World of Seeds found this landrace strain growing in South African mountains and have produced a stable strain. This is our favorite strain this year for good reasons: it is a compact Sativa that has a reasonable flowering time and produces extremely high-quality flowers with psychedelic-but-relaxing effects.
Easy to Grow
10 out of 10
Flowering Speed
10 out of 10
Yield
9 out of 10
Potency
9 out of 10
Pros
Compact for a Sativa
Holds up to pests
Amazing high
Many medical applications
Cons
No negatives
The Details
This pure sativa, landrace originally grows wild on the north-facing slopes of South African mountains and has been used and cultivated by the Zulu peoples of the region. World of Seeds has created a stabilized strain that captures many of the great qualities of this compact plant. We have grown quite a few of these over the last year and have found it grows well indoors and out – at least in the Pacific Northwest – and has become our favorite strain of the year.
This plant is extremely easy to grow. Its compact size, generally under 3 ft (1M) helps with indoor grows and helps provide wind protection and improved stealth for outdoor grows. It is not particularly prone to pests, stands up well to rough weather conditions, and not prone to nutrient issues. At 60 days, this plant is extremely fast flowering, especially for a sativa.
Kwazulu buds that are ready for harvest.
The yields are good for a sativa and the buds are good-sized too. The breeder advertises the yield at 350 gr/m2, and this is close to what we saw. While the size and structure are fairly stable, but there appear to be at least 2 phenotypes; one that develops red leaves and smaller buds and one that has bright green leaves and fatter buds. In all the cases, the buds are extremely tight, resin-coated, and covered with dark purple hairs.
All of this makes it a perfect candidate for home grows.
The compact structure makes these plants great for indoor grows.
The Best Part
The best thing about this plant is that the high is a relaxing mix of psychedelic effects and positive feelings. While the overall THC is under 20%, the CBN and other Cannabinoids in the flowers blend to create a super experience. The flavor profile is great, with a sweet, tropical vibe. All of this comes together to form a luxury bud.
Scientific studies in the past decades have consistently shown that cannabis can be extremely effective at treating a wide range of medical conditions, including pain, nausea. anxiety and depression. Many people have root causes, like cancer, that cause a variety of related medical issues.
Cannabis contains over 119 chemical compounds called cannabinoids. Many of these cannabinoids (like THC, THCV, and CBD) have been shown to be helpful with a wide array of medical conditions. THC is the compound that causes you to feel high, while CBD can calm the mind and ease the pain but doesn’t make you feel stoned. Cannabis strains produce concentrations of different cannabinoids at different rates so some strains will be more effective than others for treating your condition.
In this article, we look at some conditions that cannabis is effective at treating and then some of our favorite strains to help with that condition.
Anxiety & PTSD
Anyone who suffers from severe anxiety or PTSD can tell you how crippling it can be. The side effects of anxiety can negatively impact work and personal relationships. While it won’t cure you, there are strains of cannabis to help calm anxious minds.
CBD has been shown in scientific studies to be helpful for anxiety. Strains that are high in THC can increase anxiety, but strains that are low in THC and high in CBD can relieve anxiety and PTSD. Balancing THC and CBD to a 1:1 ratio is good option to get the best of both worlds. Here are two strains that have worked well for people suffering from anxiety and PTSD.
1: Candida
Flowers from this strain can have up to 20% CBD and less than 2% THC, making it the highest CBD with the lowest THC on the market. If CBD works to relieve your symptoms but THC increases anxiety, this will make a great strain for you. Learn more about Candida on Seedsman.
2: Skunk Haze
This calming strain has a 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD at around 10% each, so it will still get you high while helping keep you calm. The end results are buds with the aroma and flavor of spicy cedar wood alongside tones of citrus and pine. Learn more about CBD Skunk Haze on Seedsman.
Pain
We all know what pain is and none of us like it. Chronic pain sufferers have a persistent and painful condition over a long period of time. Since there are multiple root causes for pain, from injury to disease, there is no simple solution to the problem. The primary medical approach has been to prescribe addictive opiates, but this is not a tenable long term solution.
