You’ve probably wondered why you’re happy or optimistic when you’re high, yet paranoid, furious, terrified, or insensitive when you’re not. Today, we’ll explain why.
The high feeling associated with marijuana use is based on several factors, the most important of which is the cannabis strains utilized.
Table of Contents
What are cannabis strains?
Cannabis strains are different varieties of cannabis plants.
Indica, Sativa, and hybrids are the three main breeds or types of cannabis. However, research has revealed another rare cannabis strain known as Ruderalis.
The names of these cannabis strains are derived from the plant’s physical and chemical characteristics.
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in cannabis. Two of the most common are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (THC).
THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis. This compound is responsible for the intoxicated high that many people associate with marijuana use.
CBD is a psychotropic cannabinoid that is not intoxicating or euphoric. It won’t get you high because it’s non-intoxicating. However, it is known to aid in reducing pain and inflammation.
The dominance of these two cannabinoids in the cannabis strains determines the strain’s name.
CBD levels are higher in indicas, while THC levels are higher in sativas.
Hybrids are a mix of the two and come in various forms.
Cannabis Indica
These cannabis strains or type is thought to have originated in the Hindu mountains of India, near Afghanistan.
The common name for marijuana, ‘Hindu Kush,’ is derived from this.
Indica plants grow to a maximum height of two meters, have more side branches, and have a denser overgrowth.
The plant has a bushy appearance due to the cold and mountainous climate in which it thrives. Their leaves are darker, rounder, and fuller, and their buds form clumps.
CBD is thought to be higher in Cannabis Indica than THC. This means they have fewer psychoactive effects and promote relaxation and pain relief instead.
While you will get high when using this cannabis strain, it will not be as intense as other strains. The ‘body high,’ derived from Indica plants, is associated with a relaxed and composed feeling, almost like a sedative.
Indica cannabis strains are used for medicinal purposes due to their sedative-like properties. Migraines, seizures, anxiety, nausea, pain or inflammation, seizures, and anxiety have all been linked.
There is a CBD-containing medication used to treat certain types of epilepsy. It is typically consumed or prescribed for use in the evenings or nights by people who have insomnia.
Examples of Indica cannabis strains
Granddaddy Purple
This type of cannabis has a purple hue to it when it blooms. It also smells like grapes and berries. GDP or granddaddy pups are some of the other names for it. It became popular in 2003 and is primarily used for medicinal purposes by people with insomnia.
LA Confidential
This indica-dominant strain gives users a calming and sedating effect. It is also uplifting to the mood, making it an excellent choice for anyone suffering from sadness or anxiety. It has a pine flavor, but it smells strange. Don’t let that get in the way of your success.
9 Pound Hammer
The name is self-explanatory. When you use this, you’ll feel like you’ve been hit with a 9-pound hammer. It’s best not to plan before a hit because it’s nearly impossible to break free from the shackles of sleep when high on this. It is most taken by alcoholics who are suffering from hangovers. Its buds are usually dense and thick. They are primarily green in hue, with hints of purple.
Do si dos
This strain produces a high that is both energetic and smooth. A sleepy flow of tranquil thoughts frequently follows this mood. The effects are felt almost instantly, starting with a burst of energy that fades into a calm and relaxed high with cheerful thoughts. The buds have a popcorn-like shape and are short and thick. The buds are covered in a coat of frosty white structures, and the leaves have touches of purple.
Pink Kush
This indica-dominant strain is well-known for its sedative and body-relaxing properties. It’s also known as a mood enhancer, and it’s commonly used by those who want to calm their racing thoughts and worries. The plant displays shades on its buds and hints of other brilliant colors according to its name. It is often pleasing to the eye. It also has a pungent, penetrating aroma that is robust but not overpowering.
Romulan
This strain of marijuana is similarly indica-dominant and is noted for producing sedating almost narcotic effects. It has a citrus and pine flavor and a hint of earthiness. It’s primarily utilized for medical purposes, like many Indicas, and is generally prescribed to patients suffering from PTSD and paranoia. It features dense and packed buds with plenty of harvestable material. There are shades of green, orange, and copper brown on the buds.
Cannabis Sativa
Cannabis sativa is native to countries with warmer, tropical climates, such as Mexico and parts of Africa. It is the most common type of cannabis and has the most uses.
The plants in these cannabis strains have a slim appearance and grow to be rather tall, with long, thin leaves.
Plants are lighter green and have less thick overgrowth than Indica cannabis strains.
