This week, our focus is on the Papaya Punch strain, which boasts some of the highest THC content you can find in a strain. Papaya Punch is a slightly Indica-dominant hybrid, with 60/40 indica-dominant genes. Much like Blue Dream, it offers deep physical relief as well as incredibly euphoric and uplifting mental effects. Its also one of our absolute top picks for fruity cannabis strains, thanks to its tropical berry flavours and mouth-watering spicy kick. In our latest review below, we’ve covered all of the ins and outs of the Papaya Punch strain. All of your questions have been answered, including information on its lineage, phenotypes, smell, taste, effects, medical uses, cultivation and where to get it.
Papaya Punch: Background
Papaya Punch is a 60/40 Indica-dominant cross between Papaya and Purple Punch. Both strains are high-yielders and heavy hitters, and Papaya Punch is no exception. The strain is best known for its intoxicatingly sweet tropical fruit flavour and its unique aroma that brings sour and nuttier notes of cheese forward. It’s a fan favourite for its balanced effects that never seem to lead to feeling too stoned or too racy, falling somewhere in the middle and promoting a heavy dose of blissful euphoria and deeply sedative physical effects. Papaya Punch is a great choice during the day for its focusing and energizing properties, though higher doses normally fade way to a dreamily sedative sleep.
Papaya Punch Cultivation
Growing the Papaya Punch strain is rated moderately difficult to do. It can be a bit difficult to find a cut or some seeds for example, but it also produces extremely dense flowers that tend to be more susceptible to pests, disease, and mould like powdery mildew. With that in mind, she enjoys moderate humidity levels throughout her entire grow cycle, though great care should be taken during the flowering phase to ensure the colas aren’t damp from the environment or leaning against anything. The strain also requires a lot of topping, trimming, and training to get the best possible yields.
Papaya Punch Appearance
Papaya Punch plants and flowers are equally gorgeous. The strain grows in a true hybrid fashion, growing both upwards and outwards. Her water leaves are on the wider, broader side and range in shades of dark green to nearly black depending on the environment. The colas grow to pretty enormous sizes and are always heavily frosted. They break away into smaller, flat and heart-shaped nugs that tend to be very heavy and dense. Each one ranges from medium to forest green and are covered in a thick blanket of electric orange pistils, all surrounded by hundreds of THC-laden trichomes that give the buds a frosted appearance.
Papaya Punch Scent, Flavor, and Effects
Papaya Punch is impressive in all categories, though the effects and flavours tend to rein supreme. Regardless, we’ll start with the aroma. As the plant grows, the scent is very natural and herbal with a sour funk behind it. As the flowers dry, these scents become more refined into detectable notes of pungent earthiness and spices. However, it gets a little strange when the flowers are agitated via grinding or cutting, releasing a variety of tropical fruit notes with a distinct cheesy weirdness behind it. The final impression is that of sour tropical berries, cheese, earth, and spice.
The flavour is very similar to the aroma, though those strange cheesy notes are nearly undetectable. On the inhale, the flavour is notably earthy, though mouth-wateringly sweet. The smoke itself is on the thicker side with robust flavours of a pungent earthiness and lots and lots of spice, nearly guaranteed to make you cough. However, the strange first impression fades way to the exhale, leaving behind some intensely sweet and tropical fruit notes of berries, peaches, and tart citrus. The lasting impression is that of tropical berries and a peppery spiciness that contrasts together quite nicely.
The most impressive aspect of the strain is the effects though. It picks you up gently with a powerful mental lift that chases away sour moods and any sort of stress that may have come your way, replacing it with a sense of euphoric bliss. This ultimately soothing and relaxing effect will leave you feeling very creative, upbeat, invigorated and slightly sociable, making it one of the most popular strains for managing social anxiety. After the mental effects take hold, you’ll notice a shift into your body, promoting deep physical relief in all of your limbs. While many people enjoy this sensation, it renders many others heavy, immovable and couch-locked without the associated indicia-angst. With these two potent effects combined with a nice evening smoke sesh, there’s a good chance that you’ll find yourself feeling deeply relaxed to the point of sedation, allowing you to drift off into a deep and long-lasting sleep.
Medical Uses of Papaya Punch
Between all of the above effects and Papaya Punch’s higher-than-average levels of THC (ranging from 20-29%), many medical patients find this strain to be exceptionally powerful in the treatment and management of a variety of symptoms and ailments. On the mental side, Papaya Punch can help you with your creativity and motivation levels, battling the symptoms of hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders as well as social anxiety, chronic stress, depression, and clinical anxiety. On the physical side, Papaya Punch makes a good choice against insomnia, chronic pain, headaches, nausea, lack of appetite, and muscle spasms.
Papaya Punch Strain Review
Papaya Punch is easily one of the latest and greatest strains to hit the DC weed market in the last few weeks. It’s one of the most exciting strains we’ve reviewed so far this week thanks to its middle road potency and balanced effects that make for a happy, exciting, and uplifting smoke session for everyone from novice smokers to cannabis aficionados. With both Papaya and Purple Punch genetics, you really can’t go wrong with this one, especially if fruity weed is your favourite. If we had to give it a star rating, it would have to be a 4.6. While it boasts delicious flavours, unique aromas, and a great mix of effects, it loses points for its lower yields and difficulty in cultivation. We’re not complaining though. Those terps make for a unique experience that will leave you feeling refreshed and euphoric, and we think you’ll love it. With that being said, the next time you see it available on the gift menus at your favourite smoke shops or delivery services, you shouldn’t hesitate to try it.