3: Raspberry Cough
This strain helps with pain and creates an extremely relaxing vibe without leaving you couch locked. It’s a rare sativa dominant hybrid that has high levels of both THC and CBD. Learn more about Raspberry Cough on Seedsman.
4: Lithium OG Kush
Crossing OG Kush and Master Kush resulted in this indica-dominant strain that produces high levels of THC. While it does not produce very much CBD, the combination of high concentrations of THC with low CBD can be effective for the treatment of depression as well as pain and nausea. Learn more about Lithium OG Kush on Seedsman.
Depression
Depression is a common, but serious illness that causes feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home. Depression is treatable, and cannabis can play a role in that treatment.
5: Fruity Jack
We’ve done a full review of Fruity Jack in the past, and it remains one of our favorite plants for medical uses. It has high THC (and CBD to help with a wide array of conditions. The smell and tastes are out of this world, and the effects are calm and mellow if left in flower long enough to develop CBD.
Fruity Jack has high levels of CBD and THC and can be helpful to treat depression, pain and anxiety.
6: Grandaddy Purple
This classic strain was created by crossing Purple Urkle with Big Bud and results in a bushy plant tightly-spaced purple buds. Like a lot of the ‘purple’ strains, Grandaddy Purple can be effective at relieving the effects mild to severe depression and anxiety, as well as insomnia and pain. With THC levels measured up to 35%, this strain is not for the timid! Learn more about Grandaddy Purple on Seedsman.
ADD/ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a psychiatric disorder that causes problems of attention, hyperactivity and behavior control issues. While we often think of this as a childhood problem, this is not the case as a large number of adults suffer from ADHD. Strains of cannabis that are high in CBD with lower THC can help focus attention and reduce hyperactivity.
7: Nagual
Nagual was the ancient spirit guide and shaman revered by the peoples of meso-america and can help improve focus and relieve other symptoms of ADD/ADHD. This spirited strain was created by crossing Sour Kush Diesel and Candida and produces THC:CBD at a 1:1 ratio to help calm the mind while giving you the focus like a shaman! Learn more about Nagual on Seedsman.
8: Green Doctor
This is another cross with Candida – coupled with the fact that Candida is also on our list should show you how much we believe in it. This one comes with a 1:2 THC:CBD ratio with a median 5% THC and 10% CBD to provide even more focus with a less intense level of THC. Learn more about Green Doctor on Seedsman.
Decreased Appetite
Many medical related issues results in decreased appetite and whether it’s cancer treatment, HIV/AIDs or Crohn’s disease, the human body needs fuel to live and repair itself. Cannabis has long been used to help stimulate the appetite and here are two strains that could help increase appetite.
9: White Walker Kush
This new strain will help increase appetite with high levels of THC. DNA Genetics made this Sativa dominant hybrid by crossing their own Skywalker OG with a White Widow to produce buds with 24% THC that would stimulate your appetite without putting you to sleep. Learn more about White Walker Kush on Seedsman.
10: Forgotten Cookies
Here is another Sativa dominant hybrid that can increase your appetite but leave you energized. With the scent of sweet cookies and lime zest just the smell of the buds could be enough to get your appetite rolling! Learn more about Forgotten Cookies on Seedsman.
Northern Lights is a powerful Indica that was originally bred right here in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. In the mid 80’s, some specimens were taken to Europe where they quickly gained popularity in the coffee houses. Since that time, it has become one of the most important strains of all times by contributing genetics to many of today’s modern strains.
Easy to Grow
9 out of 10
Flowering Speed
10 out of 10
Yield
9 out of 10
Potency
8 out of 10
Pros
High CBD production
Holds up to pests
High CBD Production
Low priced seeds
Cons
Leggy structure
12 weeks to flower
The Details
We have grown several of these and had 100% seed germination rates. The plants were very fast and vigorous growers. We topped them multiple times and performed low stress training to develop a thick canopy of buds. The buds were ready in 50 days, but it took a full 60 to develop amber trichomes. You’ll need to flower that long if you want your buds to develop CBD.
Easy to Grow?
Northern Lights strains are historically easy strains to grow and are often recommended for new farmers. They are known for being pest and disease resistant and are more forgiving of newbie mistakes. This variant is no exception. The plants we grew were very resistant to mites and nutrient problems and recovered nicely from over and under waterings. The structure was strong, not requiring supports, but not too rigid either.
