Clear trichomes are still developing; cloudy, or milky, trichomes are mature and full of resin; amber trichomes are aging, as the resin inside oxidizes and the heads begin to shrink and fall away. Most growers harvest when the heads are mostly cloudy with some amber; NC State Extension suggests about 20 to 30 percent amber for hemp.
Trichome harvest chart
The trichome harvest chart, stage by stage:
- ClearTranslucent heads, like glass beads.Still developing. Too early.
- CloudyOpaque, milky white heads.Mature and full. Close to ready.
- AmberHeads turning amber to brown.Aging. A share of amber opens the window.
Trichome color chart in detail
This trichome color chart puts each stage in more detail, with what you see and what it means:
| Stage | What you see | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | Glassy, see-through heads | Still filling; weeks to go |
| Cloudy | Opaque, milky white heads | Mature; the harvest window is near |
| Amber | Amber to brown heads, some shrunken | Aging; 20 to 30 percent amber is NC State’s guide for hemp |
Trichome stages over the weeks
Trichome stages change over the weeks of flowering in one direction, from clear toward amber, and the 2023 Simon Fraser University study measured it. Photographing the heads of a strain called Hash Plant from the third to the seventh week of flowering, the researchers watched translucency fall and a red-brown tint rise week by week; the plants in that study flowered for eight weeks. By the end, many heads had leaked resin, stuck together, shrunk or fallen off.
From the archive: Bubbleman on seeing trichomes
From the archive, Bubbleman on seeing trichomes in his own words, from two live Sunday shows. Tap a time to hear that moment.
Season 12, Episode 19, Live from The Reserve, Denver
I was learning trichome and cystolith hair and certain things from university papers on mint and other plants that secrete essential oils in these glandular trichomes. But I felt like if I could spend more time with them closer up, I would learn what they are by even just learning more specifically what they look like. And so I have 45 images that go through a seedling… all the way through to the resin being extracted.
On 45 macro images
Season 12, Episode 20, Live from The Reserve, Denver
Before I knew the term glandular trichome, everyone called them trichromes… And if you search trichromes, like you’ll never find anything, right? Like when I started searching glandular trichomes, I found university papers doing mint extracts.
On finding the right word
Reading trichome percentages
Reading trichome percentages means counting heads, not glancing at a bud. In one image from the study, software sorted the heads into 83 clear, 96 milky and 52 brown, a reminder that every stage is present at once and only the mix changes. Look at several buds, top and bottom, and estimate the share that has turned amber.
What a trichome chart can’t tell you
A trichome chart can’t tell you exact THC levels, and it won’t fit every strain. Color is a guide: NC State Extension pairs it with weekly lab tests, and a 2025 study found that while most strains peaked late, some peaked early. Judge the heads under the same light each time. How to put it all together at harvest is in trichomes ready to harvest.
Trichome chart questions
Trichome chart questions, answered short:
What do the trichome colors mean?
The trichome colors mean clear is still developing, cloudy is mature and full, and amber is aging as the resin oxidizes.
What percentage of amber trichomes should you harvest at?
The percentage of amber trichomes to harvest at is about 20 to 30 percent, NC State Extension’s rule of thumb for hemp, with most of the rest cloudy.
Are milky and cloudy trichomes the same?
Yes, milky and cloudy trichomes are the same stage: heads that have turned an opaque white.
How long does it take trichomes to turn amber?
How long it takes trichomes to turn amber depends on the strain; in the 2023 study, browning climbed steadily from the third to the seventh week of flowering.
Why do trichome heads fall off?
Trichome heads fall off as they over-ripen, after leaking resin and shrinking, and rough handling or trimming knocks them loose too.
Sources for this trichome chart
Sources for this trichome chart:
- Glandular trichome development, morphology, and maturation are influenced by plant age and genotype (Punja, Sutton and Kim, 2023), Journal of Cannabis Research
- Hemp harvest timing and drying (Keith Edmisten), NC State Extension
- Determination of optimal harvest time in Cannabis sativa L. based upon stigma color transition (Tran and others, 2025), Plants
- MPE 65mm macro photography live show, Bubbleman’s World on YouTube
- Hash Church Season 12, Episodes 19 and 20: Bubbleman on seeing trichomes, linked above