Listen up, high-tolerance flavor-chasers who need that lip-smacking goodness that only modern exotics can deliver.
After another stressful sprint to Turkey Day, we all deserve some euphoric, indelible tastes to smoke and share.
Leafly’s monthly fire flower roundup for November includes flavors like Connected’s Cherry Fade, The Otherside’s new Sunrise Papaya, Cipher Genetics’ Chikitaz, and Candy Fumez grown by Greendawg.
As always, we tirelessly traveled up and down the Pacific coast, visiting contests, grows, pheno hunts, art openings, and stores. We scoured strain search trends and menus across the Western US—the world’s cannabis innovation epicenter—to distill this list of cheat codes to the best bong loads of November 2023.
It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it. #NoDaysOff. So here’s November 2023’s Leafly Buzz, another installment in our influential, three-years-running series of strain reports.
Data grinder
Highlights from monthly changes in traffic on the West Coast among our 5,000-strain database (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Super Boof
⬆ 23%
The ironically named Super Boof. Boof is slang for low-grade. Grown by Triple 7, CA. Hybrid. (David Downs/Leafly)
The Trop Cookies x Cherry Punch project from breeder Blockhead heads into the holidays with crazy momentum on the West Coast. Super Boof boosted up 23% month over month in views to its Strain Detail Page, capping an extraordinary year for the strain. Superboof makes for a great wake and bake weed, with hints of old-school Tangie, just with more body and dankness in gargantuan nugs. Hit the Superboof before Danksgiving to make annoying relatives more tolerable and amp up hunger for seconds.
Bag it up
How to order weed delivery online with Leafly
Jealousy
⬆ 3.5%
(Courtesy The Minntz)
Leafly Strain of the Year 2023 Jealousy nudges up 3.5% in traffic this month, capping an epic year that saw the elite Gelato project double its presence in stores nationally. Jealousy has risen to become the 24th most viewed strain in the database, up from 98th place this time last year. The creamy, berry, fuel-tasting strain has become the 48th most-ordered strain on Leafly, up from No. 339 in orders last year, and Jealousy took home at least four cannabis contest awards in 2023. Over 2,000 stores nationally now carry the LA-developed strain, showing how a wave of Jealousy washed over the US this year.
Sundae Driver
⬇ 15%
Sundae Driver grown by Ember Valley. (David Downs, Leafly file photo)
Breeder Cannarado’s cross of FPOG x Grape Pie shows its age with Sundae Driver getting into a bit of a fender bender and dropping 15% in monthly views. Smelling of grape, vanilla, and berry, with giggly happy, and relaxed effects—Sundae Driver will always work for cruising. But we’re seeing newer iterations of it like Devil Driver take the lead.
Super Silver Haze
⬆ 7.7%
The highly sativa Super Silver Haze. (Leafly)
Give up for classic Super Silver Haze, up 7.7% in views to the Strain Detail Page on the West Coast this month. This energetic sativa from the ‘90s pairs with that pre-Thanksgiving hike or run, with a spicy citrus skunky smell. Farmers grow Super Silver Haze as a commodity crop, with eighth-ounces going for just $15, leaving you some change in your pocket for our gift guide.
Related
Hottest weed smoking, dabbing, and baking gifts of Christmas 2023
New in the Leafly strain database
Fresh tree deep into ’23.(Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Candy Fumez
Oooh, wee—watch out for this Bloom Seed Co sweet, pungent hybrid uniting the tropical Z strain with the fuel and creamy berry of Sherbanger. A Candy Fumez from California growers Greendawg won ‘Best of the Rest’ at the Transbay Challenge V statewide Finals in LA in October. But honestly, it could have won the entire event. Bloom Seed Co worked with Boston Roots to improve the Z genetics with Sherbanger’s banging shape, size, density, and bling. Watch out for it in flower, and even more pungent extract.
Compound Genetics’ foundational member Chris Lynch has evolved into his new label Cipher Genetics. The first to the session? Chikitaz—his cross of Banana Runtz to Gelato 41 and Z. You can see Chris not exactly playing it safe, but ensuring there’s money in the bank by working with these three top flavors. Seed packs go for $250 for 12 feminized seeds. San Francisco brand Sense hunts a keeper this fall—looking for that perfect, ephemeral twist of Tropical Banana on top of the best-selling Runtz. Just like a Hollywood blockbuster sequel—strain producers seek “the same but different” and Chikitaz promises to put up big numbers.
