Indica vs Sativa vs Hybrid Marijuana – What Is The Difference?
It’s hard to remember when there was no debate between Indica vs Sativa vs Hybrid Marijuana and their effects. It was a simpler time when the choices were shwag, mids, and kind bud if you had the money and the connection. Most times, we were at the mercy of the legacy market; what was available at the time was what we got, and there was no guarantee on what strain you were buying was actually the strain the person claimed it to be. There’s no reason to reject today’s wealth of varieties at your local medical marijuana dispensary and take it as a positive that you can now curate your collection of nugs to accommodate any mood you might be in. Though hundreds, if not thousands, of strains are available at medicinal and recreational cannabis dispensaries throughout the country, we can break them down into three major categories. From there, you get to tune your preferences finely. It all comes down to Indica vs Sativa vs Hybrid Marijuana and which strains are best for you personally.
Isn’t marijuana just a plant, and the better the quality of the seed and the more you take care of it, the better the final product? In short, yes, but thanks to the legalization (in parts) of marijuana, advances in botany like molecular biology, plant genetics, and biochemistry have created a world unimaginable only a decade ago. There are a few noticeable differences when looking at the cannabis plants- a Sativa is a long thin plant, with heights reaching 20 feet, where your Indica can be as wide as it is tall, with the leaves being noticeably fatter than a Sativa. A Hybrid will, you guessed it, find itself somewhere in the middle of the two. Most Sativa strains will have a very high THC to CBD ratio, and most Indica will have closer to a 1:1 of the two, while the THC is still as high as the Sativa. Hybrids will cover the whole spectrum in between. What does that mean? Without delving too deep into the chemical or molecular differences let’s look at what’s most important, the effects of ingesting each of the three major options. Keep reading to find out the Indica Flower effects, the Sativa effects, and the Hybrid Marijuana effects and you can determine which of the strains sounds like it will best help with your specific medical condition.
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Indica Flower Effects
I find that Indica Flower and its effects are the easiest to remember by thinking Indica = In the couch. These strains will have a more profound body high and will typically serve better at night as a way to relax or help you fall asleep. If you were out playing pickleball all day and then dancing with dinner, you might want a nice Indica to help unwind, as they will be more anti-inflammatory and analgesic strains. The Indica Flower and its effects will ease your pain and put you in a place of deep relaxation, and they will also make you reach for that second or fifth cookie while you sink into your memory foam mattress, watch old Bob Ross videos, and laugh at his happy little trees. Indica is also the flower of choice for patients with nausea or those issues with their appetite. Indica strains typically smell musty, earthy, and skunky. Some of the most popular strains of Indica:
- Northern Lights
- Skywalker OG
- Strawberry Banana
- Wedding Cake
- Hindu Kush
- Grandaddy Purple
- White Tahoe Cookies
- Mac and Cheese
Sativa Effects
If Indica is more well known for putting you on the couch, the Sativa effects should be known for giving you energy and helping with your creativity. Sativas are great daytime flowers; they can help you focus on tasks and give you an uplifting head high. If you just want more pep in your step, or you think your newest set of pottery needs a little help with its design, or maybe you have a lot of yard work and an entertaining podcast to listen to while you go about your business, then the Sativa effects are the one you want. It can also help with anxiety and depression, so if you’re going to meet up for the tailgate party but might want a nudge in that direction, these strains are the right choice. Sativa will smell sweet, fruity, or spicy. Some of the most popular Sativa strains:
- Birds of Paradise
- Jack Herer
- Strawberry Cough
- Sour Diesel
- Durban Poison
- Lemon Haze
- Green Crack
- Amnesia Haze
- Acapulco Gold
- Maui Wowie
Hybrid Marijuana Effects
As you can easily imagine, the Hybrid Marijuana Strains are the majority of options, but vary in their effects. This is where you get to have fun and experiment with what effects you want to include in your marijuana experience. Some hybrid marijuana effects will make you enjoy a deep animated conversation, but will also give you a body high that makes your body sink into your chair. Or you can find a hybrid that you can enjoy on the golf course and it helps with your knee pain while you play. While there is no one strain that has it all, there’s nothing stopping you from having one for any occasion. I have my stash replete with strains I use for reading a book, for doing yoga, and for binging Ted Lasso. Some of the more popular Hybrid marijuana strains are:
- OG Kush
- Blue Dream
- Cherry Pie
- Girl Scout Cookies
- White Widow
- Pineapple Express
- AK-47
- Bubblegum
- Trainwreck
Indica vs Sativa vs Hybrid Marijuana – Which One Do I Choose?
Indica vs Sativa vs Hybrid marijuana, which one do I choose? This is the best part, getting to try new flavors and figuring out what you like. You may like the smell of Strawberry Cough, but you prefer the head high from Acapulco Gold, so you find a happy medium in Lemon Haze. You may find out that you like to incorporate a little appetite inducer to your creative sessions- after all, painting, or writing, or dancing, or whatever you want to get wrapped up in, can get carried away and you would otherwise forget to feed yourself, so you enjoy a Pineapple Express or a Girl Scout Cookies joint before your endeavor. I personally also like to have a little bit of my stash be something that will simply relax me, so I reach for the strain that lives up to its name, Trainwreck, turn on the music, and curl up with my dog on the couch and daydream. One thing you can always count on is the knowledge of your local budtender, they will usually have an in-depth knowledge of the strains and their families, and can help you find something for any situation. Your local budtender may look like a twenty year old pothead, but trust in one thing, they know their marijuana. We hope we have helped you answer the question of indica vs sativa vs hybrid marijuana and what strain will work best for you. If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call or send us an email, we love hearing from patients and their experiences on the journey of natural healing.
