Short answer
There is no single national number. Federal law still classifies cannabis as a controlled substance, so no home cultivation is legal under federal law. The number that applies to you comes from your state, and it only exists if your state allows home grow at all. Where home cultivation is permitted, states usually publish two figures: a per-person count and a per-household cap. They also split the count between mature flowering plants and immature plants. Most state caps fall between four and twelve plants per household. Several states allow zero.
Why the limit changes by state
Cannabis is regulated at the state level. Recreational legalization, medical-only programs, and full prohibition each produce different cultivation rules. A state with a medical program may allow patients to grow more than a recreational consumer could, and a state that legalized sales may still ban home grow. Local city and county rules can be stricter than the state rule, including a complete ban on outdoor or indoor cultivation.
Common state limits
- Oregon: up to four plants per household for adults 21 and older.
- California: up to six plants per private residence for adults 21 and older.
- Colorado: up to six plants per person, with no more than three mature flowering plants per person and a household cap of twelve.
- Michigan: up to twelve plants per residence for adults 21 and older.
- Washington: no home grow for recreational consumers; cultivation is limited to registered medical patients.
- Nevada: generally no home grow if a licensed retail store sits within 25 miles of the residence.
- Florida, Texas, and several other states: no home cultivation outside narrow research or low-THC medical programs.
These numbers change through legislation and regulatory updates, so treat them as a starting point rather than a final answer.
Medical patients often get a higher count
In many states, a registered patient or caregiver may grow more than a recreational consumer. Some programs add a plant allowance per patient, cap the total per caregiver, or require registration before the first seed goes in the soil. If you hold a medical card, read the patient cultivation section of your state's rules instead of the recreational one.
How to confirm your exact legal limit
- Determine whether your state allows recreational home grow, medical home grow, or neither.
- Find your state cannabis regulatory agency and open the home cultivation section of its rules.
- Record the household cap, not just the per-person number, since the lower figure controls.
- Note how many of the allowed plants may be mature and flowering at one time.
- Check your city and county ordinances for extra bans or permits.
- Confirm whether you must register as a patient or caregiver before planting.
Rules that come attached to the plant count
- Plants must be grown on private property, out of public view.
- Many states require the grow area to be locked or enclosed.
- Gifting small amounts may be allowed, while selling without a license is not.
- Some states limit how much usable cannabis one plant may yield in storage.
- Renters may need landlord permission under lease terms, regardless of state law.
What happens if you exceed the limit
Exceeding the plant cap can move you from a civil violation into criminal territory, and the threshold often depends on how far over the limit you are. Oversized grows may also trigger plant-per-square-foot formulas used to estimate intent to distribute. Before you plant, confirm the count in writing from the state agency that issues the rule.