Pinnacle
There’s an old Pinnacle in the Leafly strain database comprised of aging strains Blue Dream and Hindu Kush. Set that aside. The new Pinnacle that everyone grew this fall comes from Oakland clone kings Purple City Genetics. PCG put together two bangers—Slurty 3 and Gush Mints—for a monster yielder that turns purple and tests over 28% so growers can stay in business. Gush Mints bring the polite minty note. Slurty 3 pairs Slurricane (Dosidos x Purple Punch) with Gelato #33. That’s a super-group of alleles chained together for a peak performance genetic. Look for bargains on outdoor and light-dep Pinnacle amid the flood of harvest season bud.
Tigerz Eye
San Francisco-based Compound Genetics keeps on rocking with Tigerz Eye, a cross of Jokerz 31 x GastroPop. That brings together two of Compound’s marquee strains Jokerz and GastroPop. The result? Ferocious THC power in an attractive, large purple, icy nug. It’s an indica-dominant hybrid designed for growers to get paid with notes of Gelato, figs, grapes, and floral fuel. Smoke this one after dessert to get heavy-lidded and watch reruns of “Elf.”
Picks of the dispensaries
(Sasha Beck/Leafly)
New on shelves
Sunrise Papaya by The Otherside
The new California premium brand The Otherside launches in more than 20 stores this fall with three flavors including the delicious Sunrise Papaya—a cross of Papaya and Lemon Cherry Gelato. This bag went fastest at my house. You get warm tropical fruit smells with a petrol undertone when you crack the bag. Grinding up and smoking yields soft ripe papaya, mixed with bright, citrus notes. The effect hits active, alert, and uplifting. LA-based The Otherside grows it in 50 to 60-pound batches, which means plenty to go around this winter. Also, 20% off all The Otherside ganja on Green Wednesday.
Burning up the charts
Red Eye by Seed Junky Genetics
LA’s Seed Junky Genetics have had a banger year with Red Eye, their cross of Permanent Marker to Lemon Cherry Gelato. There’s no world in which this bag does not stink up your pocket or backpack. Permanent Marker made an indelible impression on lovers of purple weed with a confection and fuel nose. Lemon Cherry Gelato dominated menus nationwide this year. The bag design looks dope, and the nugs look big, dark, and icy with the Permanent Marker making the LCG more dense and pungent. This indica-hybrid will sit you down and can help you get to sleep on that red eye, or at least blunt the pain of taking a red-eye flight.
Best-sellers
Ballin out
Cherry Fade by Connected
Cherry Fade from Connected is one of those special cultivars that truly knocks you on your ass. It dropped in late summer of 2023, a welcomed addition to the Fall lineup of flavors from Sacramento-based Connected. The hybrid gets its unique genetics from Red Pop crossed with Apples & Bananas #20. The cultivar was a stand-out from the Connected/Alien Labs 2023 pheno hunt, chosen by the Connected team before Ted could grab it, the Alien Labs founder told me in an interview earlier this year. It’s coveted by consumers for its densely packed purple, dark green, and orange nugs. The decadent, earthy, and fruit-forward strain impresses with a cherry cough syrup-like sweetness that coats the mouth and a rich, pungent nose. Don’t sleep on Cherry Fade.—Lindsey Bartlett
Ballin’ on a budget
Holy Moly! Smalls by Fig Farms
Size matters not in the Force—nor in tasty, strong weed. Save money this month by shopping at your local stores for “smalls”—the industry name for smaller-sized nugs that look cute, have a great personality, and get the job done on a budget. The thing about smalls in 2023—they’re not small at all. An industry race for size has made anything that’s not a massive 3.5-gram nug eligible for the ‘smalls’ category. The more for us. Holy Moly! consists of award-winning Fig Farms’ unique mix of Banana Fig x Animal Mints with a banana front note and Mexican mole finish and intense, psychedelic effects.
High Note
We end with something fuerte. (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Nobra Venom infused rosin pre-roll by CLSICS
Rosin rolls are pre-made marijuana cigarettes fortified with extra potency and flavor from a type of hash. If you want to level the smokers back home, break out one from California leaders CLSICS.
On Nov. 16 in West Hollywood, San Diego rosin brand CLSICS and St. Helena, CA. artist Porous Walker released a comical new collaboration—the most-high “Nobra Venom” rosin-infused pre-roll. That’s a 2-gram flower joint infused with a half-gram of pure extract made using only heat, and pressure.
CLSICS boss Matt Traut told me the roll contains a combination that’s half the hype strain Cadillac Rainbow (Pure Michigan x Runtz) and half a secret flavor, selected by artist Porous Walker. Walker also did the artwork, showing off his playful, ribald, yet controlled and minimal ink, colored pencil, and paper style. We do not recommend trying to interact with relatives on this High Note selection.
