Dispensary weed comes with way more oversight than anything you’ll buy on the street. But what if you want to take it to the next level?
This summer, the Los Angeles Times reported finding exotic pesticides like chlorfenapyr in some batches of cannabis sold in licensed stores. If you’re looking for an extra layer of protection against such chemicals—you can shop for the “OCal” label on more and more products in stores.
For example, California State Fair award-winning Jetty Extracts of Oakland, CA touts its “OCal” certification. Jetty and brands like them know they can make money and stand out in the market by going beyond the legal bare minimum to offer something super-clean. Shout-out, the free market.
Look for that OCal label for ‘comparable-to-organic’. (Courtesy Jetty)
Nate Ferguson, co-founder and chief product officer at Jetty Extracts, stated, “Jetty’s OCal certification is a testament to our consistent efforts to create the cleanest, most sustainable and innovative products on the market and we’re committed to meeting the growing consumer demand for transparent cannabis products.”
Here is the complete list of the three dozen or so OCal-certified weed brands in California.
Look for the OCal logo on packages.
What does OCal mean?
Oh, California. We’re so organic, we came up with our own “organic” label when the federal government blocked us from using the “organic” word.
When you see the OCal label, you’re seeing “comparable-to-organic” cannabis laws in effect. California taxpayers voted for the government to set up a system where brands can pay neutral inspectors to come into their grows and hash labs. Pretty much every synthetic pesticide is banned under OCal.
“They are literally identical to the national organic standards. … The organic standards are strict. They’re not easy to do,” stated Certification Services Manager Caitlin Slay, from inspection company, CCOF, in a video. “This is a really big deal. A lot of states have tried to get these out. Nobody has done it yet outside of California.”
That means no GMOs, no toxic chemicals, and farms must take care of the water, soil, and trash.
All those gnarly chemicals the L.A. Times founds in those batches? Banned under OCal, and inspected by independent companies.
“If needed, we may do unannounced inspections,” said CCOF’s Slay, in a video.
All those gnarly chemicals the LA Times founds in those batches? Banned under OCal and inspected by independent companies.
Chlorfenapyr, Bifenazate, Clofentezine, Paclobutrazol, Spiromesifen, Tebuconazole, Fenvalerate, Bifenthrin, and Chlordane? Banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, banned, and banned.
Regular legal weed lab testing screens for 66 pesticides. The OCal list runs nearly 200 long. They really mean it when they say, “comparable-to-organic.”
CCOF has been around for 50 years and certifies 4,000 members across the continent.
They’re both in Santa Cruz, CA. Brands can prepare to file a bunch of paperwork and get inspected.
Jetty Extracts has brought that OCal energy to its new line of solventless (aka rosin) carts and dabs, as well as infused joints.
I’m confused—isn’t all legal pot tested for pesticides?
There’s levels to it.
Street weed is tested for zero pesticides. It’s a total crapshoot if you’re guy is poisoning you. There’s no OCal for unlicensed producers.
Dispensary cannabis comes pre-screened for 66 pesticides. That weeds out a lot of villains, but it’s not airtight.
OCal-certified weed is screened for almost 200 pesticides and includes inspections. It’s pretty hard to sneak something gnarly through.
“It’s more of guarantee of that clean cannabis in the end,” stated Slay.
Related
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Is it bad to smoke pesticides?
As far as we know, no pesticide has ever been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for combustion and inhalation onto lung tissue.
We also do know that pesticides can cause health damage. The most common exposure comes from a home gardener hurting themselves by spraying something.
How do OCal brands grow weed without pesticides?
It’s more time-consuming and expensive.
They use a whole toolkit to battle nature in a natural way—like beneficial bacteria, predatory insects, and physical barriers. Think: ladybugs and praying mantises, instead of petro-chemicals.
One brand brought in bats and bat boxes to cut down on bugs.
Related
Predators Over Pesticides: An Introduction to Chemical-Free Pest Control
How else can I avoid smoking pesticides?
You can eat cannabis edibles, or use topicals on the skin. Those routes avoid burning volatile chemicals. The gut or skin also bypasses sensitive lung tissue to deliver cannabinoids to the body.
You can also grow your own weed, and chose not to spray it.
What’s next?
We’re going to keep adding brands to the OCal list, and broadening the coverage to include other states with pesticide-free options.
