Rejoice, my Cali smokers, we’re in a new era for the world’s most prestigious cannabis competition—the Emerald Cup. Now based in Oakland, a new venue means fresh blood; the leaderboard this year was a mix of newcomers, old favorites, and heady collaborations. Decibel Gardens made a splash with their own Roswell 47, a Jealousy cross. Huckleberry Hill Farms had a hand in multiple winners, from concentrates to prerolls to edibles. Rebel Grown’s Double OG Chem continues to dominate the Sungrown category, and Whitehorn Rose might be the strain of the year. That’s just scratching the surface.

From the best buds to edibles to what to put in your Puffco, here are the standout Emerald Cup winners and where you can find them in shops across California, all on Leafly. 

Flower

Hundreds of buds pass through judges’ pipes, papers, and bongs every year. The 2024 Cup had four growing categories, and we’ve picked the creme de la creme from each.

Indoor

Roswell 47 by Decibel Gardens is a cross of our 2023 Strain of the Year Jealousy crossed with their proprietary C-Note. It won the Indoor Flower Breeder’s Cup for its peppered berry terps. You can find it at Santa Cruz Naturals in Aptos, CA, LAXCC in Los Angeles, Jungle Boys San Diego in La Mesa, CA, and Pacabol in Chula Vista. 

Runner-up Nameless Genetics stood out with their Mega Wellness OG, a Chemdog x OG Kush cross with an OG Kush male that dates back to 2002, which created a kush with intense earthy, hoppy, and petrol profile. You can find it at Buzz Wellness in San Diego, Jungle Boys San Diego in La Mesa, CA, and Purple Lotus Patient Center in San Jose. 

Decibel Gardens takes third place with Golden Kiwi, a cross of Stardawg x Vanilla Kush that creates an energizing fruity and chemical canna-concoction. You can find it at Jungle Boys San Diego in La Mesa and Exhalence LA in Sun Valley, CA. 

See also: Seven Alien Labs strains placed in the top 20 indoor flowers this year, and the top was the sticky and sweet Honey Bananas S1 at number four; BK Satellite and Area 41 made the top 10.

Mixed light + Greenhouse

Terp Mansion takes the Mixed Light crown with a tantalizing Thin Mint x Jealousy cross, yet unnamed. You can only find it right now at Bigfoot Cannabis Co in Willow Creek, CA. 

Wave Rider Nursery and Humboldt Seed Co teamed up to bring HSC’s Blueberry Pancakes the Mixed Light Breeder’s Cup win, and second place for Mixed Light flower overall. You can get this sweet treat at Cornerstone Wellness in Los Angeles, Liberty Cannabis in Gardena, Mission Organic on Geary in San Francisco, and Airfield Supply Co in Redwood City.

Chameleon Craft fills out the podium with Bubble Bath. You can find it at Elevation 2477 in Nevada City, March and Ash in San Diego, Purple Star MD in San Francisco, and CoCo Farms in Concord, CA. 

Sungrown

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! The 2022 and 2023 Sungrown Flower winners, Farmer + the Felon and Rebel Grown, teamed up to take gold both and the Sungrown Breeder’s Cup with Rebel’s Double OG Chem. You can get it at Pacabol in Chula Vista and Padre Mu in Oakland. 

Teamwork makes the weed work, as Magic Meadow Farms x Conception Nurseries x Humido win second place with Heir Heads, available at The Boulevard in Lemon Grove, CA and Purple Star MD in San Francisco.

Ridgeline Farms has been building their reputation on their small stable of strains, and their proprietary Ridgeline Runtz is the leader. Runtz is available all over the country, and no two growers will have the same result. You can shop for another of their creations, LANTZ, which came in ninth, at Lemonnade in Union City,  Cookies in Hayward, and Cookies Brentwood in Los Angeles.

See also: If you prefer a low-THC experience, or want some CBD-rich flower to mix in with your next bowl or joint, Heartrock Mountain Farm’s Love and Laughter, a, 18:1 CBD:THC hybrid, won the Breeder’s Cup for Alternative Cannabinoid Flower. You can get it at both Solful locations, in San Francisco and Sebastopol, and at Cornerstone Wellness in Los Angeles. 