And that’s a wrap for Leafly Buzz November. See you next month for Leafly Strain of the Year 2023 on Dec. 5, with runner’s up and more end-of-year fuego.
About Leafly Buzz
So good they steal it—the popular, monthly strain review roundup Leafly Buzz is in its third year. We report independently on the connoisseur cannabis conversation, focusing on strains and branded flower of the US West. Reporting includes:
Let’s put a punishing election month behind us and get back in that joyful warrior pose.
Leafly Buzz—our hit West Coast fire flower roundup is back for Turkey Day and the holiday season. We’re talking rip-rorious, indoorious beasts. Plus, some truly stunning sungrown.
Here’s what we’d bring to a fancy feast all winter long.
Here’s Leafly Buzz for November 2024.
Data grinder
Which strains are on the move in Leafly’s 9,000-strain database? (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
We broke out our calculators, plugged into the Leafly strain database, and ran a scan for zaza. Here’s what the stats tell us.
Durban Poison
Durban Poison from Whitethorn Valley Farm – via Farm Cut (David Downs/Leafly)
Short, cold, wet days got you down? Some Durban and coffee will help you get the house ready for visitors. The classic sativa comes in flower, vape, and sometimes single-source edible format. We could all use a pick-me-up. Durban moved into the No. 12 spot from 16 across the Western US.
We said that the strain Glitter Bomb would blow up in 2024 and yeah, it’s at No. 30, up from 33rd in October. Glitter Bomb is among the blingiest tree from breeder Compound Genetics. This relaxing herb has a loud, grape-fuel taste. It’s a cross of Grape Gas #10 to OGKB Blueberry Headband.
Piescream
This is that ‘impress your hometown friends’ weed. Piescream’s a mix of Wedding Pie x (Gelato #33 x Cherry Limeade F5) for a candied cherry lime pastry dessert flavor. Piescream has been organically climbing the charts for the past two years. It’s now a top 500 strain on the West Coast and one of our favorite Thanksgiving smokes. We just saw a phenomenal cut of it from Sense cannabis in SF. Piescream also won six medals at the California State Fair Cannabis Awards 2024. You can’t have Thanksgiving without Piescream.
Dante’s Inferno
Dante’s Inferno is peak Instagram weed. (Courtesy Freddy’s Fuego)
Oreoz x Devil Driver is the Budtenders’ Choice of Maine 2024 and it has cracked the top 100 across the western US, landing at 84; for when you need that crazy bag appeal, crazy potency, with a dessert and melon note.
Other chart news:
Related
American budtenders’ best strains of 2024
New in the Leafly strain database
Leafly adds or fixes 1,000 strains in its database each year. Here’s some of the new-new. (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Tropical Juice Box
Award-winning Southern California indoor growers Team Elite Genetics has come out of their lab with a grip of new crosses. Smoking up quick at our house—Tropical Juice Box, a cross of Orange Juice and Pearadise #4. Expect a delicious, tropical fruit smoothie layered with flavors of citrus, sugar, mangos, & pear. A nice, mood-enhancing sativa high also includes mellow vibes and body relaxation.
Dulce Con Gas
Fresh in the Leafly database, the Terphogz seeds catalog—popularizers of the Original Z. Notable this month—their new collaboration with Kounter Kulture—Dulce Con Gas. It’s a savvy mix of Lemon Cherry Gelato x Crop Duster and the packs run a stiff $300. LCG remains a top 5 national best-seller, and Crop Duster is a reported Daily Driver x Chem D cross that’s extra-pungent. Take 10% off with code LEAFLY (Leafly gets an affiliate fee for purchases).
Detroit Diamonds
Compound Genetics releases 26 new crosses to its hit, blingy weed Eye Candy. We’re eying Detroit Diamonds for a strain that drills down into pure aesthetics. Detroit Diamonds is (Pure Michigan x Baby Shark) crossed with Eye Candy and should be a killer.
Sour Peaches
Sour Peaches is yielding some of the best hash the folks at Purple City Genetics are smoking this winter. It’s a cross of their hit hash dumper Moroccan Peaches and the classic New York strains AJ’s Sour Diesel. Sour Peaches grows into huge plants with a 6 to 7% hash yield—so keep an eye out for it. It should hit hybrid and strong with a sour caramelized sour peach note.
Picks of the dispensaries
New on shelves
Mandarin Cherry Tree by Sticky Fields
Impress your sesh with arguably the most lip-smacking strain around—Mandarin Cherry Tree grown by industry icon Sticky Fields, Mendocino County, CA, and sold by Solful across Northern California. It’s a Mandarin Tart crossed to a volunteer Sticky Fields calls Cherry Tree, with thick mandarin, cherry, and lavender notes. The rare linalool-dominant strain comes hand-picked from the full-sun run at 26% THC. Limited batches.
