Strain guide
Find a strain by how it feels.
Pick the feelings you’re after and we’ll sort the guide by how often people report them. THC ranges are typical lab-reported values, and effects are what consumers commonly describe — not promises and not medical advice.
indicaNorthern LightsAfghani × Thai (reported; the original cross is undocumented) · THC 16–21%- Myrcene
- Beta-Caryophyllene
- Limonene
- Humulene
All 35 strains · showing 24
Sorted by popularity in the guide
indicaNorthern Lights
Afghani × Thai (reported; the original cross is undocumented)
THC16–21%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Limonene
- Sleepy
- Relaxed
- Hungry
hybridWhite Widow
Brazilian sativa landrace × South Indian indica (per Green House Seeds)
THC15–25%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Euphoric
- Uplifted
- Talkative
hybridJack Herer
Haze hybrid × (Northern Lights #5 × Shiva Skunk), per Sensi Seeds and Leafly
THC15–24%Terpinolene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Focused
- Energetic
- Creative
sativaDurban Poison
Pure South African sativa landrace (Dutch Passion's seed version is listed as Durban × unknown indica)
THC15–25%Terpinolene · Myrcene · Ocimene
- Focused
- Energetic
- Uplifted
hybridSour Diesel
Usually listed as Chemdawg 91 × Super Skunk; High Times describes an accidental cross of Chem 91 with an unidentified hermaphrodite plant — disputed
THC19–22%Beta-Caryophyllene · Myrcene · Limonene
- Energetic
- Uplifted
- Talkative
hybridOG Kush
Unconfirmed; usually given as Chemdawg × Hindu Kush, with some accounts adding Lemon Thai
THC18–25%Myrcene · Limonene · Beta-Caryophyllene
- Hungry
- Relaxed
- Sleepy
- hybrid
Blue Dream
Blueberry × Haze; the Santa Cruz clone is usually described as DJ Short Blueberry × a Santa Cruz Haze, and some seed versions use Super Silver Haze
THC17–24%Myrcene · Alpha-Pinene · Beta-Caryophyllene
- Creative
- Euphoric
- Happy
hybridGranddaddy Purple
Disputed: most often listed as Purple Urkle × Big Bud; Ken Estes has described it as Mendo Purps × Skunk × Afghani
THC17–23%Myrcene · Alpha-Pinene · Beta-Caryophyllene
- Sleepy
- Relaxed
- Hungry
sativaPurple Haze
Purple Thai × Haze (the most widely circulated version; several genetically different seed lines use the name)
THC16–20%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Limonene
- Creative
- Euphoric
- Talkative
- hybrid
Super Lemon Haze
Lemon Skunk × Super Silver Haze (Green House Seeds)
THC19–26%Terpinolene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Limonene
- Energetic
- Focused
- Uplifted
- hybrid
Amnesia Haze
Southeast Asian and Jamaican sativa landraces × Afghani-Hawaiian, as described for Soma's line; Leafly lists Haze × Afghani — the exact pedigree is unpublished
THC19–24%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Limonene
- Euphoric
- Talkative
- Happy
- hybrid
AK-47
Colombian × Mexican × Thai × Afghani seed stock; Serious Seeds keeps the exact pedigree secret
THC13–21.5%Myrcene · Alpha-Pinene · Beta-Caryophyllene
- Hungry
- Happy
- Talkative
- hybrid
Skunk #1
(Afghani × Colombian Gold) × Acapulco Gold, per the usual account of Sacred Seeds' work
THC15–20%Myrcene · Limonene · Alpha-Pinene
- Hungry
- Happy
- Euphoric
- sativa
Haze
Blend of Colombian, Mexican, Thai and South Indian sativa landraces (per Leafly; the exact recipe is undocumented)
THC14–23%Myrcene · Alpha-Pinene · Beta-Caryophyllene
- Energetic
- Creative
- Uplifted
indicaAfghan Kush
Afghan landrace indica from the Hindu Kush range (selected seed lines rather than a single cross)
THC15–21%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Sleepy
- Hungry
- Relaxed
indicaHindu Kush
Pure indica landrace from the Hindu Kush mountains, maintained as an inbred seed line
THC18–20%Limonene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Sleepy
- Relaxed
- Hungry
- hybrid
Blueberry
(Purple Thai / Highland Thai) × Afghani, per DJ Short's account; Dutch Passion describes Afghani indica with Thai and a small share of Oaxacan sativa
THC16–24%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Sleepy
- Relaxed
- Happy
- hybrid
Trainwreck
Mexican and Thai sativas × Afghani indica (per Leafly and CannaConnection)
