If you spend a lot of time looking for cannabis strains or goods, you’ll notice that certain names repeat themselves frequently, especially “Kush.” Kush is one of several foundation strains that has been used to create a whole family of strains and hybrid cannabis chemovars. Looking to try something new? Check out this OCTOKUSH.
Kush strains are indica-dominant, with a calm, soothing high that can help people unwind at the end of the day. So where did this strain come from, how has it become so popular in cannabis, and how can you tell whether Kush is suitable for you? Let’s take a look.
The Characteristics of Kush Cannabis
Kush cannabis has thick buds. This sort of cannabis usually has deep green colas and, in rare cases, a faint purple tint on its leaves. Orange or rust-hued pistils may be found on the tiny hairs on the plant, which are known as pistils (from Latin “pistillum” meaning “little cup”), although their color varies. Kush has a powerful odor that can range from natural and earthy to sweet and floral, making it difficult to detect based solely on smell.
One of the reasons why marijuana users enjoy kush so much is because it produces a particularly powerful high. What should you anticipate if you smoke kush cannabis? Kush strains are generally indica or hybrid varieties that make the user feel incredibly calm and sleepy. Kush strains are frequently used to treat pain owing to their anti-inflammatory, sedative, and pain-relieving effects.
Some kush strains can make you feel lightheaded and concentrated. Before selecting a strain, speak with a budtender at the shop to ensure you understand what sort of high you’ll receive.
How cannabis is categorized
Cannabis is a far more complicated topic than just “good” and “bad” cannabis. And as new legal cannabis industries develop, breeders and would-be growers continue to experiment with current strains, producing all-new varieties with perplexing names to put on dispensary shelves.
Even though there are well over 18,000 strains known about, the majority of them ultimately return to a small trio of strain families: Kush, Haze, and Skunk. Cannabis strains are usually classified as “indica,” “sativa,” or “hybrid.” Even though there is no scientific evidence to support this, many cannabis enthusiasts rely on this to determine what sort of high they will get from a strain.
Kush, Haze, and Skunk are three well-known marijuana strains that have been used to create hundreds of new strains with their appearance, flavor, fragrance, and psychotropic effects. Landrace strains are wild native plants that evolved in different climates around the world, developing distinct characteristics as a result of their surroundings.
What is Kush?
The Hindu Kush mountain range is a region of lofty mountains, flowing waterways, and isolated villages that extends across parts of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and northern Pakistan. Cannabis and hashish have been cultivated in the valleys between the snowy peaks for millennia, giving rise to hardy landrace strains that formed the basis for what we know as “Kush” today.
During the 1960s and 1970s, when Afghanistan was still part of the Hippie Trail, a large number of cannabis consumers and other travelers visited the country and experienced one of the world’s most beautiful locations – with some of the most powerful marijuana on offer. Many of them took these landrace seeds with them to their native countries, where they formed the basis for Kush strains that are popular today.
What are Kush strains like?
Kush is a strain name used to describe several different cannabis strains. It’s possible that the term “Kush” was applied to any number of plants over time as a result of some form of scientific procedure.
The physical attributes of kush strains
The parents of the Orange Kush are from the Canna family. It is an indica strain that grows shorter and bushier, with big leaves that frequently have a purple tint to them. Kush strains tend to be thick-skinned and resin-coated, and they often have a slight purple tinge.
Kush strains developed a hardy, long-lasting nature as a result of their landrace origins, which contributed to their success in the harsh conditions of the Hindu Kush region and made them more resilient in colder climates.
What does kush weed smell and taste like?
The scent of Kush cannabis, as befits its high-country origins, is rich in earthy and pine scents. Floral, hazy, or sweet and spicy are other notes of Kush marijuana. Smelling Kush weed may be a highly-sensory experience due to its aromas and smooth, earthy tastes.
However, it’s difficult to know what your own preferences will be. Because these characteristics aren’t rigid, they have a major impact. The fragrance of the Kush strain you smoke will be affected by the terpene makeup. If the strain is high in humulene, it’ll most likely have a hoppy scent (depending on other terpenes and how they interact). A limonene-dominant strain would be citrusy; pinene would provide a woodsy note, etc…
Growing kush strains
Kush landraces have been able to survive and flourish in the hostile Hindkush Mountains for millennia. Because these are generally strong strains with landrace roots, they don’t require a lot of attention and are often more simple to grow than other cannabis strains.
