# Purple or dark buds in late flower: likely causes and fixes

> Purple or dark buds in late flower on cannabis is most often Genetic purple colour (anthocyanin). How to tell them apart, the fix for each and what recovery looks like.

Also called: purple buds, dark buds, black buds, buds turning purple.

Run the checker with this sign: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnose/?at=buds&s=purple-buds

## Likely causes, most likely first

### Genetic purple colour (anthocyanin) (Likely)

- Kind: Genetics; urgency: Low urgency
- Fix: Nothing to fix: purple stems, petioles and bracts are mostly genetic and harmless, brought out by cool nights 5-10 °C (9-18 °F) below day. Purple is bag appeal, not potency.
- Recovery: Leaves stay healthy and green apart from the colour; no spotting.
- Confirm: Compare with siblings or the same cut: Put the affected plant beside siblings or clones of the same cut in the same conditions. A trait shared by all of a cultivar (purple stems, foxtailing, pale colour) is genetic; a problem on one plant points to its roots, a virus or its genetics; a problem on every cultivar points to the environment or feed.
- Article: [Purple or red stems and leaves on cannabis: a differential](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnosis/purple-stems-leaves.md)

## Note

Guidance, not a guarantee. The checker weighs common causes against what you tell it; confirm with the tests before you treat, change one thing at a time and watch the new growth.