Concentrates

Solventless

Huckleberry Hill Farms and their Whitethorn Rose are dominating the solventless categories, no matter their partner. In this collaboration with Ay Papi, their Whitethorn Rose ice water hash reigned supreme. You can find it at Klover in San Diego and Berkeley Patients Group in Berkeley. Ay Papi also took third place in the hash category with their team-up with Mattole Valley Sun Grown to produce Purple Papaya, available through DNA Delivery in Los Angeles. Have Hash’s Sour Bears took silver.

Have Hash achieved total victory on the live rosin side with their Royal Budline collaboration on Honey Bananas, on shelves (for now) at Cookies Brentwood in Los Angeles and Lytt in Pacifica, CA. 

Moon Valley Cannabis, whose name you’ll see again later, came runner-up with their Panther Candy “dual consistency” rosin; they were also the fourth place hash winner, Neon Panther. An oldie but a goodie, Durban Lime, took third place thanks to Punch Extracts x Luma Farms.

Solvent 

No shame in the BHO game, we promise. Absolute Xtracts came in clutch with a 1-2 victory with Ghost Lemon and Original Z, shoppable at shops like The Chronic in Los Angeles and Nice Guys Delivery in San Rafael. Hot on their heels in third was some wax by a biblical roster collab of Holy Water x Happy Dreams Farm x Lemon Tree Farms with their Unholy Fez x Kiwi. You can find it at Airfield Supply Co – Redwood City.

Vapes

It’s hard to make vapes as appealing as straight flower or globby dabs, but these brands did it. Shoutout to Arcata Fire x Ridgeline Farms, who nabbed podium spots in both categories. 

Holy Water and Happy Dreams Farms are back to dominate the live resin vapes lane with Lemon Pave.

Arcata Fire x Ridgeline Farms and their Grape Gas sauce cart took second. 

ColdFire Extracts and a lost list of collaborators, Team Elite Genetics x Valley Grove x Lumpy’s Flowers x Green Dawg Cultivators x Blueprint x Booney Acres, took both third and fourth for BHO carts with Mimosa #3 and Grease Bucket.

ColdFire Extracts returned with Mountain Man Melts to take solventless vape gold with their Spritzer “ColdFire Juice Bar.” 

Arcata Fire x Ridgeline round out the podium with two collaborations of live rosin syrup in LANTZ and Grape Gas.

Prerolls 

Infused

Holy Water shows out again with a group effort with Good Pizza x CGO for a Fugazi x Tractor Fuel hash hole in the Deluxe Joint category. Senior Editor David Downs predicted Tractor Fuel would be a hit this year, and he was right again!

Wedding Cake proves it’s still a hit with a first place infused preroll by Selfies.

Moon Valley Cannabis pops up again with Neon Panther for third place.  

Non-infused

Moon Valley Cannabis gets gold and bronze for straight bud joints with Grape Gas and Hash Burger, respectively.

Hogwash Pharms x Huckleberry Hill Farms proves Whitethorn Rose is a winner in all forms. 

Edibles

Oui’d Confections x ST6R x Huckleberry Hill Farms bring the acumen of good food and good weed in the Sweet Category winners, Blackberry Limeade Soft Chew, followed by Emerald Sky’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Shop them here and here. 

Ay Papi and Huckleberry Hill Farms team up with ST6R for a Whitethorn Rose live rosin gummy in third place. P&B made a splash with a Cucumber Melon hash gummy.

If you prefer a bev, you need Blaze Mota x Cheech’s Stash’s Cheeche’lada.

View all The Emerald Cup 2024 winners, and have a great sesh.

Daytime smokers have a special strain to enjoy the fall season all across the US’s 37 legalization states and beyond.  The ironically named weed strain Super Boof has become a top 200 variety thanks to its flavor, pretty look, dank citrus smell and taste, and lovely center-of-the-road effects. (This Leafly HighLight is brought to you by I Love Growing Marijuana.)

Super Boof (aka Blockberry) is winning contests, taking over grow rooms, and pollinating the next crop of winners—making Super Boof our Leafly HighLight for September 2024.