The buds are feathery and lengthier in appearance than the indica variety.
It’s a lighter shade of green than the other varieties. It has long, narrow blades that make up its leaves.
The look is generally sparse and less bushy, allowing unrestricted airflow around and between the plant components. This results in healthy growth with little or no fungal danger.
Unlike indica, Sativa cannabis strains contain higher THC levels and lower CBD levels. As a result, they are more energetic and are frequently eaten by recreational users.
Sativas, unlike Indicas, produce a head high, and consumers typically ingest them in the morning and afternoon because of their stimulating benefits.
People frequently use these cannabis strains to boost their energy, attention, productivity, and alertness.
Sativa cannabis strains treat sadness and weariness because of their mood-lifting properties. The marijuana strain is also recognized for alleviating the symptoms of mood disorders such as ADHD.
Examples of Sativa cannabis strains
Sour Diesel
The pungent odor of this cannabis kind is what gives it its name. It has a pungent stench of gasoline and lemon that lingers even after smoking it. Look into how to hide the fact that you’re high (insert link). It gives people a refreshing and uplifting feeling and is typically drunk before a long day in the morning. It is noted for having juicy green leaves with orange hues, though this is not always the case.
Pineapple Express
Pineapple Express, a 2008 stoner film, inspired this strain of marijuana. It’s also famous for having a distinct pineapple flavor. It’s a popular strain found in both legal and illegal cannabis states. It has both energizing and numbing properties. The plant has dense, packed buds, similar to an indica.
On the other hand, the buds are long and tapered, just like any other Sativa. Green and orange hues are also present. It’s one of the few sativas that can grow in cold or cool weather.
Maui Wowie
This type of cannabis originated in the Hawaiian Islands of Maui before spreading worldwide, as its name suggests. It is thought to have been one of the first strains to offer a higher THC level, dating back to the 1960s. It has a sweet pineapple flavor and is well-known for energizing and uplifting properties. It reaches a maximum height of 78 inches and has unusually thick buds for a Sativa. The buds have a brilliant green color with vibrant orange undertones.
Durban Poison
The origins of this Sativa strain can be traced back to South Africa. Because it grows wild in the South African plains, it is frequently referred to as a bush or belonging to the Ruderalis strain. It is refreshing and uplifting to the mood and utilized for medical purposes. It’s used to treat chronic pain, depression, and an inability to eat.
Lamb’s Bread
This cannabis strain originates in Jamaica, making it one of the oldest types of marijuana in use. It is said to be a favorite of the late Bob Marley. It is now uncommon globally, yet its availability is progressively increasing. Lamb’s Breath, like Sour Diesel, has a pungent odor. It smells skunky and cheesy, almost tobacco-like. It boasts bright green buds that are smooth and delicate. It also has a frosty trichome coating on its leaves. Glaucoma is treated with it as a medicine.
Table 1 Differences between Sativas and Indicas
| Sativas | Indicas |
| Are THC dominant | Are CBD dominant |
| Used mainly for recreation purposes | Used mainly for medicinal purposes |
| Give a head high (active, energized, focused) | Give a body high (calm, relaxed, sleepy) |
| Combats mental and mood disorders (depression, anxiety, ADHD) | Combats body disorders (pain, inflammation, migraines, seizures) |
| Thrive better in tropical climates (Mexico, Africa) | Thrive better in cool mountainous climates |
| Usually consumed in the morning because of their energizing effects. | Usually consumed at night because of their sedative effects. |
| Plants are slim, long, and thin-bladed leaves | Plants are short and have a dense overgrowth |
Hybrid
Since the legalization of marijuana, there has been a lot of research into what the plant is and how to get the most out of it.
According to this research, hybrid cannabis strains are created by crossing two cannabis strains to acquire the best of both.
As a result, in states where marijuana is legal and well-studied, pot from this strain is the most widely available.
Hybrid strains are typically described and labeled according to their overall effect. The tranquil effects of a body high are more likely to come from an indica-dominated hybrid strain.
Weeds included in this strain include White Widow, OG Kush, Skunk1, and Chemdog.
Cannabis ruderalis
Of all the cannabis strains, this one is the least popular. It’s an uncultivated cannabis strain that doesn’t require much attention to germinate or grow.
This variety is commonly referred to as ‘bush’ because it is known to adapt to tougher climates and settings.
Cannabis Ruderalis plants are deficient in stature. They are usually between 30cm to 80cm tall when completely grown, shorter than cannabis indica.
