Have you ever wondered exactly what weed strains really are? It’s not a dumb question, and we’re ready to help you learn.
TL:DR
- There are likely thousands of named strains available around the world today, but there are definitely more than 700
- Some top potent strains can provide 30% or more THC by weight
- Finding the right strain could help you relieve pain, sleep better at night, and deal with nausea
- There has been extensive research into the benefits of popular cannabis strains.
Table of Contents
What Is a Weed Strain?
The whole concept of cannabis strains is similar to the varieties available of other common gardening plants. The marijuana plant can come in one of three subspecies, and varieties further arise in each of those categories. Think of it as the varieties of tulips or roses that come in different colors and bloom styles while still sharing many other characteristics. Much like roses, these cannabis strains are bred with specific effects, colors, scents, and flavors in mind.
You’ll see most strains listed as either sativa dominant, Indica dominant, or a balanced hybrid. Don’t worry — you’ll learn what that means soon. Aside from that information, you’ll want to check the average THC percentage and any specific characteristics listed about the effects to know what to expect. First, let’s check out some of our most popular cannabis strains.
Popular Weed Strains
The Flavor Fix community rated these weed strains as the best.
Rare and potent, the indica-dominant Ice Cream Cake strain delivers a sweet, creamy, delightful taste and a beautiful high to match. Showcasing the …
The Blue Dream Strain is legendary. One of the most beloved sativas out there, Blue Dream delivers a freight train of euphoric joy that’s well balanced …
Gelato 33 strain, aka the Larry Bird strain, is a sweet phenotype of the original famed Gelato from the Bay Area of California. …
Named after some nostalgic berries from the popular cartoon South Park, Member Berry is not just another strain with a pop culture name. It’s a …
Sour Diesel Cannabis Strain The Sour Diesel Strain also known as Sour Deez, East Coast Sour Diesel, and Sour D, is a longtime favorite of …
Just because the Wedding Cake strain is an indica-heavy hybrid strain, doesn’t mean it’ll keep you from enjoying the party, dancing, and performing the …
Northern Lights Strain is incredibly famous. It is one of the most famous cannabis cultivars of all time. The Northern Lights strain has pretty much attained …
If its name is enough to get your mouth watering, you’ll definitely want to give the Peanut Butter Breath strain a try, as its effects won’t disappoint. This …
Crossbreeding at its finest, the Runtz weed strain is a perfectly balanced hybrid of 50% indica and 50% sativa. This smooth strain got its name …
Don’t confuse this special phenotype with the classic Runtz strain. While it comes from the same sweet breeder, White Runtz has sparkling frosty trichomes …
The Apple Fritter Strain is delicious and fruity like the taste of Apple Fritter, a perfectly balanced 50% indica and …
The Purple Punch Strain is legit. If you’re looking for an experience that’s sure to knock you out, put the legendary Purple Punch strain on your list of …
Check out Other Cannabis Strains
Glueball Strain — It’ll Leave You Smiling & Stuck to Your Couch
When you need some weed that’ll get you giggling before it sticks you to your couch, reach for the Glueball strain. This hard-hitting, …
How Are Cannabis Strains Grown?
Each of the best strains requires a different set of certain conditions to flourish. Some grow best in dry climates, while others require copious amounts of water. The various subspecies of cannabis grow to different heights, respond best to unique fertilization routines, and can be pruned in varying ways. It’s easy to find strain-specific cultivation information from the seed banks that supply growers around the world. Popular methods for growing today’s top weed strains include:
- Hydroponics and aeroponics: Water or mist delivers the necessary nutrients to the roots without soil.
- Indoor container growing: Include intensive methods like Sea of Green, which calls for distinctive pruning.
- Outdoor growing: Takes advantage of abundant sunlight and rain but requires a long window of growth before harvest.
What Materials Do You Need to Grow a Weed Strain?
No matter which option you consider your perfect strain, there are a few basic pieces of equipment you need for growing marijuana:
- Bags, pots, or other containers for holding the soil-free potting mix.
- Soil-free potting mix that is sterilized and properly fertilized.
- Liquid or granular fertilizer to feed the cannabis plants as they grow.
- Plenty of water, preferably without a lot of minerals, to interfere with fertilizer uptake at the roots.
- Extensive lighting to promote growth and trigger flowering.