THC17–25%Terpinolene · Myrcene · Alpha-Pinene
- Euphoric
- Uplifted
- Creative
- hybrid
Pineapple Express
Trainwreck × Hawaiian (the version credited to G13 Labs)
THC20–25%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Happy
- Energetic
- Talkative
- hybrid
Green Crack
Usually given as Skunk #1 × an Afghani landrace (Leafly lists Skunk #1 × an unknown indica)
THC15–25%Myrcene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Alpha-Pinene
- Energetic
- Focused
- Talkative
hybridBubba Kush
OG Kush × an unknown indica known as "Bubba" (reportedly a Northern Lights–type plant), per the account attributed to Matt "Bubba" Berger
THC15–22%Beta-Caryophyllene · Limonene · Myrcene
- Sleepy
- Relaxed
- Hungry
- hybrid
Chemdawg
Unknown — grown from seeds found in "Dogbud" bought at a 1991 Grateful Dead show; the bud was said to originate near the California–Oregon border
THC18–24%Beta-Caryophyllene · Myrcene · Limonene
- Euphoric
- Relaxed
- Tingly
- hybrid
Headband
OG Kush × Sour Diesel per Leafly and AllBud; the related 707 Headband is also linked to Master Kush — disputed
THC17–24%Beta-Caryophyllene · Limonene · Myrcene
- Euphoric
- Tingly
- Uplifted
- sativa
Maui Wowie
Hawaiian landrace-derived sativa (Leafly lists Hawaiian × an unknown strain)
THC19–20%Myrcene · Alpha-Pinene · Beta-Caryophyllene
- Energetic
- Uplifted
- Happy
Indica, sativa,
hybrid
Indica
Traditionally short, broad-leaved plants. On menus the word usually signals a strain people expect to be relaxing.
Indica strains 5 strainsSativa
Traditionally tall, narrow-leaved plants. On menus the word usually signals a strain people expect to feel energizing.
Sativa strains 27 strainsHybrid
A cross of indica and sativa lineages — which describes most strains sold today.
Hybrid strainsWhat the labels actually tell you
Indica and sativa began as botanical descriptions of plant shape and origin: short, broad-leaved plants versus tall, narrow-leaved ones. On menus they became shorthand for “relaxing” and “energizing”, and most strains sold today are hybrids of both lineages.
The shorthand is rough. Genetic and chemical studies of retail cannabis have found that the label often doesn’t match what’s in the plant. The cannabinoid and terpene profile — and how much you take — says more about how a strain is likely to feel than the word on the jar.
Studies: Sawler et al., “The Genetic Structure of Marijuana and Hemp”, PLOS ONE (2015); Smith et al., “The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States”, PLOS ONE (2022).
Strains by
how they feel
Each effect page lists the strains people report it for, strongest reports first.
The smell
is the point
- Beta-CaryophylleneSmells like: Spicy, peppery and woodyBeta-caryophyllene is the peppery terpene of black pepper and cloves and a dietary cannabinoid that activates the CB2 receptor without causing a high.32 strains
- MyrceneSmells like: Earthy, musky and herbal, with a ripe-fruit edgeMyrcene is the most common terpene in cannabis: earthy and musky, also found in hops and mango. Animal studies suggest sedative effects; human data are scarce.31 strains
- LimoneneSmells like: Bright citrus peel; the rarer (−)-form smells piny and turpentine-likeLimonene gives citrus peel its scent. A 2024 human study found it reduced THC-induced anxiety; most other evidence on its effects is preclinical.30 strains
- Alpha-PineneSmells like: Fresh pine needles and resinAlpha-pinene (with its isomer beta-pinene) gives conifers their pine scent. Preclinical studies report anti-inflammatory and anxiety-reducing effects.27 strains
- HumuleneSmells like: Woody, earthy and herbal — the "hoppy" note in beerHumulene (alpha-humulene) is the woody, hoppy terpene named after hops, an isomer of caryophyllene with anti-inflammatory activity in animal studies.24 strains
- LinaloolSmells like: Floral and lavender-like with a touch of spiceLinalool is the floral terpene of lavender and basil. Mouse studies link its scent to reduced anxiety, but human evidence is still limited.10 strains
Effects are what consumers report, not medical claims. Research on terpenes in people is still early.