Different Types of Weed: Sativa, Indica, Ruderalis, Landrace, Hybrid

There are a lot of different types of weed out there. Some newcomers to the marijuana scene might find it a bit overwhelming.

There are a lot of different types of weed out there. Some newcomers to the marijuana scene might find it a bit overwhelming. While there are a myriad of different types of weed strains on the market there are only really four different types of weed out there that you need to focus on. You’re probably already aware at least two types of weed varieties, Indica and Sativa. But you might find a few facts below that you’ve overlooked or that might come in handy on your next trip to the dispensary or your friend’s house that grows weed.

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What are the different types of weed

The main types of weed that we’re talking about are Sativa, Indica, Landrace, Ruderalis and Hybrid strains. Like all types of cannabis each one of these plants will get you stoned. But they each have very particular mental and physical effects on the body when consumed and when it comes to the plants they all require different growing conditions and behave differently in similar growing environments.

Along with Sativa, Indica and Hybrid there’s actually another type of cannabis called ruderalis. This little known species originates from Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. Ruderalis plants grow to be smaller than Sativa, Indica and hybrid plants—rarely getting bigger than a couple feet tall. They have really thin and fibrous stems with little branching and contain virtually no THC. But they can be high in CBD. This means that not all types of weed will get you high. Some that contain a ton of CBD and virtually no THC deliver no high or body stone.

Ruderalis plants reach maturity in about five to seven weeks which is a lot faster than the other species. Another really unique quality of these plants? They flower based on maturity rather than based on a change in the light cycle. Crossing an Indica, Sativa or Hybrid plant with a ruderalis plant results in what’s known as an autoflowering plant that flowers based on age. This is great for growers who want to raise a couple crops outside in a region with a fairly long growing season or for people who have a really short growing season and need cannabis plants that flower fast.

Different kinds of weed 101

So let’s get back to those other types of weed. The most popular types of weed seem to be from the Cannabis Sativa variety. You’ve probably heard of this by now. Sativas are everywhere nowadays but in the 80s and 90s a true Sativa was a lot harder to come across. That’s because these plants originate from the tropical regions of the planet. They love long hot summers and that translates into a really long flowering time. We’re talking anywhere between 12 to 14 to 16 weeks before these beauties reach full maturity. Compare this to a ruderalis plant that’ll bloom in five weeks. Because they get tall and take such a long time to mature they’re better grown in outdoor conditions rather than inside.

Sativa plants are a bit trickier to grow than their cousins. That’s because they get really tall and like to stretch. They’ve got really long leaves compared to the broad-leafed indica plant. And the buds are typically a little airier and fluffier than those of the indica variety. They can also be a lot more colorful commonly arriving in beautiful hues of red, orange or amber.

But what you get for that long growing time and careful upbringing is an energetic and electric high. Some describe this high as a “heady” high as it’s more concentrated in the head rather than throughout the body. Connoisseurs love Sativas for their sizzling unique high. Some say this high can be mentally stimulating which is great for stimulating creativity, or increasing focus, or boosting energy. Yep, contrary to what some soccer moms might think not all weed makes people lazy and destroys motivation—some actually stokes it. Sativas are actually known for their uplifting effects. Need some extra umph to take the dog out for a walk or do a few household chores? Puff some sativa and you’ll be good to go. Sativa is the best type of weed if you’re looking to wake and bake. Combine it with some coffee and you’re good to go.

Connoisseurs also love the sativa types of weed for their exotic flavors. Because these guys originated in the tropics they’re full of tropical fruit flavors, think mango and passion fruit as well as earthy and musky overtones. They’re quite delicious. And they smell as wonderful as they taste. Some different types of marijuana in the Sativa family include
Jack Herer
Sour Diesel
Pineapple Express

Indica Strains
Cannabis Indica is another famous type of weed. Unlike Sativa these plants originated in colder, mountainous climates quite a ways away from the equator They’re more accustomed to growing in cooler conditions like the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. As a result to acclimating to these conditions these plants stay squatter than Sativa varieties. They also flower a lot faster and the nugs that they produce are typically more dense and chunkier than what you’ll find on a Sativa plant. These are they guys that can sometimes turn purple under the right conditions. They’re equally as colorful and as tasty as Sativa plants.