Brands expect the OCal program to come to other states. Hit us up with more OCal brands, as well as questions.
From the arrival of a New Jersey shop co-owned by a member of the Wu-Tang Clan to a dispensary located just minutes from San Francisco International Airport, here are the notable new dispensaries that opened in the past month.
Got a new shop? Put it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise.
California
Embarc—San Bruno, CA. Opened Nov. 15. Travelers of San Francisco’s SFO Airport had early reason to give thanks with the opening of San Bruno’s first dispensary — located just minutes from the bustling international travel hub. In addition to its sublime convenience, the location means Embarc now has an impressive total of 16 dispensaries across California. 120 El Camino Real, San Bruno.
(Courtesy The Showcase)
The Showcase—Fairfield, CA. Opened Nov. 27. Located east of Vallejo, the Showcase provides Fairfield customers with a wide array of top-shelf cannabis products. Proving its name is no fluke, Showcase stocks premium flower, edibles, and more. They also offer a Compassionate Use Program in addition to a menu stocked with daily deals. 101 Grobic Ct, Fairfield.
Colorado
Winter-proof: The Buzz dispensary has a drive-through in Colorado. (Courtesy The Buzz)
The Buzz—Grand Junction, CO. Opened Nov. 9. The arrival of the Buzz makes a total of seven retail dispensaries now operating in Grand Junction, Colorado. Family-owned and operated, The Buzz — the chain’s fourth store to open thus far — boasts a menu of unique strains at “competitive prices” made even more convenient thanks to the store’s drive-through option. 1022 N 3rd St, Grand Junction.
Connecticut
Sweetspot Farms—Stamford, CT. Opened Nov. 11. Founded by two Stamford natives, Sweetspot Farms prides itself on its “community-focused values, local discounts, and a commitment to consumer education.” Sweetspot’s second location also features an “innovative digital bud bar” and “licensed pharmacists on staff and available to answer questions.” 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford.
Illinois
Mystic Greenz—Belleville, IL. Opened Nov. 6. You can cross Belleville off the list of cities in Illinois without a cannabis dispensary. Since early last month, Mystic Greenz has saved locals the drive to Collinsville or Sauget by offering quality cannabis products in Belleville proper. The location is the fourth for Mystic Greenz and is run by store manager Tabitha Brinkman: a lifelong Belleville resident. 360 S. Green Mount Rd, Belleville.
Massachusetts
(Courtesy EMBR)
EMBR Cannabis—Springfield, MA. Opened Nov. 27. More than $2 million was invested to build Springfield, Massachusetts’ first dispensary fully constructed “from the ground up.” Now open for business, EMBR represents the final product of a reclamation project that saw a long-time vacant lot transformed into a new dispensary that is also set to feature new green space in the form of a forthcoming “pocket park.” 461 Boston Rd, Springfield.
Michigan
Mango Cannabis—Lansing, MI. Opened Oct. 21. Known for their chain of medical dispensaries in Oklahoma, family-run Mango Cannabis has expanded to Lansing, Michigan to open its first retail location. With a second store set to arrive in Waterford early next year, Mango Cannabis is landing with a splash in the form of a new, 4,000-square-foot “flagship superstore” that features “sleek design elements” and an “intentionally minimalist layout” intended to “showcase products as the focal point.” 5620 South Cedar St, Lansing.
Simply Loud—Detroit, MI. Opened Nov. 1. Detroit’s newest dispensary is proudly Black-owned and absolutely stocked. Visit Simply Loud and choose from hundreds of products, including “260 types of vape cartridges and disposables” and “150 kinds of infused prerolls” while enjoying an interior “unlike any other dispensary in metro Detroit” complete with “stylish Herman Miller furniture” and sculpture work from local artists. 216 E. Milwaukee Ave, Detroit.
New Jersey
Hashtoria—Newark, New Jersey. Opened Nov. 13. It was a true party at the grand opening for Newark’s newest dispensary, Hashtoria. That tends to happen when your shop is co-owned by Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and Charlamagne Tha God, who both turned out to celebrate the debut of an adult-use cannabis retail space which is set to “evolve into a premier consumption lounge” early in the new year. For now, customers can enjoy loyalty rewards via the Hashtoria app and marvel at the physical space: the result of a collaboration with award-winning architect Rachael H. Grochowski. 799-805 Broad St, Newark.
