When we wash our starting material to begin making rosin, some cultivars produce a significant change in the color of our water. This unique trend is caused by an organic substance known as anthocyanins. These pigments are naturally-occurring and soluble in water. They also fall into the category of flavonoids, although they do not influence how a cultivar tastes.
Outside of cannabis, anthocyanins are found in numerous flowers, vegetables and fruits. They play a key role in determining all of these plants’ various colors by contributing cyan tones, which range from blue to darker shades of navy that are almost black. When it comes to cannabis plants in particular, anthocyanins are responsible for darker buds that feature rich shades of purple.
Since these pigments are water-soluble, they can cause water that’s left behind after washing material to be red or purple. Don’t expect this to happen with all strains though, genetics play an important role in a cultivar’s anthocyanin content. Well-known strains of cannabis that contain large amounts of anthocyanins are Tropicanna Cookies, Purple Punch, and Ice Cream Cake. We hope this information was helpful and informative, much love.