Indica strains are known for their sedating effects. The high is typically considered a more body-type high. Meaning it’ll relax the body and calm the nerves. This is great for night-time consumption. You may have come across the term “couch-lock” during your weed-smoking career? Well that phrase is often used to describe heavy, sedative Indica weed strains. Connoisseurs love these as well. A few of the more common Indica types of weed strains that you’ve probably heard of include
Northern Lights
Grape Ape
Grand Daddy Purple

Hybrid
Back in the day virtuosos guitarist Eddie Van Halen ruled the world of hairy glam bands. His signature tool of the trade was a modified guitar that embodied the best of what was available on the market at the time—a fender Stratocaster mashed with parts from a Gibson Les Paul known as the Frankenstrat. This hybrid guitar approach became a staple during the 80s. Hybrid marijuana plants are similar—they combine the best of both worlds. Hybridization or cross-breeding 2 types of weed delivers plants with the best characteristics of both of its parents.

Breeders can combine a sizzling sativa that normally takes ten to twelve weeks to flower and gets extremely tall and lanky with a shorter and fat Indica strain that flowers in as little as six or seven weeks. The result of this hybridization could be a plant that’s not too tall and flowers in a really short period of time. Breeders can take the progeny from this project and further cross it with other genetics say a plant that turns purple when the temperature drops. The result? A plant that could turn purple with declining temperatures that also retains some of the characteristics of its other parent.

Breeders can even introduce ruderalis genetics to create autoflowering plants that flower in a short period of time based on maturity. These genes can be perfect for certain growers facing certina growing conditions.

Because of how often cannabis has been hybridized most of the weed that you’ll find in a dispensary or at the local sesh is probably a hybrid. Hybrids are often described as being either “sativa-dominant” or “indica-dominant” meaning they have a bit more genetics of one variety than they other. You might have a hybrid that’s 70% Sativa and 30% Indica. So this strain would offer that more lifted high that’s characteristic of a sativa while and indica-dominant hybrid should deliver some couch-lock aka relaxing sedative effects. Popular types of weed that are hybrids include:
Blue Dream
Lemon Kush
Tahoe OG
Skywalker
Super Silver Haze

Landrace Strains
For years growers have been hard at work creating different types of cannabis by combining genetics and experimenting with the outcomes. As a result the original genetics, aka landrace strains, are becoming less and less common everyday. Most everything you’ll find on dispensary shelves is the combination of two different types of weed. This results in a weaker gene pool to create new hybrids or to strengthen landrace genetics. So it’s a good reason to conserve these original genetics.

Landrace strains can be either pure Sativa, Indica or Ruderalis. Wait what is a landrace strain? A landrace strain refers to a local variety of weed that’s adapted to the geographic location. And environment where it originated. These pure strains have the same parents and can be considered the OG’s of their area. And for this reason they are typically named after their native region. A few examples of popular landrace strains are:
Hindu Kush
Panama Red
Durban Poison
Acapulco Gold

What kinds of weed are right for you?

What types of weed are right for you? Like any activity swimming, cooking, catching a bullet in your teeth—practice makes perfect. So practicing is the best way to determine which type of weed is best for you. Pick up a variety of weed, a straight sativa, a hybrid and an Indica and try each one. Don’t smoke ‘em all at once. Puff the Sativa strain and see how it affects ya. Does it deliver that stimulating mental high?

When you’re back to baseline give one of the other strains of weed a try. Let’s pick the Indica. Does it deliver that relaxing all over body stone? Do you notice a difference between the effects of this one compared with the effects of the other? Next try smoking the hybrid. Do you feel like it brought about a combination of the two? Maybe try rolling a joint with a mix of your Sativa and Indica strains and see how that affects you? The goal here is to experiment. Practice smoking different combinations of weed to see how they feel.

Once you get an idea of how different types of weed affect you it’s time to consider matching your weed with your activity. Have a paper to write and need some extra mental stimulation? Want to write a new hit song and need some inspiration? Maybe it’s time for a few Sativa bong hits? Looking to fall asleep after a really long night of tossing and turning in bed? It’s probably time to whip out that Indica and get to puffing. Like we said practicing will help you determine which weed strain is right for you during certain situations.

What types of weed are your favorites and why? Let us know the types of marijuana that you dig and what you do once you consume ‘em in the comments section below. Please limit yourself to 2 different types of weed if you can. Danks.



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