Burning up the charts
Nova Cane by Team Elite Genetics
Need to get comfortably numb? This Novacane strain from more-than-living soil growers Team Elite Genetics in California went fast at our house in November. It’s Squirt x Kush x Grandma’s Cookies, bred by T.E.G, with a smell like blue raspberry sour gummies and a 50-50 hybrid effect on mind and body. A three-time Cannabis Cup-winner.
(Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Best-sellers
Ballin out
Empanadas Diez by A Golden State
Empanadas Diez. (David Downs/Leafly)
A Golden State grows large-scale indoor buds up in Shasta County, CA. Leading off their holiday lineup is Empanadas Diez—a Purple Churro x Cinnamon Horchata cross. When you want to chill after dinner and pre-game for dessert, hit this dessert strain with notes of banana bread, elote, berries & cream.
Ballin’ on a budget
Sour Diesel by Alpenglow
Plenty of great Sour Diesels have come in with the harvest. But the standout is a Sour Diesel Bx4 bred by Garden of Grease Seeds in Oregon, and organically grown by Alpenglow as outdoor, living-soil, full-term. Half-ounces of it sell out the door at Solful for $100, making it a killer, best-selling, budget option that won’t stick around. Just make sure you have the right mindset and place for taking it. It’s 31% THC. “It’s freaking strong, you got to be careful. It’s just zippy.”
High Note
We end with something fuerte. (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Storz and Bickel Venty
The name “Venty” references the 20 liters of air per minute this pocket Volcano can heat. ‘Venti’ is Italian for 20. And it’s got vents. Get it.
(Courtesy of Storz & Bickel)
Get your flu and COVID shots, even if you’re strong like bull. You can save yourself a secondary infection, and a second week in bed. If you already got bit by this year’s bug, consider giving your sinuses and lungs a smoke break with a flower vape. Flower vapes heat, instead of burn bud for the same effects. The makers of the famed Volcano vaporizer have a new, portable ripper called the Venty. You can pack it thick and full, it heats up in seconds and it rips pretty substantial clouds with big effects. The battery life is outsized as well. Another medical-grade best-seller from German leaders Storz and Bickel.
OK—that’s Leafly Buzz for November 2024, full of trees we’d personally pack during our ‘cousin’s walk’ before dinner. You bring the breath mints.
About Leafly Buzz
So good they steal it—the popular, monthly strain review roundup Leafly Buzz is in its third year. We report independently on the connoisseur cannabis conversation, focusing on strains and branded flower of the US West. Reporting includes:
Just in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season, we have your best buds and flower brands, Leafly Nation.
How do we know? Easy. In fall 2024, we enticed over 900 budtenders to pick the best weed strain and brand in their state. When they point out smoke, you can bet it’s fire.
The results are in, the votes tallied, and we’re ready to announce who took home awards in 17 different states.
Whether you’re staying home or traveling this holiday season and into 2025, shop smarter with this distilled list of Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024 award-winning strains and brands across legal America.
Overview of Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024 strains and brands:
State
LeaflyBudtenders’ Choice 2024 —Best Strain
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024 —Best Flower Brand
Arizona
Permanent Marker by Connected
Alien Labs
California
Permanent Marker from various
Cannabiotix
Colorado
Chemmy Jones
Green Dot Labs
Illinois
Bubba’s Girl (grown by CAM)
IC Collective
Maryland
Snoop Dogg OG
Sunmed
Massachusetts
Chem D
Smash Hits
Michigan
Candy Cake
Grown Rogue
Mississippi
Zoap
Sea of Green South
Missouri
Kumquat
Good Day Farms
New Jersey
Animal Face
Garden Greens
New York
Trop Cherry
Matter
Ohio
Orange 43
Klutch Cannabis
Oklahoma
Kitchen Sink
D&D Nursery
Oregon
Toad Venom
Deep Greek Gardens
Pennsylvania
Animal Face
Rythm
Vermont
Grape GMO
Upstate Elevators
Washington
One Piece
Heavenly
Arizona
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Arizona: Permanent Marker (grown by Connected, bred by Seed Junky Genetics)
Leafly strain of the year in 2023. Bred by Seed Junky and selected by hypemakers Doja Pak, this takes a mix of Biscotti and a Sherb backcross and crosses that to Seed Junky’s Jealousy strain. Permanent Marker really put the game on its side by spawning waves of people chasing that astringent marker ink note. Doja has said that the name for this actually started back when they first smelled this type of aroma in the jars of RS11 but that later when this strain hit, it perfectly exemplified that smell. Beyond just that telltale whiff of polyurethane resin, you can also get floral notes that come along with the Jealousy strain, and even moments of detergent soap as well. Connected Permanent Marker is a slightly sweeter version with a greener hue and more of those subtle smells. Leafly users across multiple states all say this strain produces a blissful experience that they consider top-shelf. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Arizona: Alien Labs
