil by blasting your sugar leaves with light hydrocarbons like butane or propane. As mentioned before, post-Resinator trim is especially porous for more efficient hydrocarbon extraction.
- Rosin. Rosin can be pressed from kief, dry sift, or bubble hash. Rosin made from trim is generally food grade and can be used in edibles.
Other Marketable Products You Can Make from Sugar Leaves
- Edibles. Sugar leaves are ideal for making infused edibles because sugar leaf extracts are typically food grade. You can decarboxylate the leaves and make cannabutter or infused coconut oil for use in baked goods. Once it’s made, store the cannabutter or infused oil in an airtight container in a fridge or cool room. You can also make kief or bubble hash from sugar leaves and then use either of these extracts to make edibles.
- Tinctures. Tinctures are made by steeping the sugar leaves in alcohol in a mason jar for several weeks. The alcohol acts as a solvent to dissolve the active compounds in the trichomes and leaves.
- Topicals. Topicals can be made with various sugar leaf extracts, including infused oil and even rosin pressed from sugar leaves or bubble hash.
Personal Uses for Sugar Leaves
- Sifting. Some people sift trim at home using dry sift screens.
- Edibles for personal use. Use the sugar leaves or sifted trim to make cannabutter or infused oil, which can then be used in baked goods, spread on toast, or taken however you prefer.
Turn Your Sugar Leaves into Revenue
Sugar leaves can be used profitably to make extracts and concentrates—especially if you use The Original Resinator to get whole bodied trim from fresh frozen cannabis and then turn this “live” trim into live bubble hash, live rosin, or live resin. Sugar leaf extracts can be sold as-is or used to create additional product lines with edibles and topicals.
For personal use, you can experiment with home sifting and cannabutter. However, you’ll generally get the best bang for your buck (and the best taste and aroma) by using fresh frozen sugar leaves to make live extracts with post-Resinator whole bodied trim. Contact us to find out how to maximize your revenue from sugar leaves!
