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The difference between terpenes, flavonoids, and other aromatic compounds — and which cultivation decisions actually affect each one.
The terminology around what makes cannabis taste the way it does has gotten loose. "Terpenes" has become a catch-all for aromatic compounds in consumer marketing, but the actual biochemistry involves several distinct compound classes — and cultivation decisions affect each one differently.
Terpenes are the primary aromatic compounds — volatile molecules produced in the trichome head. They are highly sensitive to temperature, humidity, and harvest timing. Poor cure practices destroy them.
Flavonoids contribute to color and, to a lesser but measurable extent, to flavor complexity. They are more stable through cure than terpenes and appear to be more influenced by soil biology than by environmental conditions. For growers focused on flavor complexity, this is the argument for living soil that goes beyond the terpene conversation.