Fan favorites of the Sunshine State, Ted Liddie and the crew piloting the Alien Labs mothership have managed to take their top shelf game and deliver a similar experience to the smokers of Arizona. Though the team out there started small, the dedication to keeping things the same as their larger California crew is something that should be applauded. Unlike many other deals to take brands out of state, Alien Labs controls all their Arizona efforts, with Lidie himself making regular trips out to ensure that things are running up to par and that the new strains they’re preparing in California are also on track in Arizona as well. This push to create cohesion in the brand across state lines is part of what has made them so popular with Arizona’s budtender population. (Matt Jackson)
Another win for this unstoppable strain that delivers for smokers looking to find something that’s incredibly potent and speaks to the taste profiles of today. Seed Junky and Doja Pak again hit the podium to accept an award for the most recommendations from Budtenders, this time in California. With so many different high profile strains and breeders based out of Cali, winning this distinction is no small battle. This goes to show why Permanent Marker was chosen as the winner for Leafly’s 2023 Strain of the Year and returned to be the strain highlight for October. On the West Coast, Doja Pak of course has their amazing example but so does Connected, LA Family Farms, and MOCA Humboldt which Leafly Senior Editor David Downs recently reviewed as, “the best Markers this fall.” (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of California: Cannabiotix
Cannabiotix, or CBX, has a decade of history behind it and stands as one of California’s highest ranking flower brands in terms of statewide sales, especially for their Cereal Milk flower. Also available in Nevada, CBX keeps a large menu of around 40 strains, many of them exclusives made through the 8 different large-scale pheno hunts it maintains across 2 different facilities every year. It’s through these efforts that they’ve released top-selling strains like Tropicanna, Gluetopia, French Alps, and L’Orange. At Hall of Flowers this year, the public was introduced to Cannabiotix founder Neema Samari who, during their ICONOCLAST speaker series, said the brand name is a combination of the words Cannabis and Antibiotics. A nod to the company’s 2014 beginnings during the medical cannabis movement. As the market moved from medical to recreational, the brand has been known more by their abbreviation. (Matt Jackson)
Colorado
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Colorado: Chemmy Jones
Chemmy Jones stands out as Colorado’s top cannabis strain, offering a perfect blend of potency, flavor, and smoothness. Known for its powerful effects and complex aroma, this hybrid delivers a euphoric high while maintaining relaxation. With its distinct citrus and earthy notes, Chemmy Jones is a favorite among both connoisseurs and casual users. Its consistent quality, balanced effects, and impressive terpene profile make it the undisputed Budtenders’ Choice Best Strain of Colorado.
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Colorado: Green Dot
Green Dot ROYGBIV Orange up close. (Courtesy Green Dot Labs)
Green Dot sets the standard for premium cannabis in Colorado, offering consistently exceptional flower. With a commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovative cultivation practices, Green Dot delivers top-tier strains that satisfy both novice and experienced consumers. Their dedication to excellence earns them the title of Budtenders’ Choice Best Flower Brand of Colorado.
Illinois
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Illinois: Bubba’s Girl
A combination of old-school ’98 Bubba and GSC, smoking this strain will transport you back to an era of hacky sacks and YOLO hats. Grown by CAM, a brand that’s grown over the years to an impressive size, Founder and CEO Anna Willey told Leafly this strain represents the overall goal of their lineup: to combine the rich legacy of cannabis with modern demands for potency and flavor. “It’s not just a flower,” she said, “it’s a statement about CAM’s commitment to honoring the classics while pushing the boundaries of cannabis innovation.” When you squeeze the nugs your hands come away smelling like gasoline but underneath, you’ll pick up an orange peel smell that together, has the creaminess of a push-pop. Bubba’s Girl is a first-class blending of GSC’s fruitiness with the earthiness of Bubba, giving you a dense flavor that sinks straight to the bottom of your mouth. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Illinois: IC Collective
(Courtesy IC Collective)
After garnering a huge following as a mainstay for discerning flower smokers in The Bay Area, IC Collective has grown to become Illinois’ choice for Bartender’s favorite flower brand. What’s amazing about IC Collective is their dedication to keeping alive some of the harder to grow and not always hyped strains of cannabis that will forever hold a place in the hearts of serious weed heads. IC stands for “Integrity Code,” referring to the company’s mission to hold the line (quite literally) in the face of trends. Chem and Sour are some of the building blocks of this brand and they offer an astounding seven different varieties of Chem flower on their strain menu. Every time this brand manages to deliver beautiful nugs and the move to Illionois has given them the space to work on some of the surprise leads from their 2016 pheno hunt, as well as modern hunts that are underway now. (Matt Jackson)
Maryland
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Maryland: Snoop Dogg OG
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Maryland: Sunmed
Massachusetts
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Massachusetts: Chem D
Massachusetts’ home state breeder, Chemdog, adds to his wins with a Budtenders’ Choice 2024 award for Chem D.
