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August 9th, 2023
Lots of products available in the hemp marketplace, like hemp flower, vape cartridges, and concentrates, come in a variety of strains to choose from. The strain of the product has a lot to do with how you’re going to feel after taking it. Also, it doesn’t only apply to psychoactive products like delta 8 THC and THC-P – even CBD flower, which’s nonintoxicating and naturally exists in a vast range of strains.
Because cannabis strains are so important, we want to offer a comprehensive guide to choosing the one that is the most likely to satisfy your needs. As you’re about to find out, the world of cannabis strains is more complex and fascinating than you may have given it credit for in the past. And, once you learn to appreciate how vastly different they can be from one another, you’ll be much better at reaching your goals through the cannabis plant.
The cannabis strain is the cultivar, or breed, of the cannabis plant. Some have estimated that there are about 700-800 individual strains out there, while others have estimated that they exist in the thousands. And, all the meanwhile, new strains are being developed by cannabis genetics experts every year.
Cannabis is grown all over the world, and regional factors influence its chemical composition. There are two key types of compounds found in the buds of cannabis that influence the strain according to how they’re configured in any given breed:
Overall, each strain is going to have its own configuration of cannabinoids and terpenes, like we said earlier. For instance, some marijuana strains yield higher amounts of THC, the key psychoactive cannabinoid, than others, which means that some strains can ultimately get you much higher than others. Similarly, each strain will have its own arrangement of terpenes, which significantly impacts the types of effects that strain can provide to you.
We always encourage hemp enthusiasts to take strains seriously. At the end of the day, it can make or break your experience. There’s no such thing as a “bad” strain out there, so that’s not a cause for concern, but many people have found themselves ending up with a strain that gave them the opposite of the effects they were looking for.
To give an example, let’s say that you’re in need of a CBD flower strain for bedtime. What you want is a cultivar that is associated with relaxation, sleep, and a general feeling of ease. Then, what you end up getting is a sativa strain, which gives you a huge boost of physical energy, and stimulates the mind – not exactly the ideal situation for bedtime.
By educating yourself on cannabis strains, you gain the ability to really customize your experience and address your individual needs more effectively than ever. Cannabinoids alone can give you all kinds of desirable properties – like CBD for pain, or delta 8 for sleep – but the bottom line is that the strain of the product can either complement the effects of certain cannabinoids that you’re seeking out, or work against them.
Now you know what strains are, but where do they come from? Well, first, let’s talk about landrace strains – considered the “original” strains, which were discovered, rather than developed using modern breeding methods. Examples include Thai, Afghani, Hindu Kush, and so on, and are named after the regions where they were first found.
But, technology has evolved, and today, breeders exist all over the world who create new strains every week. The lengthy process involved in creating new cannabis strains is a conversation for another day, but generally, it involves breeding a male and female cannabis plant, of two different strain varieties, together, to create a new offspring phenotype, and it allows breeders to develop very distinctive strains in a controlled way, like strains that yield specific THC levels, or strains that carry very specific properties, like pain relief, nausea relief, etc.
Indica strains can be spotted easily, because they’re typically shorter and bushier plants than sativa strains. They also yield higher levels of myrcene than sativa strains, and myrcene is a terpene that is known for its calming properties.
Indica strains are geared toward those looking for the chance to unwind and mellow out. They’re typically associated with a stronger body effect, where the muscles feel at ease. Psychoactive indica products can cause couchlock, which means that the body feels glued to the couch, and this can be deeply relaxing. Overall, indica strains are associated with evening, because they can make a person feel sleepy – an effect that a lot of people are specifically seeking out.
There are literally hundreds of indica strains, and to name them all would be quite a challenging task. So, let’s cover some of the more popular indicas out there, and what they can offer.
Sativa strains are basically the opposite of indica strains – even in their appearance. Sativa plants grow tall and thin, unlike indicas. They have higher levels of terpenes that are typically more minor in indica strains. Overall, sativa strains are more daytime-associated, as they can be more uplifting, stimulating, energizing, focus-enhancing, social, and/or creative.
Again, there are many, many sativa strains out there, so let’s just go over some of the most sought-after ones right now.
Finally, we have hybrid strains, which are strains that have indica and sativa parents. Hybrids can vary in terms of their sativa to indica ratios, as some are a 50/50 even split, and others are more indica-dominant or sativa-dominant. Because of that, the effects associated with a hybrid can be wildly different from one another.
Hybrid strains have basically taken over the market in recent years. As it turns out, a lot of people seek out that middle-ground between the cerebral, mood-boosting effects of a sativa strain, and the more calming, body-easing properties of indicas. At the same time, more and more breeders are responding to the demand by creating more hybrids than ever before.
There are a lot of popular hybrid strains right now, but we’ll try to cover the ones that are clearly the most in-demand.
Now, you have a pretty good idea of how strains work, why they matter, and what different types of strains can offer to your mind and body. So, let’s say you’re shopping for flower, vapes, or dabs, all of which are known for their great variety of strains. How do you begin to choose which one is right for you?
First off, you really need to ask yourself what it is that you want out of cannabis overall. Are you hoping it can give you some relief after a stressful day? Are you looking to feel more creative? More focused? Less physical discomfort?
Identifying your ultimate goals will help lead you toward the type of strain that’s right for you. As you can see, some strains are strongly associated with one effect in particular, like sleep, or socializing. By knowing what you want, you’ll be able to pick out a strain more quickly.
Now, that being said, keep in mind that you may have different goals at different times. For instance, maybe there’s a strain you love to take in the morning, because it gets you motivated, and another strain that you like to save for a lazy day at home, because it makes you feel more chill while you watch your favorite movies.
We encourage you to not only read about a certain strain online, but to also look for reviews from people who have recently tried that strain. This is a great way to get a much more balanced idea of what a strain might feel like. There are lots and lots of strain reviews out there these days, especially now that cannabis legalization is more prevalent than ever.
Any time you buy a cannabis product from a particular company, you’ll be choosing from their variety of strains. Naturally, there’s no store, online or in-person, that carries every single strain that exists. So, acquaint yourself with the particular selection before you, and take the time to really read what each strain is about. This will also help you develop a really strong education when it comes to strains overall, that can be applied to future purchases.
Once you find a strain that you love, don’t be afraid to try new ones. There are, as we’ve already said, so many strains on the market today, and a lot of people like to experiment instead of sticking to the same one all the time. You never know what a new strain can do for you until you try it. You may find that there are 10 different strains out there that all serve a different but completely valuable need in your life.
Another thing that you need to take into account is that at the end of the day, everyone’s brain chemistry is different. That strain that people swear by for feeling energized during midday may make you feel sleepy and unmotivated, because your body just happens to react to the chemical composition of the cultivar in that way. So, when you are experimenting with new strains, just be open to the fact that their descriptions are more of a general guide, and if you don’t get the same effects everyone else swears by, just go look for something else.
By now, we’ve made a pretty good case for choosing the strain of a cannabis product wisely and thoughtfully. Again, there’s no such thing as a “bad” strain, and so we would never recommend avoiding certain ones. But, at the same time, we really want you to explore what’s out there, because you may be missing out on the strain that can fulfill your most specific needs, whether they be related to your mood, physical state, or your ability to focus throughout the day.
Greenlife Remedies is proud to offer a wide variety of cannabis strains! That way, our customers have a better chance of getting their needs met through our products. All of the strains we carry come with third-party lab reports to verify their authenticity, quality, and potency. We invite you to come visit our dispensary in Charlotte, North Carolina, or simply explore our collection of top-shelf hemp products online, in order to find exactly what it is that you need to finally reach your hemp-related goals.
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