- Ventilation and humidity control to prevent mold and pest issues.
Growing outdoors eliminates the need for most of these tools for certain strains, but you’ll still need pruning equipment and fertilizer.
Which Weed Strain Is the Best?
There is no one strain that anyone can declare as best. Each year, there are strains that win awards, but it’s largely a matter of personal choice. You might decide that the energizing effects of a sativa strain like Amnesia Haze make it your favorite one day, and you might need the pain relief that indica plants provide the next. It’s all up to you!
What Are the Three Main Types of Weed?
Aside from the thousands of strains out there, you’ll find weed categorized as one of three main subspecies. Hybrids are a combination of multiple types of weed, not just multiple strains.
1. Cannabis Sativa
Considered energizing and stimulating, Sativa strains tend to grow tall and lanky with thinner fingers to their leaves. Check out all Sativa Strains.
Candy Jack Strain — Scrumptious, Stimulating, & Smile-Inducing
If you’re looking for a strain that can help you have a pleasurable and productive day, keep an eye out for Candy Jack. This award-winning, …
2. Cannabis Indica
Most report relaxing and calming effects from Indica strains. The plants are shorter and have wider fingers on their fan leaves. Check out all Indica Strains.
Ether Strain — Drift Into the Void
When you need some weed that’ll pulverize pain, squash stress, decimate depressive feelings, and get you primed for an excellent night’s sleep, …
3. Cannabis Ruderalis
Ruderalis plants are the shortest of all, and pure varieties tend to produce low-THC flowers. They’re often used in hybrid mixes to add hardiness and to keep plants shorter and easier to manage.
Glueball Strain — It’ll Leave You Smiling & Stuck to Your Couch
When you need some weed that’ll get you giggling before it sticks you to your couch, reach for the Glueball strain. This hard-hitting, …
Which Is Better: Indica, Hybrid or Sativa?
Choosing between your three main options for cannabis types depends largely on the effects you want. Whether you’re indulging for medicinal or recreational purposes, hybrid strains tend to offer the best of both worlds. A strain with a moderate THC level and a hybrid background will provide you with the best first experience as a newcomer to marijuana. If you’re more experienced, you’ll likely find yourself using sativa strains when you need a boost of focus and energy and indica varieties when it’s time to unwind.
How Do They Cross Weed Strains and Create Hybrids?
Creating new strains is the same process as creating a hybrid, but they produce slightly different results. If you combine two sativa strains or two indica strains, you’ll have many of the same effects in the new strain. When a sativa and an indica are combined into one cannabis plant, you get a hybrid.
No matter what kind of strain you’re making, it’s as simple as taking the pollen from a male plant and applying it to the mature flowers on a female plant. All other pollen must be excluded, which is usually easy for indoor growers to manage.
What Is the Strongest Weed?
There are many high-potency cannabis strain options available today. Each bud will vary slightly due to growing conditions and handling, so it’s not always easy to directly compare the THC content of different strains. Some experienced medical cannabis users also say that high THC strains are a good start but that terpene profiles also play a role in how strong the effects feel. Weed strains that top the charts for THC content include:
- Jenny Kush with 30%+ THC
- Alien Mints with 28% to 30% THC
- GMO Cookies with up to 28% THC
- Dulce with up to 30% THC
- Marshmellow OG with 28% THC.
How Many Strains of Weed Are There?
Once you’ve sampled a particular strain or two, you might start wondering just how much variety there is out there. The cannabis industry has been busy since the wave of legalization across the U.S., leading to many new variations on old standbys like Sour Diesel and Pineapple Express. The National Institute of Health estimated there were more than 700 named strains as of 2015, and now that nearly a decade has passed, there may be five to ten times as many.
What Are the Top Five Countries That Produce Marijuana Strains?
1. The Netherlands
Thanks to the long-term legalization of cannabis use and breeding, Dutch companies have long had a monopoly on the genetics of some of the best strains in the world. Only recently have U.S. breeders caught up to their production amounts.
2. The United States
The first U.S. strains largely focused on medicinal properties, but today’s American strains are just as likely to be recreational.
3. Canada
Many seeds come from Canadian breeders who took advantage of the country’s early legalization of medical marijuana. Popular Canadian strains include Mountain Jam and BC Big Bud.