As a result, they’re sometimes called bonsai or dwarf cannabis. They are auto-flowering plants, which means that they bloom based on their age rather than the lighting conditions.
Physical and chemical variations exist between the cannabis strains indicated above. Chemical components, physical appearance, growth habits, and reproductive patterns are only a few distinctions.
The diverse habitats they flourish in are strongly linked to the variances in their botanical and growth patterns.
Because of the tropical climates, they are exposed to, Cannabis sativa is relatively lengthy and has a less dense overgrowth.
Because of its thick overgrowth and small size, indicas love chilly, mountainous settings. It’s also possible that human interaction and technological plant production have a notable impact on the Sativa and indica gene pools.
However, because Cannabis Ruderalis is a wild plant, these elements have no or little effect on it.
Table 2 Chemical composition of some weed types.
| Name of weed | Strain | Average THC content (%) | Minimum THC present (%) | Maximum THC present (%) |
| OG Kush | Indica | 18.5 | 13.4 | 22.2 |
| Train Wreck | Hybrid | 14 | 5.9 | 19.8 |
| Sour Diesel | Sativa | 16.5 | 7.7 | 22 |
| Strawberry Cough | Sativa | 15.3 | 8.7 | 18.1 |
| Harlequin | Sativa | 5 | 2.5 | 12.6 |
| Fire OG | Hybrid | 17.3 | 9.8 | 20.2 |
| Bubba Kush | Indica | 15.5 | 10.2 | 19.4 |
| Blackberry Kush | Indica | 15.9 | 12.5 | 18 |
| Afghan Kush | Indica | 17.6 | 14.7 | 22 |
Growing Tips for the best marijuana
Marijuana isn’t the most complex plant to cultivate. One of its well-known names, weed, comes from the fact that it was once a weed, a plant that thrived on its own and was usually unwanted.
However, some extra care is required for better yields and output. Cannabis hasn’t always been cultivated or cared for during its development. Early users thought of it as a wild herb that they had to go out and harvest after it had self-flowered.
However, since its legalization in several states, it has become a thriving cash crop grown on a large and small scale worldwide.
Tips to help growers achieve higher yields and higher quality products.
Choosing a location.
Do you intend to grow your marijuana indoors or outdoors? It’s essential to keep in mind that the conditions in each area are different.
It is less expensive to grow plants outdoor, and plants are guaranteed enough sunlight or rainwater, depending on the location.
However, because plants are at the mercy of nature, it is difficult to control. Indoors is safer because a cultivator is in charge and can provide demand-driven growth conditions. However, because proper irrigation and lighting systems must be installed, it is costly on a large scale.
Choose the appropriate seeds.
Depending on the demand, any seed can be the right seed. Regardless of the source, the best marijuana seeds aren’t cheap. The cultivation of marijuana is worth billions of dollars. The goal is to find a reliable seed supplier.
Plants’ sex.
Female plants are the ones that generate the buds that are used to make the usable product. Because the male-only pollinates the females, it’s crucial to have more female plants. This means that a single male plant can be used for many females. As a result, having more female plants is critical.
Select good soil.
It’s best if the soil is dark and loamy. Chemical fertilizers are not recommended because they alter the plant’s chemical composition, but they can be used.
Make sure your plants get off to a good start.
The early stages of a cannabis plant’s growth are critical for its survival as a child. When a cannabis plant sprouts, providing the right circumstances will ensure a higher yield. Your plant develops a strong taproot system that adequately accesses water and soil nutrients with good germination.
Control the humidity level.
When growing weed indoors, it’s critical to keep an eye on the humidity. Humidity levels of 40 to 50 percent are recommended, and a hygrometer is used to measure them.
Ensure that there is adequate airflow.
Cannabis, like any other plant, is susceptible to mold and fungus. As a result, it’s critical to maintain proper airflow between plants. Indoors, fans and exhaust systems can be used, but adequate spacing is required outdoors.
Parting remarks on cannabis strains
Many people are familiar with the fundamentals of growing good marijuana. Or, at the very least, they’re all over social media and the internet. However, it’s important to note that Sativas and Indicas grow in different ways because they evolved in very different climates. Sativas come from hot tropical regions like Mexico and parts of Africa, while Indicas come from cold and harsh mountainous parts of Asia. This indicates that their growth patterns are dissimilar. Our next article will discuss the best ways to grow the individual strains.