In the United States, marijuana use is now growing. Although teen cannabis usage has declined, Adults are progressively consuming weed regularly, according to a 2018 survey. Forbes estimates that the worldwide hemp market is worth $7.7 billion. By 2021, it is predicted to cross $31.4 billion.
Cannabis is a flexible type of medicine, which is why the market is very competitive. According to numerous reports, cannabis has been shown to have the capacity to adapt to a host of medical problems, including anxiety, chronic pain, and epilepsy. However, like any recreational or medicinal drug patient knows, not all product is created equal. Different marijuana strains have other effects and can therefore be used for various purposes.
The genetic makeup of a cannabis plant and the climate in which it grew decided its final type. A crop with identical genetic structures grown in a different landscape can develop a specific color, form, scent, and resin development by drawing unique features from the plant’s genetic code. Suppose you’re living in a state where the consumption of cannabis is legal, and you’re interested in trying a new strain. In that case, the topics listed below will help you decide.
- Weed Strain: What Is It?
- The 3 Primary Types of Cannabis Strains
- 10 Marijuana Strains You Should Know About
Weed Strain: What Is It?
Browsing about marijuana might have led you to different topics, such as legalization, states where you can freely smoke, and of course, the strains. The words “cultivar,” “selection,” and “variety” are all used interchangeably in the cannabis industry. It has no official botanical significance and is no longer common with horticulturists. The word “strain” in the cannabis universe refers to the flower’s specific variety, such as Granddaddy Purple, Jack Herer, or Acapulco Gold.
Many marijuana users will most likely identify a strain based on various factors such as botanical lineage, structure, chemical profile, and side effects. Throughout the eyes of the cannabis industry, this is the criterion that characterizes a “strain.” The word is a slang term for different varieties of cannabis plants and their derived materials.
“Cultivar” has been the common word in cultivation and botanical communities to describe a cultivated plant variety’s scent, tastes, yields, therapeutic actions, and other distinguishing traits. The word cultivar refers to cultivated varieties grown for agricultural purposes rather than wild varieties, referred to as outcross variants.
The 3 Primary Types of Cannabis Strains
Indica
Indicas are the THC-powered steamrollers of the cannabis world with their sedative bodily peaks: they’ll transform you into sofa putty. Indica has a more soothing and calming effect, making it suitable for relaxing or relieving pain. Its highly soothing properties can also aid in nausea relief and appetite stimulation. Indica is best consumed at nighttime because of its intense calming effects.
The genetics of Cannabis Indica plants come from India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan’s original purebred strains. These plants have developed to the Hindu Kush mountains’ frequently cold, dry, and tumultuous environment. The plant is described as short and stocky, with bushy green grass and chunky leaves that grow wide and long. They grow faster than Sativa and develop more buds per plant.
Sativa
Sativa is best for the high-functioning, steady-employed, family-oriented person who loves puffing on the go. It’s known for giving you an uplifting and cerebral feeling that’s usually electrifying, relaxing. It won’t make your brain feel like a stuck cassette player.
Sativa is known for giving users a “mind high” or an energetic, anxiety-relieving effect. You can feel productive and imaginative instead of calm and dizzy if you use Sativa-dominant strains. Sativa should be used during the day because of its calming influence.
Cannabis sativa thrives in mild, dry climates with long days of sunshine. Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia, and areas of Western Asia are among them. The plant is described as tall and slender with finger-like branches. They can reach heights of more than 12 feet and take longer to develop than most marijuana varieties.
Hybrid
Hybrids, as the name suggests, are a mix between the two. They may be primarily Sativa or Indica, with symptoms to match. Sativa-dominant hybrids, Even hybrids (50/50 split), and Indica-dominant hybrids are the three basic types.
Hybrids are usually cultivated in greenhouses or on plantations. Cultivators prefer hybrids for their distinct results, and they are a cross of two species. They will aid for anything from stress and anxiety management to cancer treatment and radioactive side effects. The parent plants’ mix determines the formation of hybrid plants.
10 Marijuana Strains You Should Know About
AK-47 (Hybrid)
The Sativa-dominant hybrid AK-47 has a clear white coloring. Despite its ominous moniker, the strain has a relatively gentle influence. It can even place you in a state of “sofa lock.” It also contributes to more inventiveness. AK-47 will make you feel uplifted, calm, and euphoric for the most part. Most people love listening to music while using it. Apart from causing dry mouth and eyes, the pressure can also make a person feel paranoid and dizzy. Some consumers have also reported minor headaches.