4. South Africa
Even though marijuana only became legal in South Africa in 2018, it has a long history of producing great strains that became popular around the world.
5. Australia
Heading down under may help you discover a great new marijuana strain like Mullumbimby Madness or Australian Blue.
What Are Some of the Top Weed Strain Brands?
Some companies simply produce marijuana from genetics owned by breeders. Other brands develop their own unique genetics, making them weed strain brands. Cookies is a brand that is responsible for many popular weed strains known for their high potency and fun flavors. Sherbinskis is another company that commonly pairs with popular celebrities to create new strains packed with THC and other cannabinoids.
What Can You Make Out of Marijuana Strains?
Depending on the strain of recreational or medicinal cannabis you choose, you have a lot of options for getting creative. Many strains offer a flavor profile that perfectly fits edibles like gummies, brownies, and savory snacks. If you’re experiencing chronic pain, mixing a few different cannabis strains together and making a concentrate like hash or budder could help solve your problems. Or perhaps you’d like to try creating your own tinctures so that you only need a few drops to unwind at the end of the day.
How Are Weed Strains Used?
Aside from homemade edibles or commercially made tinctures, many marijuana strains are smoked, vaporized, or turned into concentrates. It’s common for many high-THC strains to get recommended for issues like chronic fatigue, chronic pain, nausea, insomnia, stress, and lack of appetite. If you need a strain for stomach issues, there’s likely a good indica sativa combination at your local dispensary. Ask for recommendations on indica sativa and hybrid strains based on the combination of effects you need.
What’s the Difference Between THC From the Hemp and Cannabis Plant?
In general, hemp and cannabis are genetically identical. The difference largely comes from the THC content of each plant. Cannabis contains a higher concentration of the compound responsible for the desired psychoactive effects, while hemp is relatively low in THC. Some companies extract the THC from hemp and concentrate it to create more potent effects. For recreational and medicinal purposes alike, it’s best to stick to cannabis.
What Are the Different Effects of Weed Strains?
While the most popular strains were designed to treat one medical condition or another, today’s strains are more general-purpose. You’ll find strains that are targeted to promote relaxation, including relief from cramped or tight muscles. Some varieties help reduce fatigue, while others have sedative effects that send you off to sleep. While marijuana has a reputation for slowing you down, there are even strains with a pronounced mood-lifting and energizing effect. In general, Indica strains tend to offer more relaxation, and sativa strains boost your energy.
What Are the Different Terpene Flavors That Strains Have?
Terpenes are the subject of much cannabinoid research still. Cannabis terpenes are volatile organic compounds that give the buds their distinctive odors and flavors. Each strain of medical marijuana includes a slightly different combination of terpenes like limonene, pinene, and myrcene. Without terpenes, you can’t get berry, skunky, or herbal flavors from the cannabis.
How Do I Pick the Right Strain for Me?
If you’re looking to treat specific medical conditions with cannabis, start with professional medical advice. For those on the recreational track, try picking up one or two strains from a local dispensary to start with. Using a vaporizer for dry herbs can help you get the most out of the flavor and effects while reducing the side effects that can arise from smoking.
What Are the Negative Side Strain Effects?
Speaking of side effects, there are a few potential negative effects that can come from regular medicinal or recreational purposes. Many common strains have the potential to cause:
- Headaches
- Paranoia or anxiety
- Excitability
- Dry mouth
- Hunger
Of course, appetite stimulation might be a positive for you. It’s fairly easy to find at least one strain that causes little to no negative side effects, but you might have to try a few varieties first.
What Are Some Important Research Studies on Strains and the Findings?
There’s no need to read in-depth investigations of cannabis systematics and taxonomy discussions just to brush up on the scientific evidence that cannabis can help with stress relief and reduce pain. Recent studies have shown support for the claims that THC may reduce pain, control inflammation from conditions like arthritis, and treat nausea caused by chemotherapy. Other studies still in progress are exploring its value in treating everything from depression to diabetes.
Summary
You should have a much better idea of what cannabis strains really are (and aren’t). It’s up to you to keep track of your favorite strain names, which makes it easy to find new varieties you might want to try by looking up related genetics. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law, but with almost half of all states legalizing it, you can expect to see many new strains emerging over the next few years thanks to the hard work of plant breeders.