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Massachusetts: Smash Hits
Massachusetts’ home state breeder, Chemdog and his brand Smash Hits adds to his trophy case with a Budtenders’ Choice 2024 award for best flower brand.
Michigan
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Michigan: Candy Cake (Zkittlez Cake x Jungle Cake)
When asked what strain is sending Michigan to the stores in droves, budtenders told Leafly that the clear winner was Candy Cake. This sweet treat which smells like cherry muffin candy brings together two flavorful strains that have been big winners for the Jungle Boyz brand. Zkittlez Cake is, like it sounds, a combo of Z and Seed Junky’s Wedding Cake. The Jungle Cake is also Wedding Cake, but this time with Seed Junky’s White Fire #43 which adds an element of gas to the cake mix. Both halves are rooted in the Seed Junky world but have achieved mainstream commercial success through Jungle Boyz. Over in Michigan, Bud & Mary’s told us they consider this a great end of the day smoke that gives a nice body high and Freshly Fine, who produces this strain for the state, says they consider this giggly high a great way to combat stress and even cramps. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Michigan: Grown Rogue
Grown Rogue is a name that seemed to easily spring to mind with budtenders across Michigan on the subject of favorite flower companies. An affordable brand of smoke, When it comes to bringing West Coast flavors to the Michigan market, Grown Rogue delivers cultivars like Apples & Bananas, Biscotti, MAC1, Kush Mints, Gelonade, Georgia Pie, and Cheetah Piss. Operating in both Oregon and Michigan, this year they increased the personal ownership of their midwest operations to 80% in an effort to keep the same low cost, quality products they strive for on the West Coast. Obie and Sarah Strickler started the brand as a medical cannabis grow over a decade ago and now through investors and valuable genetics, they’ve secured a reputation for delivering bang for the buck that seems to have resonated with Michigan. (Matt Jackson)
Mississippi
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Mississippi: Zoap (Rainbow Sherbert x Pink Guava) created by Deep East Oakland.
It’s no real surprise Zoap was nominated by budtenders of Mississippi after the flower went on to win Best Indica at a contest held this year. Zoap is part of a storied RS lineage that produced warships like Studio 54, Pink Guava, Jelly Roll, and RS11. After popping 12 packs of Dying Breed Seeds OZK, Bay Area cultivator DEO Farms eventually selected #16 (Pink Guava) to cross to Sunset Sherbert and spawn the Rainbow Sherbert line. Later, he would cross that Pink Guava back to the Rainbow Sherbert and from those 100 plants, #21 was selected for its soapy citrus flavor. Smokers on Leafly agree that this strain has a robust, and creative head high. Deep East spoke with Leafly and told us fans of Zoap will go crazy for the strains they’re working on next, including two that pair this cultivar with some Bay Area classics: Cookies and Vintage OG. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Mississippi: Sea of Green South (SOG ARMY)
Grape Headband. (Courtesy Sea of Green South)
Sea Of Green, or SOG, is a multi-state company that’s always striving to offer a diverse range of rare and in-demand strains produced in small, high quality batches. Their name is taken from a method of cultivation they’ve used since the brand first started. After success on the California market, their first batches to the Mississippi scene were released in March of this year and it’s already had a noticeable impact on budtenders. Owner/Operator BJ said they offer the same menu of strains in both California and Mississippi but consumers in each state are looking for different things. “They seem to be chasing terps more than THC,” he told Leafly. As for which strains have been most in demand, he listed their Pink Zaza, along with Deo Farm’s Zoap which helped them secure that title for Best Indica at the Sippi Cup competition, only two months after their debut onto the market. (Matt Jackson)
Related
Leafly’s guide to marijuana legalization
Missouri
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Missouri: Kumquat
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Missouri: Good Day Farms
New Jersey
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of New Jersey: Animal Face
A personal favorite of this writer, Animal Face has the gassy, pine-laden aroma from the Face Off, but also carries with it the mint, doughy profile of Animal Mints. Seed Junky must have been thinking of how to create the perfect after-work smoke when he made this strain because it causes all the stress and worries of the day to positively melt away. Leafly reviews use words like “creeper” and “permagrin” to talk about how this sneaks up and relaxes your mind, a perfect reason this was chosen as a first place winner for Best Hybrid at the 2022 Emerald Cup in California. Since being released onto the market, East Coast smokers have found this to be a reliable way to take the edge off, providing good flavor and potent results. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of New Jersey: Garden Greens