A brilliant cross of Black Cherry Punch and Trop Cookies, Super Boof averages 4.6 out of 5 points after 134 reviews—which is pretty, pretty, pretty good.

It’s got dead-center hybrid effects that make folks giggly, hungry, and high. Some people use it to pour sunshine on the blues, or de-stress and chill the heck out. Since it does test well into the mid-20s for THC percentage, newbies might get a little nervous or dizzy. Never fear—drink some orange juice and put on some chill beats.

Super Boof combines a stunning look, daytime effects, and legit medical attributes.

On looks: “This has had to be the most beautiful strain I’ve ever smoked. The bright purple looks like sparkles and the trichomes are even more sparkly,” said one Leafly reviewer.

ILGM is partnering with Phylos Bioscience to empower homegrowers to reach their fullest potential with genetically stable F1 Hybrid seeds. Using a data-driven approach, Phylos has deciphered the genome of the cannabis plant, helping them better understand the plant and be able to assess the beneficial properties of specific cannabis plants through genetic markers while breeding. Shop the Phylos collab line of cannabis seeds from ILGM in three categories: Elite, Premium, and Autoflower.

On Super Boof’s effects

“There’s focus plus another level of focus that wants to bore in on whatever it’s pointed toward. Super Boof does that for me,” said another.

As a medicine

“Suuuper boofed. Got rid of my body dysmorphia, feeling like the bad bitch I always knew I was ;),” said one.

Another reviewer says: “I smoke for chronic pain and I’ve never seen another strain handle my pain this well.”

Who has the Super-est Boofs?

Super Boof has become a top 200 flavor in the US in just three years, with ample options coast to coast as flower, dabs, pens, and more.

Los Angeles—check with Cream of the Crop, and Oakfruitland.

Portlanders in Oregon have Benson Arbor brand, and Trichome Brands. In Washington State—Plaid Jacket is your go-to, as well as Soulshine, and Constellation. 

Phoenix, AZ has joints by Jeeter, and carts by Rove, and Timeless. In Colorado, we’d start with Veritas or Rare Dankness. It’s great to see legal Albuquerque, NM get dabs and pre-rolls, just like the coast. 

Kansas City, MO rocks Super Boof from Codes, Elevate Missouri, and Proper. In Chicago—Northern Heights sells Blockberry flower and live rosin. 

Shoutout Harbor House in Massachusetts for their superb flower. Boston also has Super Boof cannagars and cold cure live rosin. 

Medical Miami has edible, potent RSO Super Boof with mind-bloggling applications. And Bangor, Maine has tasty live rosin carts of the cultivar from Kalikori Farms.

Super Boof seeds

Super Boof comes from the breeder Blockhead Genetics, who calls it Blockberry. Grower Mobile Jay who made the Super Boof selection an ironic name, which can refer to bad weed.

New Super Boof crosses include Offensive Genetix’s Playmate (Superboof x Pink Lady 27), and Angel’s Rest (Superboof x Hellcat 15). An all-star relative—Surfr Seeds’ Point Break.

Blockhead tells Leafly it feels “pretty good” to see the Blockberry wave build nationally. 

“I’m happy that others like it and I hope I can keep making others stoked on the flavors I create,” Blockhead told Leafly.

He’s at work making Blockberry F2 and crossing Super Boof to all the hype lines including Cap Junky, Lemon Cherry Gelato, Z, and so much more. 

“I’m going to be popping and hunting through a ton of those crosses.”

Super Boof awards

Leafly feels proud to have heralded the arrival of Super Boof in 2022. The cultivar scored trophies each year since, including 2023 wins at the Oregon Leaf Bowl, and The Ego Clash. The San Diego Farmer’s Cup this May awarded a Super Boof cross highest combined cannabinoids and combined terpenes. Yew! 

Super Boof terpenes

Speaking of those essential weed oils—the terps—we think Super Boof has to be high in myrcene, with some caryophyllene and some limonene, pinene, or terpinolene in it. Individual bags may vary. The myrcene shows up in Tangie, while the caryophyllene is common in Trop Cookies. Myrcene plus terpinolene is a very prominent “sativa” terp combo.

Other highlights this September

Can’t buy our HighLight? Don’t cry, dry your eyes—with three related or seasonal picks.

