Know Yuh Strain: Indica and Sativa
Ganja has been cultivated for thousands of years. By now, there are probably thousands of strains. Understanding the different strains, their qualities, and their medicinal characteristics is a pretty detailed subject. A good place to start is with the most basic description of strain: Indica or Sativa.
Ganja breaks out into two major species: Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. Plus, the two have been cross-bred a lot so there are a wide variety of hybrid strains. At dispensaries, flowers are categorized into indica (I), sativa (S), hybrid indica dominant (I/S) and hybrid sativa dominanat (S/I). In general, you can get a pretty good guess as to how ganja will make you feel and its medicinal properties if you know its species.
Sativa: Typically has a head effect.
Tends to stimulate brain activity, energize, enhance mood, increase alertness. It’s considered uplifting, cerebral, spacey and can be hallucinogenic. Best suited for day use. Sativa are tall thin plants with long narrow leaves. Sativa grows better outdoors.
Good for:
- Pain
- Inflammation
- Nauseau
- Depression
Prominent cannabinoid: THC
Common Sativa Varieties:
- Haze (California)
- Malawi Gold (Malawi)
- Neville’s Haze (The Netherlands)
- Trainwreck (California)
Indica: Typically has a body effect
Tends to be much more relaxing and may be more effective for a variety of bodily ailments. Very good for relieving anxiety and restlessness, helping you fall asleep. Best suited for night use. Indica are short dense plants with broad, dark green leaves. Indica grow better indoors.
Good for:
- Pain
- Muscle ache
- Neuropathy
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
Prominent cannabinoid: CBD
Common Indica Varieties:
- Afghan (Afghanistan)
- Bubba Kush (California)
- Grand Daddy Purple (California)
- Hindu Kush (Afghanistan)
- LA Confidential (California)
- Purple Urkle (California)
Hybrids: Mixed head and body effect
Hybrids are the result of decades of selective breeding. Most strains sold in dispensaries are at least partial hybrids. Hybrids take on the medicinal characteristics of both indica and sativa.
Common Hybrid Varieties:
- AK-47 (The Netherlands)
- Blueberry (Oregon)
- Blue Dream (California)
- Chem ’91 (Colorado, Massachusetts)
- Cherry Cough (California)
- G-13 (Mississippi)
- Harlequin (California)
- Jack Herer (The Netherlands)
- Northern Lights (The Netherlands)
- OG Kush (California, Colorado)
- Pincher Creek (Canada)
- Sour Diesel (Massachusetts, New York)
- Strawberry Cough (Vermont)
- White Widow (The Netherlands)
In general as they grow in the wild, Cannabis indica is common in Africa and Asia. Sativa is common in Europe. This has all changed over time as ganja is imported and grown to reflect what the market wants.
Medicinal Characteristics
Indica and sativa are the most common ways of describing ganja. They provide a clue as to how you’re about to feel, but there’s a lot more to the equation than these basic descriptors. Scientists have gotten really precise in talking about strain. For example, indica produces terpenes such as myrcene and linalool. That translates into they produce the sedated feeling that most people call being stoned. On the other hand, sativa produces terpenes such as caryophyllenes and pinenes which are stimulating and that translates into making you feel high. The trick is to select the right mix of all of these terpenes to give you the feeling and the medicinal properties you want, and that’s far more complex than indica vs. sativa, but that is a basic and important starting point.
The basics of ganja chemistry come out by examining a flower’s appearance and smell. Certain aromas produced by ganja are generally indicative of the flower’s effects. A smell like a pine tree, a little bitter, usually means that it will be stimulating. A smell like lavender, grape, or blueberry usually means that it will be sedating.
Keep track of the varieties of ganja you use, how you used it, how it smelled and how it looked and how it made you feel. Learn how to associate the smell and appearance of ganja with how it makes you feel and you will become an expert quickly.
You’re better off relying on smell and appearance than you are on the variety name. Variety name is a good starting place, but who knows if the flower has the right name? They can call anything whatever they want so it’ll sell. Or they can simply make a mistake. Who really cares if it is a cross-bred hybrid from Nepal with some killer indoor grow from Colorado? That’s great marketing hype, but what really matters is how you feel. Learn how the flowers you like look and smell and rely on your own judgment.
About Author