Main Street—Highland Park, New Jersey. Opened Nov. 22. Main Street was created “with the intention of bringing a truly local feel to the cannabis business.” That makes sense considering the store’s owners include both second-generation and third-generation Highland Park residents. Providing an “upscale establishment” located in the suburbs of New Jersey, Main Street’s menu features a curated list of premium cannabis products available for purchase seven days a week. 311 Raritan Ave, Highland Park.
New York
Northern Lights—Canton, NY. Opened Nov. 14. Northern Lights is a family-owned and operated dispensary named for its location in northern New York. Serving residents of St. Lawrence County and the greater Canton area, Northern Lights offers a menu ripe with all the latest brands to hit the market. The dispensary’s current offerings include premium products from the likes of Camino, Jetty Extracts, and Rolling Green. 51 Main St, Canton.
Strain Stars—Riverhead, NY. Opened Nov. 29. Clocking in at an impressive 14,400-square-feet, Strain Stars’ new location in Riverhead marks the second store for the chain previously credited with opening Long Island’s first dispensary — in Farmingdale — last summer. Strain Stars also puts a big emphasis on local community, having recently donated $100,000 to Farmingdale State College to help establish a new endowment. And get ready to browse because the Riverhead location boasts “nearly 2,000 products, including flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals, vaporizers and accessories.” 1871 Old Country Rd, Riverhead.
Did we miss any? Leave a comment with a new one.
Got a new shop? Get it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise.
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:
It’s time to roll up the thickest joints, pack the biggest party bowls, and charge the Puffco for oversized dabs.
Millions of weed lovers nationwide have record amounts of flavors and pounds to smoke through this fall and winter. Bright, hot sun and no wildfires mean the full-sun outdoor weed crop in America’s Emerald Triangle simply killed it this year. Drying rooms have overflowed into guest bedrooms, growers report, and the flavors have never been more advanced.
“It’s been a great season. Everyone is bringing their A-game,” said Mia Moore, retail sales director for Redwood Roots—an Emerald Triangle brand packager and distributor.
“Everything honestly looks fucking amazing. It was a wonderful year!!!” said owner and farmer Mary Polson at Seed 707. “I’m stoked about everything. I can’t wait to smoke it.”
How does Leafly pick just a dozen exemplars? We smoke hundreds of strains, walk the fields, and talk to farmers. We ask the cloners that stocked the fields in spring, and the buyers vetting all the pounds to pick out gems this fall. We survey the biggest, best, most influential growers, and probably spend too long liking bud photos on Instagram.
Here are 12 top cannabis strains of Harvest 2024.
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Stone cold classic
Blue Dream
(David Downs/Leafly)
Just in time for an anxious fall, the anti-anxiety hybrid Blue Dream is back on top out west.
This 1990s Santa Cruz, CA strain goes through waves of peak interest and decline. In 2024, it rides a tide of nostalgia sweeping through the stoner nation.
“Blue Dream is back and better than ever. It’s flying off the shelf at 17% THC,” said Eli Melrod at California’s leading outdoor store Solful.
Farmer/retailer Marjo Lak at Humboldt Nation said “Blue Dream is huge. It just flies off the wall. Haze, too.”
Blue Dream is a model outdoor variety—withstanding the test of time and trends. A top outdoor strain has to work outdoors, and not just inside. It has to yield. It must withstand weather, stress, mold, and pests. It must dry and cure true without turning into hay. It has to trim up nicely and sparkle in the bag. That’s Blueberry x Haze.
Farmers again over-grew Lemon Cherry Gelato and bulk prices will be brutal, growers say. Northern California remains awash in this type of Gelato #33. Why? LCG has become the Taylor Swift of trees. So-called ‘candy-gas’ tasting dessert strains are the dominant genre in the market. LCG typifies what customers craze. It’s got that loud creamy berry smell, pretty look, and stress-killing indica hybrid effects. This year, large-scale outdoor farmer Honeydew touts its cross of LCG to Apple Fritter—LCG Fritter—which should add some tart, pastry notes to the LCG. So many LCGs and friends await your grinder. See also: Miracle Candy, Jelly Donutz
Modern crusher
Governmint Oasis
Governmint Oasis bred by Purple City Genetics. (Courtesy PCG)
GMO Cookies x Gush Mints aka Governmint Oasis has hit big yet again this year, said the leading clone provider Purple City Genetics of Oakland, CA.