Orange Runtz

Keep your eyes peeled for a rare Orange Runtz. It’s Runtz crossed to an old-school African Orange from the seed brand Equilibrium Genetics.

Yuzu Sour

Sour Tangie helps power Yuzu Sour ILGM made it super-easy to grow by crossing it to their current auto of choice—EZBake AF.

Clementine

Tangie to a Lemon Skunk yields Clementine, which has searing sativa effects. Clementine’s a classic that deserves a reboot.

Bonus pick: Lime Glow Auto

Get sour citrus terps in an easy-to-grow format with the Phylos+ILGM Lime Glow Auto. Lime Glow auto combines OG Kush x Skunk #1 x EZBake AF to finish automagically in 12 to 14 weeks.

OK, there’s your morning cup of juice to get you going in September. The days don’t get any longer—so make each one count!

The best THCA flower to get you high in nearly every state. These recommendations on the best THCA flower are made by Leafly’s Product Picks team after extensive research, internal debate, and expert consultation. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.

We’ve been grinding hard—rolling and smoking hard, too—doing our best to find you the very best high-THCA hemp flower. Read on to find our picks for the best brands providing hemp happiness and some choice strains that you can find online and order straight to your door.

A quick look at the best THCA flower

Best classic strains: Arete, White Widow

Best value: Apollo, Ice Cream Cookies

Best top-shelf: Lucky Elk, Cereal Milk

Best high-potency options: Bay Smokes, Jealousy

Best selection: The Green Dragon CBD, Gary Payton

We here at Leafly Product Picks are thrilled to report that the hemp revolution isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. The industry is certainly making progress fast enough to make your head spin even when you’re sober, but never fear, our team of experts puts their lungs on the line every day to keep up with the latest and greatest developments.

The best THCA flower of 2024: Reviews and recommended products

Price: $35.00 | THCA: 33.9% | Type: Hybrid | Effects: Euphoric, uplifting, creative

Recommended strain

Arete has done an incredible job bringing this classic strain over to hemp. Their White Widow clocks in at an impressive 33.9% THCA, a hefty potency that demands respect. White Widow is descended from a Brazilian sativa landrace and a landrace hailing from South India. True to its name, Arete’s White Widow is coated in a generous white dusting of cool trichomes, and features a delightfully earthy, herbal flavor profile. If you haven’t had the opportunity to try this iconic strain, click the link below and see what all the fuss is about, courtesy of Arete.

More on this strain: One of the giants in the weed world, White Widow has been one of the most popular strains ever since it was first introduced into the famous coffeeshops of Amsterdam, before becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It’s an ever so slightly sativa-leaning hybrid, and originally gained prominence as a day-time smoke and preferred way to encourage creative energy. Time hasn’t dulled White Widow’s fabled powers one bit; it remains one of our team’s go-to’s for brainstorming and socializing.

Our pick for the best source for classic strains that have cemented themselves as true legends, Arete has quickly risen to become one of the most talked-about brands in the THCA flower game. If you’re a newbie to this world with an interest in hemp history, THCA, or any of its cousin cannabinoids, then Arete has the classic strains that you need to try to begin your training to become a true hemp connoisseur. Arete prides themselves on providing a dynamic selection of hemp flower that includes modern, exotic strains as well as an extensive repertoire of classics.

Price: $34.99 | THCA: 19-21% | Type: Indica hybrid | Effects: Relaxing, happy

Use LEAFLY20 for 20% off at Apollo.

Recommended strain

Ice Cream Cookies is a strain with a storied history and elite pedigree that makes it nothing short of weed royalty, and Apollo’s high THCA rendition of this classic is a masterpiece. Apollo’s Ice Cream Cookies is a moderately potent strain, testing at between 19-21% THCA, an amount ideal for modest consumers and high-tolerance individuals looking for a gentler high.

More on this strain: A favorite of dessert lovers everywhere, Ice Cream Cookies is a decadently creamy and smooth indica-like that has the sweetness to live up to its name and then some. Our team favored Ice Cream Cookies at the end of a long day when all we wanted to do was melt into something soft and let all the stress of the day fall away. This strain is also famed for its pain relief properties, making it a popular choice among those who incorporate various cannabinoids into their workout or wellness routines.