There are a number of things that stand out about New Jersey brand Garden Greens, including being backed by a fourth-generation, family-owned farming operation which lends over 100 years of agricultural experience to their cannabis cultivation efforts. Another is their win for Z Pie, which took first at the 2024 New Jersey Dispensary Awards. Or perhaps you’d prefer we list the collaboration with West Coast giants Golden State Banana which brought strains like Banana Mochi and Banana Bubblegum to the New Jersey crowd. Along with this, Garden Greens claims that they don’t want to be in every dispensary, only the ones that align with their brand ideals and mission, something that hasn’t slowed down their popularity it would seem. With a menu that also includes a number of heaters from Compound Genetics, Budtenders have made it clear there’s a lot to sample from this brand. (Matt Jackson)
New York
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of New York: Trop Cherry (Tropicana Cookies x Cherry Cookies)
Part of the stoner’s essential daytime smoke, this is a killer from Colorado’s Relentless Genetics, who also produced the famous Rozay strain. Crossing Tropicana Cookies and Cherry Cookies releases an aroma that conveys the richly sweet and tart qualities of both cherries and tangerines. Sometimes this can even look like fake movie weed from the crazy purple hue the buds can take on. A version of this Trop Cherry took first place in the Michigan Cannabis Cup in 2022 and listening to the reviewers on Leafly, the accolades keep piling up.
“Never have I had such a flavorful strain. perfect strain for a calm productive mind. Trop Cherry is the only one that truthfully tastes like a delicious cup of fresh…no pulp orange juice,””I could smoke this morning, afternoon, or early evening.” This winning Budtender’s choice for favorite strain seems like an apt winner for the home of the city that never sleeps. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of New York: Matter
Started in Illinois, now in seven states, Matter is part of the Pharmacann portfolio which represents one of the largest vertically integrated MSO’s in the country. As such, the brand seems to have access to a lot of popular strains like Larry Burger and Scottie’s Cake, but also newer contest winners like Grape Gas. They also make a bacon tincture which I’m curious to put in the gravy at Thanksgiving this year. (Matt Jackson)
Ohio
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Ohio: Orange 43
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Ohio: Klutch Cannabis
Related
Ohio legal cannabis buyer’s guide to 2024
Oklahoma
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Oklahoma: Kitchen Sink
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Oklahoma: D&D Nursery
Oregon
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Oregon: Toad Venom
Undoubtedly, one of the most sought after cultivars of 2024 has been Toad Venom. Created by Ronin Seeds and West Coast Connoisseurs, budtenders in Oregon told Leafly this flower sells out in a matter of days, especially since Evan’s Creek is the only contracted producer of the strain. Toad Venom packs a punch. Besides being incredibly stony, even to an experienced smoker, the nugs give off that doughy, minty profile that fans of Animal Face or Animal Mints will respond to immediately. Once you squeeze and grind the nugs, there‘s a gassy, fruity explosion that the breeder described to us as, “citrus and soft green fruits.” When we reached out to Evan’s Creek, they told Leafly this is just part of their work to highlight Ronin’s strains like Banana Cannons, Pi-Chew, and the upcoming Fire Belly Toad which combines the venom with Zikigai from Raw Genetics. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Oregon: Deep Creek Gardens
Deep Creek Gardens’ Firebird (Deep Jungle x Maui Sour OG). (Courtesy Deep Creek Gardens)
Deep Creek calls themselves Oregon’s home for Headies and Exotics. Organically grown, their flower is sometimes referred to as “slept on” when you ask budtenders at shops around the state. Their Supa Durban is a consistent purchase by many steady smokers, their Grape Pie also gets rave reviews and there’s debate as to if they grew some of the best GMO in the state. Since the beginning Deep Creek has had close ties to Dynasty Genetics and the company has won awards for their Ice Queen and Huckleberry Web CBD strain. You won’t find a website where you can look through their current selections and their Instagram presence hasn’t been updated since 2019 however they do look at the DMs. The proof is in the pudding after all, which means smoking is the best way to see what budenders in Oregon have chosen for their favorite. (Matt Jackson)
Pennsylvania
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Pennsylvania: Animal Face
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Pennsylvania: Rythm
Rythm has earned its reputation as Pennsylvania’s top flower brand through meticulous cultivation and exceptional quality. Their premium strains, rich in flavor and potency, offer a perfect balance of effects. Committed to consistency and innovation, Rythm delivers an outstanding cannabis experience, making them the Budtenders’ Choice Best Flower Brand in Pennsylvania.