“Governmint Oasis continues to crush for people. Just inundated with pictures of huge plants.”
Auryn, Purple City Genetics
Both the GMO and Gush Mints set records for fatness in the fields, and combined with the perfect weather this season—expect a crazy, gorgeous, bumper crop of this potent, versatile hybrid to drive prices through the floor. Berkeley Patients Group advertises 3.5 grams for $7—that’s $7, not $70.
Perfect for before a big meal—Governmint Oasis leaves folks tingly, hungry, and relaxed.
New zaza
Ridgelion
Ridgelion. (Photo by Ginja Club, courtesy Ridgeline Farms)
One of California’s most award-winning outdoor growers Ridgeline Farms is excited to debut this new cross of Ridgeline Lantz to Cookies’ top cat Cheetah Piss.
“Ridgelion came out next-level beautiful,” said Ridgeline’s Jason Gellman.
Lantz is Runtz crossed to Ridgeline’s proprietary Green Lantern. Cheetah Piss is Lemonnade, Gelato, and London Poundcake.
Ridgeline leads the way with a slew of Lantz crosses, including the superb Blackberry Caviar (Grape Gas x LANTZ); and Blueberry Caviar for Woody Harrelson’s LA lounge, which specializes in outdoor.
Top hasher
Honey Banana
Hash rules more and more of the flower market these days, and as much as half of all cannabis flowers get frozen instead of dried. Leading the pack of hashers are strains like Papaya, Wilson, as well as Honey Banana. Though it’s this old cross of Strawberry Banana and Honey Boo-Boo from this old-school brand Elemental Seeds. Many breeders now work with it. Hit or miss as dried flower, Honey Banana shines as live rosin with a pronounced honeyed banana smell and taste. It’s considered a good ‘washer’—meaning the flower yields upwards of 5% hash when agitated by ice water and seized through a fine screen.
“It did great outside,” said Harry at hashmaker Errl Hill. “It’s becoming a standard—everyone kind of got that one. If it doesn’t yield, people won’t wash it over and over, year after year.”
Sour waves
Double OG Sour
(Courtesy Rebel Grown)
Maybe it’s the bitter election. Maybe it’s New York’s ‘sour’ influence making itself known. Maybe we all just want to feel something again. Either way—2024 has been a banner year for Sour Diesel-related weed. Our pick goes to Rebel Grown seed’s Double OG Sour. It bested the competition in California to win 1st place at the Emerald Cup 2024. Double OG Sour grew well outside on both coasts—built off the time-tested genetics of OG Kush and Sour Diesel. It’s (OG Kush X (OG x Sour) F5). It’s green, pungent bud with lemon, pine, fuel, and sour notes; and zingy hybrid effects. There are so many good sours to get at this year.
See also: Booney Acres’ Sour Bears (Symbiotic Genetics’ Kombucha #6 x Sour Diesel BX3), Sour Trop x Lime Sour (from CHA Genetics), PCG Sour Peaches (AJ’s Sour x Moroccan Peaches), and classic Headband.
A Z to beat
4 Z’s
4 Z’s bred and grown by Lempire Farmaseed. (David Downs/Leafly)
The tropical taffy candy-smelling and lip-smacking strain Original Z offers some of the best indoor tree around. But it can be tricky outdoors, where one must harvest it early to avoid mold in the spongy bud. Medical marijuana-era brand Lempire Farmaseed has persisted into the recreational age with their standout 4 Z’s. It’s this killer cross of Dirty Z x ZOZ back-crossed to the Dirty Z. See? Four “Z”s. Easy. That’s the kind of intense Z work that pushes the culture forward.
Lempire’s Wes tells Leafly: “The selection we bred is brighter, faster, and highly resistant to pests and mold. The terps lean heavily towards the Original Z but retain the neon chunk of the Lem OG, and finishes in an amazing 40-45 days. Lab results hit high in THC and shops love the 4 Z’s.”
4 Z’s stood out among the crowd at Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa, CA in September, and it’s so heartening to see a true legendary grower/breeder on fully legal shelves.
