May 22, 2025
What Are Blurple Grow Lights?
Blurple. It’s a funny word and one you often hear when discussing cannabis lighting. In this article, we’ll take a look at what blurple lights are and cover their advantages and disadvantages in cannabis cultivation.
Blurple lights, put simply, are lights that have high levels of red (600-700 nm) and blue (400-500 nm) in their spectrum, and very little else. Most blurple lights include red and blue light in a ratio of 4 to 1 (red to blue) or thereabouts since red photons are more efficient to produce. Because they combine red and blue lights, they give off a purple glow, hence the name “Blurple.”
Blurple lights are a narrower-banded form of lighting than broad spectrum lighting, the type of lighting that we recommend here at JumpLights.
Why Do Growers Use Blurple Lights?
For most cultivators, the main appeal of blurple lights is their cost. They generally have lower up-front costs than full-spectrum LED grow lights, making them a viable option for beginning cultivators and home growers.
For these smaller growers, they can be effective. Blurple lights contain red and blue lights, which are the most photosynthetically active wavelengths. They give you the basic light that plants need to grow, with red supporting flowering and blue supporting the creation of bushier plants.
The Disadvantages of Blurple LED Lights
- Not Broad Spectrum: As mentioned above, Blurples aren’t broad spectrum lights. Blurple lights lack other wavelengths, like green and far red, that can help your plants to prosper.
- Bad Visibility: It’s hard to see in a “blurple” room. The blurple light can strain the eyes of workers, making them a safety issue. It also makes it difficult for cultivators to see the plants – you might miss issues because you can’t see the plants well in the “blurple haze.”
The Advantages of Broad Spectrum Lighting
At JumpLights, we make broad spectrum lights, not blurples. Our research and experience shows that full spectrum lighting is the ideal option for cannabis plants, giving them what they need to grow, flower, and produce terpenes. We have lights with different red and blue spectrums and can help you pick the right one for your needs. To set up time with our team, e-mail [email protected].