Speed to Flower?
This is where this Northern Lights excels: the flowering time is one of the lowest of any strain on the market at only 50 days. If you’re looking to develop CBD, which develops later in flower, you will need to leave them in flower for around 60 days.
Northern Lights from 00 Seeds can be harvested after just 50 days in flower.
Medical Use?
This plant has some serious medical applications. As a strong Indica with high levels of CBD, this Northern Lights flower can work well to treat insomnia, stress, anxiety and pain. If you want CBD, you will need to flower for at least 60 days. Learn more on how to find the perfect time to harvest for medical purposes in our harvesting guide.
Potency?
This modern Northern Lights strain has medium/high levels of THC at around 19%. The effects are relaxing and sedative. We didn’t experience any anxiety or racing thoughts.
Northern Lights from 00 Seeds produces thick, resinous flowers.
Yield?
The advertized yield is high at 500 grams per square meter. We didn’t see quiet those volumes of yield, but we saw very fat buds covered in plenty of resin. We vegged our plants for one month, for a total grow time just under 4 months and harvested 2 ounces each, working out close to 400 grams per meter.
Grow Setup
We grew in a 4×4 tent with 4 LED lights: one 1200W light, one 800W light and 2 400W COB lights. There were 4 Northern Lights along with other plants. The temp was between 65 and 70 degrees though out the grow. We grew in a soil/coco mix and used Blue Planet Nutrients as the base nutrient for this grow, along with CalMag and occasionally compost tea.
About 00 Seeds
This Spanish breeder specializes in Auto and feminized seeds, focusing on strong, unique flavors and aromas while maintaining a classic line of strains. Click here to see more strains from 00 seeds.
Learn more about selecting the right strain for your setup and about buying seeds online in our seed and strain guide.
Royal Queen Seeds (RQS) developed this two time Cannabis Cup winner by crossing a Haze hybrid back with an original Haze. The result is a robust sativa dominant hybrid strain that produces high yields of potent bud. Flowering takes a whopping 12 weeks, but the top-shelf flower is worth the wait.
Easy to Grow
8 out of 10
Flowering Speed
6 out of 10
Yield
9 out of 10
Potency
9 out of 10
Pros
Medicinal uses
Good resin production
Cons
Leggy structure
12 weeks to flower
The Details
We’ve grown several of these and each seed germinated successfully. Due to the sativa dominance, they can get a little leggy if left to grow so we topped each once and performed low stress training to get a flat canopy. They responded well to training and maintained a moderate height.
The flowers were medium sized with good resin production and had a fruity aroma followed by a hint of spice. We saw consistent flowering times of 80 days to get a balanced effect at harvest.
Measured at 22% THC, this bud packs a punch. The medium levels of CBD smooth the effects, so we didn’t note anxiety or any other negative effects and found it to be generally medically beneficial.
Easy to Grow?
These plants were easy to grow, since they weren’t particularly prone to pests or nutrient issues and responded well to topping and training.
Speed to Flower?
The breeder recommends over 12 weeks – 84 days – which will result in potent buds with strong effects. The flowers were medium sized but numerous and dense with medium resin production.
Medical Use?
Amnesia Haze produces relaxing effects, making it a a good choice for treating anxiety, stress and depression. If harvested at around 80 days, the high is energentic and doesn’t cause couchlock effects. Left in flower for more than 85 days, the CBD production increases to medium and improves the overall medical effects. Learn more on how to find the perfect time to harvest in our harvesting guide.
Amnesia Haze is easy to grow and has great medical and recreational effects.
Potency?
Amnesia Haze has high levels of THC, resulting in a strong but stimulating high. The effects are uplifting and stimulating, common in sativa dominant strains.
Yield?
The advertised yield is very high, at over 600 grams per square meter, but we weren’t able to duplicate that type of yield. Growing under 800 watt LED lights, we recorded a respectable 450 grams per square meter.
The buds were medium sized and dense with medium levels of resin development. The overall yield was on par with other strains.
Flavor?
Amnesia Haze has a nice fruity flavor that is followed by spicy or herbal flavors. The flowers cure well and results in a relatively smooth smoke.
