If you've spent any time researching hemp products, you've probably come across terms like Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, CBD Isolate, and perhaps one of our favorites, Whole Plant. At Imbue Botanicals, we intentionally use the term Whole Plant along with Full Spectrum because we believe it better reflects the way nature intended hemp to work.
However, we've also noticed some confusion about what "Whole Plant" actually means.
To be clear, Whole Plant and Full Spectrum mean essentially the same thing when describing our hemp extracts. It does not mean that we grind up and use every part of the hemp plant, including the stems and stalks, in our products.
Whole Plant Means Preserving Nature's Complete Profile
When we say Whole Plant, we're referring to an extract that contains the full range of naturally occurring beneficial compounds found in the flowering portions of the hemp plant.
These include:
- CBD (Cannabidiol)
- CBG (Cannabigerol)
- CBN (Cannabinol)
- Naturally occurring terpenes
- Flavonoids
- Other minor cannabinoids that occur naturally in hemp
Rather than isolating a single cannabinoid like CBD, a Whole Plant extract preserves these compounds together in their natural balance. This is why many people also refer to these products as Full Spectrum hemp extracts.
Why We Include the Term "Whole Plant"
The phrase Full Spectrum has become popular throughout the hemp industry, but we feel that also adding Whole Plant better communicates our philosophy.
Our goal isn't simply to deliver CBD. It's to provide an extract that maintains the plant's naturally occurring complexity whenever possible.
Researchers have long discussed what's known as the entourage effect, the idea that cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds may work better together than when isolated.
By using Whole Plant extracts, we strive to preserve what makes hemp unique instead of reducing it to one molecule.
What Whole Plant Does Not Mean
One of the biggest misconceptions is that Whole Plant means every physical part of the hemp plant ends up in the finished product.
That's simply not the case.
The stems and mature stalks of hemp contain virtually no cannabinoids. They are primarily composed of fiber and cellulose, making them valuable for textiles, paper, building materials, and other industrial uses, but not for producing cannabinoid-rich CBD products.
Instead, Full Spectrum/ Whole Plant extracts are produced from the flowers and cannabinoid-rich leaves, the Ariel Parts of the plant, where the plant naturally produces cannabinoids and aromatic terpenes.
Quality Starts with the Right Plant Material
At Imbue Botanicals, quality begins long before extraction.
We carefully select hemp plant material that is naturally rich in beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes. Our extraction process is designed to preserve as much of this natural profile as possible, resulting in an extract that reflects the plant's original composition.
This approach allows us to create products that stay true to the hemp plant while maintaining consistent quality and purity.
Why This Matters to You
Whole Plant /Full Spectrum (and even our Broad Spectrum) extracts retain the broad array of cannabinoids and terpenes that naturally occur together in hemp. Many customers appreciate this more complete botanical profile because it more closely resembles the plant in its natural state.
For us, Whole Plant is about respecting nature's design, preserving the plant's complete botanical profile, and creating hemp products that reflect the quality and integrity our customers deserve.