Kush strains can often be high yield, producing dense, resin-coated and highly aromatic buds. The very sticky, trichomes-laden nature of Kush flowers is a big part of what made them ideal for the making of hash.
Indica strains are more likely to produce dense buds than Sativa strains, and they’ll grow shorter and squat as a result. Indica varieties thrive in dry, bright locations with low humidity levels.
What kush strains feel like
Kush strains are recognized for being sedative and relaxing, somewhat like curling up in a blanket and looking over a steaming cup of tea in a mountaintop Hindu Kush village. The high can be quite euphoric and joyful, but it isn’t particularly energetic or cerebral, as is the case with Haze strains.
Kush strains are known for their euphoric, uplifting effects. Even though the chemical makeup of the chemovar determines the high, not whether it’s indica or sativa or a kush or haze, Kush strains are frequently compared to Indica strains in terms of optimism and happiness.
Kush strains’ peaceful highs make them excellent for anxiety, stress, and sleeplessness. These are strains known to produce the “couch-lock” sensation that scores of cannabis users seek out when they want to relax and chill at the end of the day.
A Kush strain isn’t always the best choice if you want a “wake and bake” strain or one to boost your creativity and energy throughout the day.
Terpenes and cannabinoids in kush strains
The CBD in Kush strains is typically low, but the THC shouldn’t be too high unless the chemovar was crossed with one that has a lot of CBD.
Kush’s terpenes depend on the strain in question. Bubba Kush (a cross between Kush and Northern Lights), according to our studies, has high amounts of Beta-Caryophyllene and Alpha-Humulene, both of which have been shown in studies to induce a relaxing effect. Delta-Limonene is also more active and common in citrus fruits than delta-Limonene. Both strains contain similar levels of Beta-Myrcene, the most prevalent terpene found in cannabis, which has been linked to a relaxing impact.
These chemical profiles, on the other hand, are largely determined by the strain’s genetic makeup. Kush strains tend to have a high THC content with terpenes that produce a relaxing effect and a blend of tastes that range from earthy to sweet and spicy.
Kush has been selectively bred to the point that pure Kush strains are extremely rare. It’s almost hard to tell the cannabinoid and terpene profile of the original Kush because there are no trademarks for cannabis types.
Even if Kush strains had unique characteristics in the past, it’s uncertain what they were or why they existed. Even while science learns more about what distinguishes different cannabis strains, you should prioritize your pick based on its chemical make-up.
Some popular kush strains to get to know
The popularity of the Kush strains has earned them a reputation as “kush.” It’s partly due to the success and near-ubiquity of certain Kush strains, which you should get to know.
OG Kush
Where would marijuana be if it weren’t for OG Kush? OG Kush is easily one of the most famous strains ever created, with a long line of fantastic cannabis chemovars bred from it (whether or not the origin of OG Kush is clear, both Hindu Kush and Chemdawg have been linked to it). Because to its name, OG Kush is a legend on the West Coast.
The name “OG” has various meanings, according to who you ask. The OG is said to stand for “Original Gangster” or “Ocean Grown,” owing to a myth that it was cultivated by the sea rather than in the mountains or hills of northern California, which made it such a successful strain. Another narrative maintains that it stands for “Original Grower” in honor of the people who flew Kush seeds from Afghanistan to the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Finally, Josh D, one of the OG Kush breeders frequently identified as being responsible for the creation of OG Kush, has said that it stands for “Original Gangster” and that it was given that name to distinguish it from other strains claiming to be the real OG Kush.
The bottom line is that because this strain is so popular and has been developed in a variety of ways, the sample you receive may be significantly different from the original grown in southern California. It should still be an unforgettable experience, regardless.
Bubba Kush
This Kush variety was created by a grower named Matt “Bubba” Berger from some Northern Lights seeds and a Kush plant, according to High Times. In the 1990s, the strain became extremely popular in Los Angeles, fostering what High Times called “the Kush Craze.”
Bubba Kush is a powerfully sedative “couch lock” chemovar that isn’t recommended for smoking before noon (though you’re free to try). It has an earthy scent and a sweet flavor, making it ideal for insomnia and stress. It also produces a strongly euphoric effect to help you fall asleep deeper in the couch.
Hindu Kush
Why not choose a strain named for the location where it all began? Hindu Kush is an indica landrace with origins in the mountains that are its name. It has dense buds with a thick covering of resin, which is one of its major appeals to hash producers. Hindu Kush has an earthy, sweet scent that may be compared to hashish. It creates a relaxing and soothing effect that may assist you get a good night’s sleep or just relax your muscles .