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Vermont: Grape GMO
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Vermont: Upstate Elevators
Washington
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best strain of Washington: One Piece
One Piece. (Courtesy Svin)
Hitting the high seas is Washington’s winner for Budtender’s Favorite. A mysterious strain that gives off a creamy vanilla cake smell, you can also pick out notes of citrus and even gas in there. Curtis at Svin Gardens told Leafly the name is not just a reference to the popular long-running Anime series, but also to how you only need one piece to get you super stoned.
He also said that One Piece came to them as part of a happy accident. They had phased out a whole series of different Wedding Cake crosses, but afterwards someone in the garden brought him a clone that had a tiny seedling growing out the side which must have come from those crosses. The team kept it, let it grow, and now that happy accident accounts for 3/5ths of their flowering rooms. Though the team can never truly be sure what the Wedding Cake cross really is, Curtis says everyone has their own idea. We love happy accidents. (Matt Jackson)
Leafly Budtenders’ Choice 2024—Best flower brand of Washington: Heavenly
Budtenders of Washington wrote in and told Leafly that when it comes to flower, their favorite producer right now is Heavenly Buds from Southern Washington. On the grind since 2015, this family-owned and operated brand has a current menu that reflects some of the more memorable strains of the last decade. Legends like Apple Fritter, Gushers, and Purple Punch can be found listed next to currently high-in-demand strains like RS11, Honey Banana, and Superboof. Heavenly has a long history of outreach and education with people in the state, even throwing budtender educational meetups as far back as 7 years ago. One thing that’s also different about the brand is their love for old school, Moroccan-style hash which they release onto the market as well. (Matt Jackson)
How we chose the Leafly Budtenders’ Choice Awards
Budtender Shanara at 7 Stars in Richmond, CA shares her favorite strain and brand and got three chances at a $1,000 check. (David Downs/Leafly)
Budtenders did. We polled more than 900 of them in October for International Budtenders’ Day. We enticed answers by giving away three, $1,000 checks to respondents. The unprecedented insight into state weed tastes allowed us to make picks for 17 states this November.
Budtenders’ Choice awards went to the strains and brands most frequently mentioned by budtenders in that state. We also looked for regional flavors, and budtenders from multiple different stores all recommending the same thing.
Some nascent weed states like Arkansas lacked enough data to make a definitive pick. Other states like California, and Colorado had multiple top strains and brands loved by lots of budtenders. For example, 43 budtenders voted in California, and 56 budtenders voted in Colorado. When they point out smoke, you can bet it’s fire.
The 2024 general election has one high point for cannabis law reformers.
Nebraska has voted to legalize medical marijuana via two related measures—IM 437 and IM 438. The former essentially legalizes medical marijuana possession, and a health care professional’s ability to prescribe medical marijuana. The latter clears the path for a new state commission to write rules and regulations for a medical program. IM 437 passed with roughly 71% of the vote, and IM 438 passed with 70%.
Even though this year’s measures passed, proponents aren’t out of the woods yet. This September, Nebraska prohibitionists filed a lawsuit accusing signature gatherers for the campaign of “cheating” and gathering invalid signatures. The argument lacks much evidence, however; the case is currently before a District judge.
Here’s what happens next, if the measures move forward:
Is medical marijuana legal for adults in Nebraska right now?
No. IM 438—aka the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act—stipulates the creation of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, which must begin considering business applications by October 1, 2025.
Don’t forget: Implementation of the program hinges on the district court allowing the measure to move forward.
How much marijuana will Nebraska patients be able to legally possess?
IM 437 legalizes the possession of up to 5 ounces of marijuana.
Related
Nebraska marijuana laws
When can I legally buy marijuana?
The measures do not set a specific date that sales will start.
Can medical patients smoke a joint in public?
Neither measure addresses public consumption. But odds are low that patients will be able to legally consume in public.
Can I grow cannabis at home in Nebraska?
Neither measure addresses homegrow.
Who will regulate legal growers and sellers?
If the measures go into effect, the to-be-created Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission will establish rules and rules for the program.
Related
Leafly’s guide to marijuana legalization
What kind of products will be available?
IM 438 gives a green-light to marijuana flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals and ointments.
Any equity or small-business licenses?
Neither measure addresses this question.
Will marijuana be taxed?
Neither measure addresses questions of taxation.
Stay tuned for more from Nebraska’s march toward medical cannabis.