Apollo also makes it easier than ever before to make sure your stores are always full with their monthly subscription service. Customers who subscribe receive Apollo’s premium THCA flower shipped to their door every single month, and not only that, but they save an additional 20% off the purchase price. Whether you’re looking for a gentle stargazing aid or high-octane rocket fuel to help you leave orbit, Apollo has the THCA flower that’s just what you need.

Use LEAFLY20 for 20% off at Apollo.

Price: $40.00 | THCA: 28.3% | Type: Hybrid | Effects: Relaxing, giggly, creative

Recommended strain

Cereal Milk is the standard bearer for a new generation of popular strains making their way into the THCA field, and Lucky Elk is one of the only outlets that provides this soon-to-be iconic wonder. While Cereal Milk may have a name that invokes childhood flavors—and don’t get us wrong, Cereal Milk is plenty sweet—this strain has a complex bouquet of scents and aromas that require an experienced pallet to totally appreciate. Cereal Milk remains an excellent companion to watching TV on Saturday morning, however.

More on this strain:Snowman and Y Life are the famous progenitors of Cereal Milk, making this exciting strain nothing less than true-blue hemp royalty with the pedigree to prove it. It’s an impeccably balanced 50/50 hybrid making it a jack-of-all-trades sort of strain that can match, and then enhance, your vibe, no matter how social or chill it happens to be. Lucky Elk’s rendition of this strain makes for a stunningly beautiful nug with striking orange highlights over vibrant greens and deep, deep purps. These are some photogenic nugs for sure; so make sure to take a few snapshots for posterity’s sake before your session begins in earnest. You’ll want to remember this one.

Our pick for the true hemp connoisseurs out there, Lucky Elk elevates THCA into an art form.  Lucky Elk considers themselves to be a team of farmers first and business people second, and as such maintaining a vibrant connection to the Oregon hills is of paramount importance to this enterprising brand. In our writers’ opinion, this dedication to the land has paid off about a hundredfold; Lucky Elk hemp is some of the best in the world, and the crew at Lucky Elk treat their precious product with the respect it deserves. Ordering from Lucky Elk provides a plant-focused experience rare in the industry—try it yourself and experience what hemp is truly capable of when grown by master hands.

Price: $40.00 | THCA: 24% | Type: 50/50 hybrid | Effects: Relaxing, giggly, energizing

Use LEAFLY20 for 20% off at Bay Smokes.

Recommended strain

Jealousy has been inspiring desire in eager consumers for a few years now, but Bay Smokes has made it easier than ever to get a taste of this sumptuous strain. Our team loved how quick and easy Bay Smokes made it for us to get our hands on some stunning Jealousy nugs. Shipping was fast and discrete, and our gorgeous green and orange flower arrived wholly intact. If you’ve been finding yourself coveting something new to remind you of what made smoking so special, check out Jealousy from Bay Smokes and help your wandering heart find some contentment.

More on this strain: The green-eyed monster herself, Jealousy is a world-famous hybrid that secured the hotly contested Leafly Strain of the Year award for 2022 and has been a mainstay of weed culture ever since. It’s a lucky break that Jealousy is the sort of strain that effectively chills your mind and elevates the body, or else its lush, fruity aroma with leading notes of diesel and a slightly funky finish might cause envious tension in the smoking circle when supplies begin to run dry. Bay Smokes’ Jealousy also boasts a THCA percentage in the mid-twenties, making it a heavy hitter best reserved for the experienced smoker.

Bay Smokes is a brand that proudly proclaims that a bright new era of hemp is dawning, and we at Leafly are 100% here for it. A minority/woman-owned outfit dedicated to providing hemp of the highest quality, Bay Smokes has carved out an impressive niche for themselves in the THCA flower market, as well as offering a respectable selection of edibles and extracts. For high THCA hemp flower with that legendary California charm without those legendary California prices, choose Bay Smokes.

Use LEAFLY20 for 20% off at Bay Smokes.