Grow Setup
We grew in a 4×4 tent with 4 LED lights: one 1200W light, one 800W light and 2 400W COB lights. The temp was between 60 and 70 degrees thoughout the grow. We grew in a soil/coco mix and used Blue Planet Nutrients as the base nutrient for this grow. Once per week, we added CalMag and compost tea.
About Royal Queen Seeds
Royal Queen Seeds is legend among seed breeders. Backed by decades of experience, RQS have produced a full catalog of award winning strains, from Amnesia Haze to Skunk XL, they produce some of the finest strains in the business. Click here to see more strains from RQS.
Learn more about selecting the right strain for your setup and about buying seeds online in our seed and strain guide.
The breeders at Barney’s Farm crossed a G13 Haze with a fast flowering ChemDawg ’91 to produce this indica/sativa hybrid that won a 2011 Cannabis Cup award. Measured at a whopping 25% THC, Liberty Haze also produces some CBD when left in flower longer. We grow this potent, high yield strain because they have great structure, respond well to topping and training, and aren’t particularly prone to pests.
Easy to Grow
9 out of 10
Flowering Speed
9 out of 10
Yield
10 out of 10
Potency
8 out of 10
Pros
Medicinal uses
Great structure for training
Stable size and structure
Cons
Strong odor while growing
Prone to nutrient issues
The Details
We’ve grown several of these and had 100% germination rate. We topped each multiple times and performed low stress training to get a flat canopy. The strong structure and rate of growth is impressive.
The flowers were large sized with medium resin production and a citrus fragrance. The ones we grew over winter turned dark purple since the temperatures often hovered in the low 60’s (~15C).
When flowered for the recommended minimum of 60 days, the high was intense and psycho-active, but we didn’t note anxiety or racing thoughts that can come with potent strains. Waiting a full 9 weeks to harvest allowed the CBD to fully form and toned down the intensity of the high. The effects are relaxing and hazy without the couch-lock that you get with a lot of heavy Indicas.
Easy to Grow?
These plants were very easy to grow. They weren’t particularly prone to pests or nutrient issues. They responded well to topping and training and had great structure overall.
Speed to Flower?
The breeder recommends 60 days minimum, which will result in potent buds with rather extreme psychoactive effects. Waiting the maximum recommended of 65 days resulted in buds with a more relaxing sedative effect. The flowers were large and dense with medium resin production.
Liberty Haze is fast to flower and has a strong structure.
Medical Use?
Liberty Haze produces a euphoric effect, making it a a good choice for treating anxiety, stress and depression. If you want the maximum CBD, you will need to flower for at least 65 days. Learn more on how to find the perfect time to harvest for medical purposes in our harvesting guide.
Potency?
Liberty Haze has very high levels of THC, at around 25%. It has medium levels of CBD (~2%) to offset the THC. The effects are uplifting, and euphoric.
Liberty Haze is an aggressive grower, showing yields of 600 grams per square meter.
Yield?
The advertised yield is very high, at 600 grams per square meter and we saw similar results. The buds were large and dense with medium levels of resin development. The overall yield was high compared to other strains.
Flavor?
Liberty Haze has a nice, but mild, citrus flavor with earthy undertones. It cures well and is relatively smooth to smoke.
Grow Setup
We grew in a 4×4 tent with 4 LED lights: one 1200W light, one 800W light, and 2 400W COB lights. The temp was between 60 and 70 degrees throughout the grow. We grew in a soil/coco mix and used General Hydroponics Flora series as the base nutrient for this grow. Once per week, we added CalMag and compost tea.
About Barney’s Farm
Starting life as Barney’s Coffee Shop in Amsterdam, Barney’s Farm has produced some of the world’s most popular varieties of cannabis. Pineapple Chunk winning the Indica Cup in 2009, and Critical Kush becoming a bestseller within months of release. Despite a history spanning nearly 30 years, Barney’s Farm’s popularity has never diminished. New strains are frequently released, allowing for an ever-increasing audience to continue to enjoy high quality seeds from a company that started, literally, at the top and has remained there ever since. Click here to see more strains from Barney’s Farm.
Learn more about selecting the right strain for your setup and about buying seeds online in our seed and strain guide.