Rose’s moment
Whitethorn Rose and crosses
Huckleberry Hill Farms’ award-winning, floral-smelling, and tasty sativa hybrid Whitethorn Rose is the belle of the harvest ball this year. After breaking out over a series of Emerald Cup wins, Whitethorn Rose has made its way into many gardens and the first crosses of it are starting to hit as well. Whitethorn Rose is a selection from a cross of Paradise Punch x Lemon OG but it smells completely different than a punch or an OG. It’s got this floral, rose, funk with a sweet terpinolene back. Sick of the LCG ‘candy-gas’ dominance in weed, seek out this increasingly popular strain, as well as all its new crosses. See also: Ridgeline Rose (Whitethorn Rose x Lantz); Country Rose (Whitethorn Rose x Canna Country 38).
New and influential
Pineapple Mojito
Weed diversity improves even more this season with the new Pineapple Mojito from California State Fair award-winning Higher Heights in Mendocino, CA. Both the grower Nate and buyers like Eli Melrod at Solful are psyched about this loud, modern pineapple and mint weed. Higher Heights has been laser-focused on breeding unique stuff through his Broze line, into his Carambola, and now the Pineapple Mojito. Unpack the world-class selection going on here. Pineapple Mojito is Carambola x Lemon Limez from Enzo the 420 Nomad. Lemon Limez is (Sour Diesel x Biker Kush) x Key Lime Pie. Carambola is (Sunburn x Green Tea) x Brozé with a crazy-loud citrus/incense/myrrh/gas smell. Nate always selects for terpy loudness and feel-good effects, and his unique work commands 3 to 4 times the going rate for outdoor in 2024.
Savory counter-point
Ooh Mami
Savory weed like GMO Cookies has a special, stanky place in our hearts. This year’s savory to search for comes from Phinest—one of California’s biggest cloners out in Sacramento. Originally dubbed “Gravy” by its creator Cannarado of Colorado. Phinest renamed it Ooh Mami to help it sell better. Ooh Mami mixes Lemon G, OG Kush Breath, and Sour Kush smells “exactly like a bowl of warm turkey gravy” with a sour lemon finish. Super-weird. It washes great for rosin and carts. Ian at Phinest describes it as “a 3-day pho broth with shameless amounts of hoisin sauce added in. Big yielder, beautiful giant sun worshiping monsters.” Ooh Mami—Daddy like.
One of a kind terp
Strawberry Pop
Strawberry Pop. Grown by Talking Trees. (David Downs/Leafly)
Ready for a different candy strain? Check out Talking Trees’ Strawberry Pop—a selection of Red Runtz bred by Washington breeder Exotic Genetix. Exotic Genetix Mike crossed Red Pop into Runtz, but we didn’t get any of the Runtz, rather a record amount of the strawberry soda pop flavor—a refreshing surprise. One hit and we’re back in Kansas City, MO sipping on a tooth-crackingly sweet strawberry soda to wash down some barbecue. Love it. “We just harvested our 2nd round and it’s more fire than the first,” said Talking Trees’ Matt Weston. See also: Booney Acres’ Redvine (Tractor Fuel #14 x Strawberry Meltshake #24).
Best effect
Canna Country 26
Canna Country #26. (David Downs/Leafly)
The best herb comes down to the effect, and one standout from 2024 will always be the proprietary Canna Country #26 from Canna Country. Why? It has such a great color and smell and the effect beats about 90% of the weed out there. Canna Country says “She is So cool,” and describes the high as “Texturing perception,” with a “hug from grandma” high. Facts. Canna Country 26 grows into gorgeous, purple, outdoor weed that reminds us of old-school Afgooey, and Jah Goo. You can smoke it from breakfast till dinner, and it’ll always feel right, and never make you anxious or edgy like many other modern maximum-THC strains will. Canna Country 26 is Forbidden Fruit crossed to the breeder’s proprietary Cherimoya.
And that’s a swing through some of the best and brightest trees from the fields this harvest season. The pace of innovation keeps accelerating, so we’re bound to leave something out when we have to settle on just 12 out of the hundreds or thousands of strains out there. Did we miss a bona fide champion? Make your reader’s choice below.
Reader’s choice: Pick a top strain of the 2024 harvest
What strain crushed it outside for you? We’ll add a 13th strain based on reader responses to make it a cool baker’s dozen harvest strains.