Price: $39.95 | THCA: 28.7% | Type: 50/50 hybrid | Effects: Euphoric, Relaxing

Use LEAFLY20 for 20% off at The Green Dragon CBD.

Recommended strain

Gary Payton is a near-perfect 50/50 hybrid and generally a bit less potent than some of the other strains on this list, so if you’re new to the world of smoking THCA flower, Gary Payton may be a perfect place to start. The Green Dragon CBD brings their Gary Payton to you from Hemp Living, a premium supplier noted for their quality, so rest easy knowing that you’ll be getting only reputable, third-party lab-tested hemp from The Green Dragon.

More on this strain:Gary Payton is one of the most popular recent strains to emerge onto the scene, a multiple cannabis cup champion winner that is worthy of bearing the name of the legendary Seattle Supersonics player. Just like the man himself, Gary Payton is smooth throughout and finishes clean. We found Gary Payton to be an uplifting, strain that left us with an easy euphoria, helping conversation flow much easier and good times come faster. This makes Gary an easy invite to any sort of social gathering, from a movie night with a few friends to an all-night banger.

Don’t let the name fool you, The Green Dragon CBD has heaps more than just classic CBD. They possess one of the widest selections of hemp products that you are likely to find online these days, with THCA, CBD, delta-8, HHC, and even more cannabinoids making an appearance. They’ve got more hemp than Santa Claus has toys, all reputably sourced and distributed by The Green Dragon’s expert team. Spend an afternoon perusing their site, and you’ll be presented with a veritable buffet of hemp goodness.

Use LEAFLY20 for 20% off at The Green Dragon CBD.

Why you can trust Leafly Product Picks

Leafly is the world’s leading cannabis discovery platform and provides a vast library of content from some of the most respected voices in cannabis. Leafly Product Picks prioritizes accuracy and integrity in our selections, working through mountains of research and testimonials to source products you can trust.

Jake Rosendale: Lead Content Writer, Brands & Products

Jake Rosendale is Leafly’s Lead Content Writer, Brands & Products. He’s been with Leafly since 2022, where he spends his time researching the best products in the wide world of weed. Jake’s been writing about cannabis, food, and wine in the Seattle area for 5 years. In addition to Leafly, you can find his work in Seattle Met Magazine and High Times. He loves sci-fi novels, country music, and Super Lemon Haze.

Anna Elliott: Senior Content Editor, Brands & Products

Anna Elliott is Leafly’s Senior Content Editor, Brands & Products. She’s been with Leafly since 2021, managing and editing brand-related content and bringing the best stories on the industry’s top products to life. With a decade of experience reviewing products, covering brands, and editing stories, Anna loves talking up the people & products that make a real difference in readers’ every day. She’s found that Space Mints makes the perfect pairing for enjoying her frankly irresponsible vinyl collection.

What is THCA flower?

While the high-THCA flower on this list looks, tastes, and smokes, extremely similar to cannabis flower (the same stuff that our readers who live in adult-use states can purchase from a dispensary), all of these picks are 100% Farm Bill-compliant hemp flower. That means that this THCA flower has all the euphoric, psychoactive benefits of traditional cannabis, as well as the access and ease-of-purchase of hemp products like CBD or delta-8 THC dominant items.

Here’s the essential takeaway that you need to know: High-THCA hemp flower is federally legal weed that will get you high if you smoke it that can also be shipped to your door in most US states with no medical card required. Sounds pretty good, no?  

If you’re interested in the technicalities of what exactly THCA is, the differences between THCA and the THC you may be more familiar with, or how exactly any of this is legal, head over to the Leafly cannabis glossary. Our glossary is the single greatest source for cannabis and hemp knowledge on the internet, and has everything you need to know about hemp, THCA, THC, CBD, and maybe even life itself. Now, that may be an overstatement, but who’s to say? You’ll have to read the whole glossary to find out.

Final thoughts

And that’s all, folks, the very best THCA flower available today. As we’ve said, this field changes by the day (sometimes by hour) and the race for the best flower never stops, so make sure to check back in on this article regularly to see if there’s something new for you to fall in love with. And don’t forget to check out the rest of our Product Picks to see our selections for the greatest finds in the wide world of cannabis. Be well! 

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Availability subject to law.