7 Best Strains in Italy

Italy’s climate is diverse and varies significantly between the northern and southern regions. The northern areas, such as Liguria and Lombardy, have a continental climate with shorter summers and colder winters. Conversely, the southern areas enjoy a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, making it an ideal location for outdoor cannabis cultivation.

In Italy, planting typically occurs during spring, and harvesting occurs in autumn when the days are shorter and the temperatures are cooler. This timing allows for optimal growth and development of the cannabis plant, resulting in a high-quality harvest. If you’re looking for the top cannabis strains to cultivate in Italy, then you’re in luck. Here are the seven best strains to consider.

1. Caramellow Kush

Caramellow Kush Automatic combines two potent hybrids, the heavy-hitting Gorilla and the flavoursome Zkittlez. Italian cannabis growers have widely embraced this strain due to its high potency and ease of cultivation. This strain has proven successful in various climates, from the damp northern regions to the sunny south, making it a versatile choice for growers across the country.

Like a classic Kush, Caramellow Kush produces big, chunky buds covered in trichomes that fill the internodal spacing with a classic indica appearance. Despite being an autoflowering strain, it is known for its high-yielding nature, with growers recording yields of up to 550 grams after a 55 to 70-day flowering period. Similar to a traditional indica strain, Italian cannabis users have reported experiencing a sustained body high that induces feelings of euphoria and contentment.

Well-known for its sweet and creamy profile, Caramellow Kush Automatic is almost reminiscent of your grandparents’ Werther’s Originals. It also has a subtle, sweet, and fruity fragrance that leaves a candy-like taste in your mouth, thanks to the influence of Zkittlez. Upon exhalation, users can experience the distinct, robust, earthy flavour and skunky undertones commonly associated with Kush varieties. If you’re a Kush enthusiast fond of sweet flavours, it is definitely worth trying out!

2. Sweet Tangerine Tango

This potent indica strain, Sweet Tangerine Tango Automatic, was created by crossbreeding three highly potent cultivars: OG Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, and Face-Off OG. It is a heavy-hitting strain that delivers a strong punch. Sweet Tangerine Tango Automatic has been a popular choice among Italian cultivators since its addition to our White Label collection in 2023.

Sweet Tangerine Tango is a versatile strain that thrives in Mediterranean climates. Thanks to its autoflowering traits, this strain is easy to grow and its compact and robust nature. With a flowering period of between 55 and 65 days, this strain produces compact buds that stack on themselves, filling the short internodal spacing. However, growers should be aware of the heavy foliage throughout the vegetation period and consider defoliation to ensure optimal growth.

True to its name, Sweet Tangerine Tango boasts an exquisite terpene profile featuring loud notes of zesty tangerine and subtle fragrances of spicy charas. These delightful aromas are sure to make your mouth water in anticipation of the strain’s potent effects. As a well-balanced hybrid, users can anticipate an uplifting euphoria that frees the mind, enhances creativity, and gradually transitions into a long-lasting subtle body high.

3. Guerrilla’s Gusto

For outdoor growers in Italy, Guerrilla’s Gusto is the perfect indica strain. It boasts a quick flowering time, easy growth, and can tolerate even the harshest weather conditions. While it was developed to enhance Indian lineage, its tall posture stands apart from other indicas. One thing to note is that this is a regular strain, so you will need to determine the sex of your plant after about four weeks.

Despite their indica-dominant genetics, Guerilla’s Gusto plants can reach impressive heights when planted in open soil. However, indoors, they can be kept at a manageable size with the help of training techniques. This strain is highly resilient to temperature changes, pests, and precipitation, making it suitable for cultivation in any climate across Italy. Its large and dense buds coated in a sticky resin layer make Guerilla Gusto an attractive addition to any garden.

Guerilla’s Gusto provides a classic old-school indica experience with sticky buds offering a physical and relaxing high. The strain’s aroma combines the subtle fragrance of citrus with fresh sandalwood and earth, creating a unique and pleasant blend. Guerilla’s Gusto is best enjoyed in the late afternoons, as the high begins with an uplifting sense of euphoria that eventually transitions into a long-lasting and soothing body high.

4. Banana Kush Cake

Banana Kush Cake, an indica-dominant autoflower, is highly suitable for cultivation across Italy, including the colder northern regions. It is a true powerhouse with genetics, including Wedding Cheesecake, Banana Kush, and Hindu Kush Auto. Its unique terpene profile provides a delightful aroma, yielding a substantial quantity of flavourful buds from an autoflowering variety.

Banana Kush Cake is a robust and compact cultivar boasting a sturdy posture and a sizable apical stem. Its distinct autoflowering characteristics make it an ideal choice for growers in cooler climates with higher precipitation levels. After harvest, Banana Kush Cake yields dense conical buds distinguished by their swollen calyxes and vibrant orange pistils, making it a visually striking addition to any collection.

