Finding The Right Cannabis Strain For You
Walk into any dispensary and you'll see flower sorted three ways: sativa, indica and hybrid. The labels are a useful starting point, and most people have heard the shorthand — sativa for daytime, indica for the couch. The reality is more interesting than that, and knowing a little about where the labels come from makes it much easier to find something you'll enjoy. Medicine Man has four Denver-area dispensaries, and our budtenders help people make exactly this choice every day.
Where The Names Come From
The terms are older than modern cannabis culture. The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus named Cannabis sativa in 1753, describing the tall hemp plants grown across Europe. In 1785 the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck described Cannabis indica from plants collected in India, which were shorter, bushier and more potent than European hemp.
Botanists still debate whether these are separate species or varieties of a single species. For shoppers, the more important point is that the words started out describing how plants look and where they grew — not how they make you feel.
Physical Differences Between Sativa and Indica
The traditional distinctions are about the plant itself:
- Indica-type plants are short and dense, with broad, dark-green leaflets. They trace back to the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan and tend to flower relatively quickly.
- Sativa-type plants grow tall and open, with long, narrow leaflets. Their ancestors come from equatorial regions such as Southeast Asia, Central and South America and Africa, and they generally take longer to flower.
These traits matter a great deal to growers, because they affect how much space a plant needs, how long it takes to harvest and what climate it suits. They're a less reliable guide to the experience in the jar.
Indica
Heritage strains from the Hindu Kush were grown for generations to make hashish, and the plants that came to North America from that region in the 1970s shaped a lot of modern cannabis. Kush and many classic "indica" varieties descend from them.
Strains sold as indica are commonly described as relaxing and body-focused, and many people choose them for the evening. That reputation is widespread, but as the next sections explain, it's the chemistry of a particular batch — not the label — that best predicts how it will feel.
Sativa
Classic sativa landraces include varieties from Thailand, Mexico, Colombia and Jamaica, and they're the ancestors of many strains with "Haze" in the name. The buds tend to be airier and less dense than indica-type flower.
Strains sold as sativa are commonly described as uplifting, energetic or head-focused, and many people reach for them during the day. Again, that's a tendency people report, not a guarantee.
Hybrids
A hybrid is simply a cross between different parent strains. After decades of breeding, almost all cannabis on dispensary shelves today is a hybrid of some kind, which is why you'll also see labels like "indica-dominant" or "sativa-dominant." Breeders cross strains to combine traits — faster flowering, bigger yields, a particular aroma or a target potency.
Because modern strains have so much mixed ancestry, genetic studies over the past decade have found that a strain's sativa or indica label often doesn't match its actual genetics. Two products with the same name from different growers can also differ noticeably.
What Actually Shapes How A Strain Feels
If the label is only a rough guide, what should you pay attention to? Mostly the chemistry, which in Colorado is printed on every package.
- THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main intoxicating compound in cannabis. Higher THC generally means a stronger effect, and it's the number to watch most closely if you're new or returning after a break.
- CBD (cannabidiol) is non-intoxicating. Products that balance CBD with THC are often described as milder or more mellow than THC-dominant ones.
- Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that give each strain its smell and flavor — myrcene is earthy, limonene is citrusy, pinene smells like pine and caryophyllene is peppery. Many people find that terpene profile is a better guide to what they'll like than the sativa/indica label.
Beyond the product, your own body chemistry, tolerance, how much you use and how you consume it all play a part. Smoking or vaping is felt within minutes; edibles can take an hour or more to take effect and last much longer.
Asking The Right Cannabis Questions
A few questions will narrow things down faster than the label on the shelf:
- What kind of experience are you after, and at what time of day?
- How much THC are you comfortable with? Is a product with some CBD a better fit?
- Which aromas and flavors do you enjoy? If you've liked a strain before, what did it smell like?
- How do you want to consume it — flower, a pre-roll, a vape or an edible — and how long do you want the effects to last?
If you're new to cannabis or trying a new product, start with a low amount and give it time before having more, especially with edibles.
Your Budtender Is Going To Help Guide You
Sativa, indica and hybrid are a fine place to begin, but they're a starting point rather than a promise. The best way to find a strain you love is to pay attention to potency and terpenes, keep track of what you've enjoyed, and talk to someone who knows the menu.
Ask your Medicine Man budtender for guidance when choosing a strain that's right for you. Everyone responds to cannabis a little differently, so some experimentation is part of it — and we'd love to help you on your journey.
