Do non-green leaves still perform photosynthesis?

This question is not for dead/dying leaves, but for leaves on strains that turn colors, like purple. I have one plant that has had pretty much all purple leaves for over a month now but still no amber trichomes. It is on day ~70-ish since the first pistil so I am curious if I am waiting for nothing since common sense and a little science says that if the leaves aren't green, there's no chlorophyll and if there's no chlorophyll, then photosynthesis isn't happening and if photosynthesis isn't happening....the plant ain't really doing shit. There has been little to no bud growth in a while and water uptake is significantly less than expected.

Not the biggest fan of GWE, but this article seems to indicate that I am right: https://www.growweedeasy.com/force-purple. Thoughts?

how would any other color fruit grow? btw how cold is your night temps or is it genetics

kovidkough said:

how would any other color fruit grow? btw how cold is your night temps or is it genetics

Click to expand...

I don't understand your first question. Night temps are ~65f. I am pretty sure it is genetics because the strain is a GDP cross, but it's a freebie seed from an unknown breeder.

LawnXweeds said:

I don't understand your first question. Night temps are ~65f. I am pretty sure it is genetics because the strain is a GDP cross, but it's a freebie seed from an unknown breeder.

Click to expand...

ok my night temps are the same..and I don't think the purple is really slowing down photosynthesis as much as Nebula writes about because how would grapes or eggplants grow..maybe I'm having a senior moment but I've seen plenty of purple strains achieve greatness

LawnXweeds said:

I don't understand your first question. Night temps are ~65f. I am pretty sure it is genetics because the strain is a GDP cross, but it's a freebie seed from an unknown breeder.

Click to expand...

I would worry about the cold temps slowing down growth. I have a plant now that's growing ass backwards. New growth is as yellow as hell, and then turns green.
The purple will dominate the plant in cold night temps. Buds may purple up more than the usual for the strain.

kovidkough said:

ok my night temps are the same..and I don't think the purple is really slowing down photosynthesis as much as Nebula writes about because how would grapes or eggplants grow..maybe I'm having a senior moment but I've seen plenty of purple strains achieve greatness

Click to expand...

Grape and eggplant leaves don't turn purple though, do they? I agree though, there is plenty of evidence that purple strains do quite well. I just figured that purple didn't present until the last couple weeks which is not the case for me.

LawnXweeds said:

Grape and eggplant leaves don't turn purple though, do they? I agree though, there is plenty of evidence that purple strains do quite well. I just figured that purple didn't present until the last couple weeks which is not the case for me.

Click to expand...

Some grape leaves turn purple however most dont. I grow them in my yard.


With that said I have had some genetic purple plants that always grew great.

If its not green it doesn't mean it can't function.

LawnXweeds said:

Grape and eggplant leaves don't turn purple though, do they? I agree though, there is plenty of evidence that purple strains do quite well. I just figured that purple didn't present until the last couple weeks which is not the case for me.

Click to expand...

the leaves don't(I think) but the fruit does..this is interesting more research is needed but I've never had an issue but the decrease in phosphorous does seem accurate with low temps.

Yeah some plants have accessory pigments that hide the green, just like the green hides the yellow pigment. It still photosynthesizes.

Regardless, just because a plant isn't photosynthesizing doesn't mean it isn't doing anything metabolically. Photosynthesis produces sugars and other chemicals in the plant that then do the actual work of building buds.

Leaves changing color usually mean the plant is nearing the end of it's current stage of life. Sugars and other compounds are moved away from leaves to buds, stems, and roots. This is why tree leaves change colors in fall, all the energy within them is drawn within the rest of the tree for winter storage.

This is just end of life stuff. Cold temps and light cycle trigger this, just like in trees.

why don't pine needles go purple..man that would be cool

Wizzlebiz said:

Some grape leaves turn purple however most dont. I grow them in my yard.
View attachment 4747318

With that said I have had some genetic purple plants that always grew great.

If its not green it doesn't mean it can't function.

Click to expand...

A couple examples of this


Both of these grow purple straight from pop.

kovidkough said:

why don't pine needles go purple..man that would be cool

Click to expand...

Would look cooler than a bunch of brown crap on my flagstone.

Thanks all. I'm being as patient as I can but since I haven't noticed any significant growth and still see clear trichomes, I keep going back and forth in my head wondering if I should just chop it down.

LawnXweeds said:

Thanks all. I'm being as patient as I can but since I haven't noticed any significant growth and still see clear trichomes, I keep going back and forth in my head wondering if I should just chop it down.

Click to expand...

take off a nug and slowly dry it for a for days then smoke it, if it gets you where you want, chop it. but best bet is always wait for the clear trics to go away or it is nothing but a headache

LawnXweeds said:

Thanks all. I'm being as patient as I can but since I haven't noticed any significant growth and still see clear trichomes, I keep going back and forth in my head wondering if I should just chop it down.

Click to expand...

Some strains just take forever to finish. I had a pheno this summer that took 15 weeks in flower to finish.

It will happen but I swear patience is harder than growing.

15 weeks some sativa huh?

kovidkough said:

take off a nug and slowly dry it for a for days then smoke it, if it gets you where you want, chop it. but best bet is always wait for the clear trics to go away or it is nothing but a headache

Click to expand...

yea, I already did that lol. It should be ready today or tomorrow.