This indica-dominant strain is known for its calming effects on the body, accompanied by a mild euphoric and uplifting high that can boost energy levels and creativity. Banana Kush Cake is characterised by a skunky aroma with hints of sweet citrus and banana, which is where it derives its name. Its dominant flavours include refreshing notes of sweet citrus, ripe banana, and creamy brown sugar combined with spicy charas.

5. Purple Skunk

Sensi Seeds Research strains boast impressive genetics, and Purple Skunk Automatic is no exception. With a genetic makeup of 75% indica and 25% sativa, it is a hybrid of Hindu Kush Auto, Shiva Skunk, and Skunk #1. As the name suggests, the buds have a high concentration of anthocyanins, which display a multitude of purples throughout the flowering stage. Purple Skunk Automatic maintains a compact size throughout its growth cycle, making it an ideal choice for those with limited space.

The Purple Skunk strain boasts a dense central bud that is heavy and oversized, coated in trichomes and adorned with a rich purple hue. With just eight weeks of flowering, this cultivar is remarkably tough and resilient, able to flourish in any Italian garden. For those cultivating marijuana outdoors in the Northern Regions, such as Lombardy, Veneto, and Piedmont, the lower temperatures in the final stage of flowering can aid in bringing out the beautiful purple shades.

Growers should note that as the Purple Skunk Automatic plants approach harvest time, their skunky, earthy, and moist aroma with a hint of sweetness and exotic sandalwood becomes more pronounced. This is due to the strain’s lineage, which includes three indica-powerhouses, resulting in a high that leans towards indica. Users often report feeling an intense, long-lasting, soothing effect that relaxes them without causing couchlock.

Related post

6. White Diesel Haze

White Diesel Haze is a popular sativa-dominant hybrid created by breeding Diesel with the indica-dominant White Widow. Due to its unique characteristics, this strain has gained popularity for indoor and outdoor cultivation in Italy. Unsurprisingly, this strain has become a favourite among cannabis enthusiasts!

White Diesel Haze is a strain known for its ease of cultivation and maintenance. It has a compact structure and a delightful fruity flavour profile. The buds of this strain are usually dense and covered in resinous trichomes, with dark green foliage and fiery orange pistils. Although it has a long flowering time of 65 days, the strain can yield significant results. You can also use training techniques like SCROG, SOG, and supercropping to increase your yields.

With a robust diesel-like fragrance and subtle notes of citrus and earthiness, the aroma of White Diesel Haze is intricate and complex. The flavour profile is similar, with a dominant diesel taste accompanied by sweet and tangy undertones. This strain’s high cannabinoid levels contribute to strong cerebral and uplifting effects, with users reporting increased focus and creativity, making it an ideal choice for daytime use.

7. Blueberry Zkittlez Automatic

Blueberry Zkittlez Automatic was introduced into our collection in 2022, quickly gaining widespread popularity among Italian consumers. This strain’s genetic heritage comprises Blueberry, NL #5, Skunk Kush, and Durban. The buds are characterised by their delightfully fruity taste, complemented by hints of cacao and sandalwood. Additionally, it delivers a relaxing and all-encompassing high. Blueberry Zkittlez Automatic is a compact, low-maintenance hybrid that is easy to cultivate.

It is a visually striking plant with a compact structure, tightly spaced internodes, and one dominant central cola. During the flowering phase, purple tones can be observed beneath the layer of thick, large-headed trichomes. The plant’s compact structure is filled with dense buds, while bright orange stigmas adorn the green and purple plant material below. Blueberry Zkittlez Automatic is a hardy strain that can flourish throughout Italy, from the northern regions of Lombardy to Apulia and Sicily.

As the Blueberry Zkittlez Automatic is harvested and cured, it emanates a beautiful blend of fragrances. Its aroma is intricate, multifaceted, and energising, with a sweet and fruity scent that is complemented by hints of grapefruit and chocolate on the palate’s back end. Being a well-balanced hybrid, the initial cerebral euphoria induced by Blueberry Zkittlez Automatic gradually fades into a soothing body relaxation that promotes a mild sedative feeling and induces drowsiness.

Another serving of Gelato?

Undoubtedly, there are numerous other exceptional cannabis strains being grown throughout Italy, and the ones mentioned here are just a small selection of what’s available. We want to thank the Italian growing community for their dedicated efforts. It’s delightful to witness the impact of the community on the European cannabis scene. With an increasing number of Growdiaries, cannabis expos, and trade shows in Italy, we eagerly anticipate what the future holds for Italy.