Many people use the strain’s calming properties to alleviate tension and anxiety. Others use it to relieve their debilitating aches and pains. To cause sleep, insomniacs take 1-3 hits about an hour before bedtime. Further to this pattern, respondents note greater chances of relaxing nights.
This strain helps patients with bipolar disorder, depression, and other mood conditions calm and control their moods. The strain can also be used to boost appetite and relieve nausea and vomiting.
Critical Mass (Indica)
Critical Mass is an Indica-dominant variety identified for its huge buds, which have been found to break off their branches. This plant has a THC range of 19% -22%, which is quite high for a large buds strain. The Kush and Cola flavors work together to produce a strong body-numbing buzz that can make consumers feel drowsy and sleepy.
Most users report that this strain clears their minds and leaves them feeling imaginative and concentrated but still drowsy. Depending on the dosage, the symptoms normally last from 2-2.5 hours. Critical Mass is thought-provoking and almost psychedelic for some users. When eaten in large amounts, this strain, like virtually all strains with high THC content, can cause dry mouth and eyes, as well as paranoia and anxiety.
Because of its sedative properties, this strain is typically used in the evening or at night. It’s also helpful to insomniacs who try to get a decent night’s sleep for the same reason. The body high from Critical Mass Indica will help with the most persistent aches and pains, as well as stress and anxiety. Others use it to treat migraines, anxiety, and anorexia.
Acapulco Gold (Sativa)
The golden color of Acapulco Gold’s green and brownish buds distinguishes it as a Sativa-dominant strain. This aged variant is said to create a strong cerebral high that lifts one’s mood without making one feel too happy. Instead, for a soothing feeling, the cerebral high is combined with a stimulating body high. There have also been cases of moderate paranoia and anxiety. When using the strain, users can experience dry mouth and eyes, as well as headaches.
This burden is used by people suffering from conditions like General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to relieve stress and anxiety. It is used to raise the morale of people who are down. Chronic aches and pains may also be healed by the body heavy. Acapulco Gold is a strain from Acapulco, Mexico, but the strain’s genetics are uncertain.
White Widow (Hybrid)
White Widow is a well-known Sativa-dominant hybrid with energizing properties. It was established as a cross between Brazilian Indica and South Indian Sativa landraces by Green House Seeds in the 1990s. The underground weed industry at the time was dominated by early varieties such as Northern Lights and Haze. Still, White Widow has since entered the ranks of these iconic strains, winning an early High Times Cannabis Cup in 1995 and several awards since then. White Widow is prized for its high trichome count, which makes it ideal for hash processing. This strain has a THC content of 20% on average, with some phenotypes above that figure.
The White Widow’s buds are broad, conical, and tapered. The flowers’ bud shape is more Sativa than Indica, with a loose and fuzzy texture that can be broken up quickly. The leaves are a vivid spring green color with a few visible pistils.
Buds are completely coated in lengthy trichomes when appropriately cultivated, giving the strain its distinctive whitish-gray color. The fragrance of White Widow is stinging and ammonia-like, with traces of earthy pine. When buds are broken open, they emit a more earthy, incense-like smell
Zkittlez (Indica)
Zkittlez, also known as Skittlez or simply Skittles, is an Indica-dominant variant with a fruity scent. This strain is a hybrid between the fruity Indica Grape Ape and the tangy Sativa Grapefruit produced by Dying Breed Seeds in Northern California. Skittles incorporates both parent strains’ mental and physical effects to provide a fast, complex, and nuanced high. The THC content of Zkittlez has been estimated to be between 15% and 23%.
Zkittlez’s head-focused symptoms are subtle because it comes on fast. At first, there could be minor pressure around the eyes and temples. On the other hand, smokers become accustomed to this phenomenon and may understand the strain’s effect on their sensory experience. Bizarre auditory and visual distortions and an odd sense of time passing more slowly are often recorded.
Ambient changes, such as moody music or a visually engaging tv program, will intensify such trippy, dissociating effects. Users might note that their thinking has taken on a freshly clued quality as Zkittlez’s surreal trappings take hold. Working on specific activities, whether they’re difficult or more boring, like cleaning the kitchen, with this kind of mental focus can be a perfect way to get things done.
