Different Types of Marijuana

Over thousands of years, numerous marijuana strains have been created and perfected. In this article, we’ll outline the different types of marijuana and how they differ from one another. 

The two main categories of marijuana strains are Photoperiod and Ruderalis (Autoflower). These categories can be broken down even further, but let’s discuss these types first.

Photoperiod Strains

Photoperiod strains are grown according to a set light schedule. For photoperiod strains, the plant will first develop in a vegetative state, or instead, it will grow in height but not yet flower or bud. Flowering will begin once the amount of light drops below a certain threshold. 

For indoor grows, 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark are typical. Photoperiod strains can also be grown outdoors, but the weather and seasons need to be considered. A cannabis plant grown outside will enter the flowering stage before indoor photoperiods.

In general, photoperiod strains are more robust, producing larger volumes and better quality than autoflower strains. 

Ruderalis (Autoflower) Strains

Autoflower or ruderalis strains are marijuana plants that will typically be ready for harvest within a set amount of time, no matter the environment. Plants of autoflower strains are usually smaller and produce less than photoperiods. That is because photoperiods have a more extended vegetative period in which they can grow in vigour and height. 

Compared to photoperiod growing, however, autoflowers are much easier to grow and require less work.  However, autoflower strains can be less forgiving as there is less margin for error since you are working on a set timeframe.

 

Subcategories of Cannabis Types

Photoperiod and autoflower are divided into smaller categories, Indica, Sativa, and hybrid strains. There are others, but the top-quality, well-known weed strains will belong to one of these three main subcategories. 

A Side by Side Comparison of Sativa & Indica

INDICA or SATIVA?	INDICA	SATIVA
LEAVES	WIDE	NARROW
HEIGHT	SHORT & BROAD	TALL & THIN
SIZE	SMALL – MED SIZE	MED – LG SIZE
BUDS	DENSE, ROUNDED, & OF MED SIZE	FLUFFY, SHAPED LIKE A CONE, & LARGER
USED FOR	STRESS & ANXIETY DEPRESSION PAIN INSOMNIA DECREASED APPETITE PTSD ADD OR ADHD	STRESS & ANXIETY DEPRESSION PAIN DECREASED FOCUS DECREASED APPETITE DECREASED ENERGY
BENEFITS	DROWSINESS FEELINGS OF EUPHORIA INCREASED APPETITE HAPPINESS	ENHANCED MOOD IMPROVED FOCUS INCREASED APPETITE HAPPINESS CREATIVE INSPIRATION
GROWTH PATTERN	FLOWERS FOR 8-9 WKS SHORT SUMMER	FLOWERS FOR 10+ WKS LONG SUMMER

 

Indica Strains

Indica weed strains (genus Cannabis Indica) is the perfect “Netflix and chill” weed and is an effective treatment for chronic insomnia as it induces sleepiness. It is also used to treat PTSD, anxiety, depression, and lack of appetite, and more.  Indica flowers for eight to nine weeks which makes it the perfect crop for locales with brief summers. Below, we list some of the best Indica strains out there. 

 

Top Indica Strains

Blue God  Chronic Kush  Dank Sinatra  Death Star Chemdawg  El Jefe  King Louis XIII  LSD  Nuken  Platinum Kush  Purple Space Cookies  Sherbet Cake  Tangerine Dream Walter White Purple Candy Tom Ford

Bubba Kush Black Mamba Critical Kush  Darth Vader Dr. Funk  Gelato  Grease Monkey Grand Daddy Purple  Headband  Hindu Kush  Kosher Kush  Master Kush  OG Kush  Blue Cheese Black Diamond

Critical Mass  Death Bubba  El Chapo  Gorilla Glue  AHashplant  Island Pink  LA Confidential  Northern Lights Pink Kush  Purple Kush Rockstar  Star Killer  Violator Kush  Ace of Spades  Big Bud  Black Gas  Berries & Creme

 

Sativa Strains

While Indica is more of a weekend and nighttime weed, Sativa weed strains (genus Cannabis Sativa) are the perfect daytime pick-me-up to inspire you and help you focus. Sativa is effective at treating social anxiety and ADD / ADHD. It is also used for some of the same things Indica is, such as treating depression, lack of appetite, and pain. Flowering time is longer than Indica strains, with ten weeks or more in the flowering stage. We share with you below some of the best Sativa strains on the market.

Top Sativa Strains

Strawberry Cough Jet Fuel Wedding Cake Maui Wowie  Pineapple Express  Scout Master  Amnesia King Tut

Blue Dream  Durban Poison Lemon Skunk S Super Lemon Haze Red Congo Sour Diesel  Mimosa Jet Fuel

Trainwreck  Grapefruit Wifi Love Potion Moby Dick Purple Haze Sour Tangie Duke Nukem

Hybrid Strains

When the pollen of a male Indica or Sativa flower pollinate a female of the opposite strain, that female plant will make seeds that share Indica and Sativa strains’ genetics. 

Thus, hybrid weed gives you the best of both worlds, Indica and Sativa. In addition, because hybrids are the combination of Indica and Sativa, they can be smoked day or night without disrupting your natural circadian rhythm, and this makes them immensely popular with the marijuana Canada community. 

Hybrid strains have a lot of variation, just as children of the same parents do. One seed from the pollinated female may have more in common with Indica, while the next seed has more genetic material from the Sativa side. The buds of hybrids vary widely as well, depending on genetic makeup. Once again, check below for a list of the best of the best in the hybrid world.

Top Sativa Strains

Blueberry  God Bud  Ice Wreck White Castle  Sensi White Widow Skywalker Mataro Blue

Bruce Banner Atomic Bomb Mango Haze Green Crack Ghost Train MK Ultra Strain Alien OG Gas Mask Kushberry  Phantom OG

Black Tuna  Girl Scout Cookies  Purple Candy Master Bubba Peanut Butter Breath  Pink Star  Pineapple Charlotte’s Web

 

In Conclusion on the Different Types of Marijuana

So now we know that not all cannabis is the same; which weed types are you most interested in? And if you are familiar with all the different kinds of marijuana, which ones are your favourites? Let us know in the comments section.  

If you are looking to buy weed online, you can try a mail-order marijuana service. Or, if you are local and live in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland, you can get same-day weed delivery in Vancouver and surrounding cities.

References

• Wikipedia. (2021, August 6). Cannabis Ruderalis. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_ruderalis
• Rosado, Joseph Dr. (2019, January 25). Cannabis Indica. Marijuana Doctors. Available At: https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/resources/cannabis-indica/
• Rosado, Joseph Dr. (2019, January 25). Cannabis Sativa. Marijuana Doctors. Available At: https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/resources/cannabis-sativa/