The top 10 Cannabis Strains of 2017

As the smoke rises on a wild and crazy 2016, it blows towards 2017. The fallout from the presidential election you thought was over seems to still be going on.

With victory for cannabis interests in several more states, more states are watching what happens in those markets and what the Trump climate might mean for further expansion.

Looking forward to the top cannabis strains in 2017

There are also signs of new names entering the world of seeds and strains, so it will be interesting what de-thrones hugely popular cannabis selections in 2017. Still, here’s a list of 10 that is likely to rule the popular markets:

1. OG Kush continues in popularity as it has since the early 90s. It has an earthy citrus scent and memorable piney flavor. It produces a quick and intense high that may be too much for novice smokers. High in THC (19-24%), growers blend it with other strains to boost their effects. Strains, like those under Tommy Chong’s label, are used to reduce migraines, improve appetite, and calm Tourette’s Syndrome.

2. Jock Horror is another longtime favorite, another strong fast-acting, clear-headed, high energy buzz. A Indica-Sativa hybrid, it produces a fulfilling berry flavor but a prominent skunky aroma. A tall plant, it flowers early, so you can use it sooner. Approved for medical use, it is important to patients fighting anxiety, asthma, depression, headaches, migraines, stress, and other conditions.

3. Purple Kush is a gorgeous flower with rich, sweet, smoky, grape flavor. With almost 22% THC, it packs a wallop, a sedating strong high with a long-lasting euphoria. People favor these effects for treating anxiety, depression, insomnia, spasms, and tics. Somewhat difficult to grow, Purple Kush began in Humboldt County, CA and has spread throughout the northwest.

4. Blueberry is a vividly-colored Indica-Sativa hybrid with THC levels between 16 and 24%. Taste and scent remind you of the sweet earthy taste and aroma of blueberries. Your high will be a full-body relaxing buzz. It grows tall and well outdoors in warm, sunny climates. With a 16% THC level, it leaves you sleepy with an improved appetite and reduced headaches, nausea, and pain.

5. Durban Poison offers a sweet cinnamon flavor and a pine forest smell. The straight Sativa strain packs 19-24% THC, and users report high energy, clear-headedness, and uplifting creativity.  Growers promote its plump glands for extracting concentrates, and it continues as a popular, available smoke especially among the social smokers or those avoiding the stoner image.

6. Wonder Woman is another Sativa-dominant hybrid heading many lists for its psychoactive effects. An attractive plant with green, white, and red highlights. It has a strong, skunky taste and aroma. Its short time to flowering and fruitfulness makes it a go-to option for growing indoors or outdoors (in Mediterranean climates). More potent than its 18% THC might indicate, it’s a high you need to chill and enjoy.

7. Neville’s Hazeis 75% Sativa hybrid with a pleasant nutty and pine cone scent and spicy lemony taste. It’s a hard-hitting impact, too heavy, perhaps, for the newbie. A creativity and energy booster, it has been popular among smoking aficionados for decades. Promoters call it “The only true haze on the market.”

8. Jack Herer remains a top seller, and the market remains popular in medical experience because it kills pain. Easy to grow, patients often grow their own. A full-flavored, skunky, and musky experience, it is a great first smoke for starters. It’s a 55/45 Sativa-Indica hybrid with THC between 15 and 23%. The high hits early and is recommended for treating anxiety, chronic pain, depression, headaches, nausea, nervousness, migraines, and stress.

9. Zensation is an Indica dominant Sativa hybrid with a high (20-24%) THC level with rich berry flavors and forest aromas. It flowers in a brief eight to nine weeks, and it yields plentifully. That Indica dominance accounts for its drowsy physical and mental response. That also produces lengthy pain management for medical conditions that need deep sleep like apnea and insomnia.

10. Khalifa Kush packs a 26% THC punch in a 80/20 Indica-Sativa balance with a woodsy and minty flavor. It leaves users euphoric, tingly, and relaxed. But, they also report a heavy risk of anxiety and paranoia. The strong mind and body reaction reduces or forgets chronic medical conditions like arthritis pain, Chron’s disease, fiber myalgia, multiple sclerosis, and muscular and neurological spasms. 

This list favors strains that can be raised at home and provide significant medical remedies. It also favors smokables and slights concentrates and other derivatives

Hundreds of other strains appeal to as many different tastes. You might keep an eye on competition from Lavender, Colorado Bubba, Gelato, and Star Dawg, to name just a few.

You’ll also want to keep an eye on the Cannabis Cup winners in competitions running from January through June. Last year’s winners included Ghost Train Haze, Star Killer, and Larry OG.

Until the cannabis industry really has legs to stand on, it will not produce the data necessary to defining “best” strain. For the time being, the data availability relies mostly on popularity measured in sales.

But, as with all such things, criteria are developing for judgement. The evolution will build data-supported standards for enjoyment, THC power, cultivation heritage, growing life, and more. The industry will develop mechanisms for customer feedback, medical data, and harvest results. So, you can watch for competitions for most popular, most medically effective, most fruitful, most euphoric, and more.

At this time, the ten strains covered here will keep you busy at any marijuana taste testing.