This strain by Barney’s Farm is a modern take on the legendary Mexican Sativa that won’t disappoint. The original landrace strain has a storied history and was a founding parent to Skunk #1 – making it the ancestor of a huge swath of our modern strains. This modern variant has a more manageable size for indoor growing and a shorter flower cycle for outdoor growing in cooler latitudes.
Easy to Grow
7 out of 10
Flowering Speed
8 out of 10
Yield
9 out of 10
Potency
8 out of 10
Pros
Medicinal uses
Perfect structure for training
Great flavor profile
Stable size and structure
Cons
Strong odor while growing
Prone to nutrient issues
The Details
We have grown quite a few of these girls over the last 5 years and it continues to be a show piece in our tents. It’s a very stable strain, showing consistency from generation to generation in height, bulk and every specimen has been strong and vigorous.
We’ve seen some issues with nutrient uptake, particularly in cooler conditions, but these were manageable with a few simple steps. In our experience, this plant seems to be particularly resistant to mites when compared to similar strains.
This plant is a true Sativa structurally, with lanky branches that can become overweight during flower. While their height is manageable through topping and training, they will stretch quite a bit when you first put them into flower.
The flowers are large for a Sativa and are coated in fair amounts of resin. Flowering takes between 60 and 70 days and the leaves turn golden in late flower, just like the legends say.
Easy to Grow?
This plant has a medium difficulty level because it can reach heights over 210cm (7 ft) outdoors and requires height management to grow indoors. We have successfully used topping and training as well as screen-of-green (ScoG) methods to make the best use of indoor space.
Acapulco Gold are vigorous growers in all stages – these two girls in vegetative growth stretched so fast they had to be hard cut back to even them out.
During vegetation, the plant grows vigorously. This is the right time to perform topping and training so the plant doesn’t stretch too much when put into flower. During flower, the lanky stems can start to droop with the weight of the colas, so they might need to be tied up or otherwise secured so they don’t break off. This might sound like a lot of work, but overweight buds isn’t the worst problem to have!
These plants grow fairly large colas on thin, lanky branches, so they can benefit from the spread and extra support from a SCROG setup.
We found this strain particularly suited to screen-of-green, since the lattice will provide the support that the buds need in later stages.
Speed to Flower?
For an old-school Sativa strain, 60 to 70 days isn’t bad.
Resin begins forming early in the flower stage and ends up coating the surrounding leaves.
Medical Use?
Acapulco Gold has been celebrated since the 60’s for its energizing and euphoric cerebral effects, making the strain useful in treating anxiety, depression, stress and even pain.
Let’s face it, this strain has been a part of our popular culture for so long and has had such an impact because it has an actual physical and mental impact on it’s users. Linguist Jean-Charles Seigneuret said it played a role as a “psychedelic Philosopher’s Stone” and could “transform the metaphorical lead of the harried, detribalized modern conscience into the ‘gold’ latent in ‘Acapulco gold.'”
Acapulco Gold flowers are covered in red hairs and lots of resin.
Potency
This plant is has medium to high levels of THC, with most test clocking in between 18 and 24% with low levels (<1%) CBD.
Yield?
The advertised yield is high at 1500 grams per plant outdoors and up to 500 grams per square meter indoors. In part because it is so adaptable to training and nets, we’ve come close to these indoor numbers with each grow. With large buds that are densely packed, this strain has proven to be one of the highest and most consistent producers in our tents.
Taste
The tastes and smell profiles of this plant can vary from citrus to woody, but one consistent profile we noticed is an overarching pine smell and taste. The smoke is smooth and rich.
Summary
This is one of our favorite strains for indoor growing and if you are up for a little topping and training, you’ll find it to be a top producer too.
About Barney’s Farm
Started in the early 90’s, Barney’s Farm has become one of the most prominent breeders in the world. Over the last decade, Barney’s Farm have produced some of the world’s most popular varieties of cannabis, Winning the Cannabis Cup and Indica/Sativa Cups with G13 Haze, Liberty Haze, Amnesia Haze, Willie Nelson, Cookies Kush, Pineapple Chunk, Tangerine Dream and Critical Kush becoming a bestseller within months of release.