Granddaddy Purple (Indica)
Granddaddy Purple (also known as Grand Daddy Purps) is a common Indica variety on the west coast and possibly the most well-known ‘purple’ weed variety in the United States. GDP flowers are deep purple and have a snow-like brushing of crystalline powder resin on them. It brings you a strong mind-body high that mixes mental euphoria with physical relief. Pain, fatigue, insomnia, decreased appetite, and muscle spasms are all treated with this herb.
Due to its Hollywood looks and classic Indica effects, it is among the most common Indica strains. Despite its widespread fame, many growers and dispensary workers say that Grand Daddy Purps is nearly identical to Grape Ape.
Strawberry Cough (Sativa)
Strawberry Cough is a Sativa variant with a good flavor profile. Its distinct strawberry taste is the product of marijuana pioneer Kyle Kushman’s hybridization. This fruity and light strain is a pleasant and uplifting smoke experienced in a number of environments. Strawberry Cough is a combination of Strawberry Fields and the classic Haze. This strain’s THC content ranges from 15% to 20% on average. Strawberry Cough was tested by Emerald Cannabis Worx and found to have a record high of 22.98 percent THC in 2018.
The skunky, berry flavors will catch the senses, while the intellectual, uplifting results add a shot of euphoria that will leave you laughing. It is known for its delicious strawberry scent and potential to make even the most experienced customer cough. Strawberry Cough is a perfect way to handle social pressure and keep balanced while you’re under a lot of tension.
OG Kush (Hybrid)
OG Kush is an iconic strain with a reputation that is known far beyond the cannabis culture. Despite its prominence, however, its precise origins are unknown. Some say it’s a hybrid of the common Chemdawg and a hardy Hindu Kush landrace. It’s also conceivable that OG Kush originated as a distinct phenotype of another strain from undocumented bag seed.
OG Kush has nugget-like buds with a thick, Indica-like structure varying from medium to massive. The leaves are yellowish-orange, with hints of purple in some phenotypes; the latter color is caused by anthocyanin pigments being activated by cold temperatures. The bright orange pistils, designed to trap pollen from fertilizing male plants, stand out among the vibrant flowers.
Its manic and joyful results, which counteract tension and anxiety, have been compared to Sativa. Migraines, ADD/ADHD, and stress disorders are among the most prevalent complaints. Stress, discomfort, anxiety, a loss of appetite, and insomnia are all treated with this herb.
Hindu Kush (Indica)
The Hindu Kush is a strong, pure Indica variety that was one of the first outcross strains to popularize marijuana worldwide. It is native to the Hindu Kush mountain range, which forms the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. The Hindu Kush is a comparatively pure variety, making it easier to grow and more potent than the novelty crossbreeds that appear to increase in today’s crowded cannabis market. It’s coveted for its sedative, almost narcotic effects, as well as its resinous flowers. The THC content of Hindu Kush is usually between 15 and 20 percent.
Big, clustered green buds describe the Hindu Kush, which sticks together due to their extremely sticky texture. This strain has a subtle fragrance that is sweet and musky at the same time, with notes of cinnamon, sandalwood, oak, and wet soil. The Hindu Kush has a healing influence that can benefit people suffering from pain, nausea, or fatigue. Pain, insomnia, stress symptoms, anxiety, and a loss of appetite are all handled with this herb.
Sour Diesel (Sativa)
Sour Diesel, also known as Sour D, is a common strain characterized by the fuel-like chemical odor of its flowers. It has a more Sativa euphoric high with a hint of physical Indica relief, making it popular with recreational and medicinal consumers. This is an extremely potent strain, with THC levels ranging from 20% to 25%.
Sour Diesel has medium-sized, rounded buds with yellowish-green leaves. The closely packed leaves contrast with red hairs called pistils, structures that attract pollen from male plants. This swift strain has stimulating, trippy cortical effects that can help with stress, discomfort, and depression, making it a popular alternative among medical patients.
The Bottom Line
The strain you want is determined by the outcome you want to achieve. As stated earlier, marijuana has a wide variety of medicinal applications. Still, certain strains are more suited to some illnesses than others. It’s also wise to look at the strain’s possible side effects.
Many of the more popular strains mentioned above have side effects such as dry mouth, dry eyes, and dizziness. Cannabis can interfere with any drugs you’re taking. For instance, when consuming tobacco, do not run engines. Now that you have ideas on cannabis strains, what do you think you’ll try? Share your thoughts with us!
