Indica vs Sativa vs Hybrid: The Ultimate Showdown

HISTORY

Indica is Latin for "of India" and is synonymous with the strain of cannabis.

Cannabis indica is an annual plant in the family Cannabaceae that has grown in India for various uses, including the production of hashish. The Indian subcontinent or Central Asia are believed to be the places where cannabis indica first appeared.

Known simply as Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was a French naturalist, biologist, scholar, and soldier in 1785. He identified Cannabis indica, the second variety of the cannabis plant. Lamarck used plant specimens gathered in India as the basis for his description of the newly discovered species.

Initially, Cannabis indica was regarded as a cannabis sativa subtype. The assumption that cannabis sativa was "discovered first" led to this conclusion, but further research reveals the contrary. Today, most people consider the indica the parent species of all cannabis rather than just a subspecies.

APPEARANCE

Indica plants are short, stocky, with bushy greenery and wide, broad leaves. There are more buds on each plant than on a sativa, and they grow faster as well.

The indica variety is generally dark in color -- the purple types are almost always indica-dominant -- and has an earthy, musky, and incense-like smell.

American biologist Richard Evans Schultes was regarded as the founder of contemporary ethnobotany. He described C. Indica as often conical in shape, short, and heavily branched.

INDICA STRAIN EFFECTS

Indica strains are commonly associated with feelings of relaxation, euphoria, happiness, and sleepiness. As nighttime strains, indicas help you relax and unwind after a long day.

BENEFITS

•   Relaxing - People claim that cannabis indica strains to aid in their mental and physical relaxation.

•   Relieves pain and body aches - People wanting to use cannabis for acute or chronic pain are frequently urged to try indica strains.

•   Builds appetite - “The munchies” (THC affects the section of the brain that controls appetite, causing the munchies) is not necessarily a negative thing, particularly if you have a poor appetite as a result of sickness or treatment.

•   Sedating | Eases insomnia - Those with insomnia may find that indica strains help them sleep.

•   Soothes nausea - Indica strains have been found to relieve nausea and help keep food down.

POPULAR STRAINS

HISTORY

The word sativa means "things that are cultivated."

An annual herbaceous flowering plant native to Eastern Asia, Cannabis sativa is currently widely cultivated and has a global distribution. Over the course of recorded history, it has been grown and used as a source of food, recreation, medicine, industrial fiber, seed oil, and religious and uplifting spiritual moods. Depending on the intended usage, different parts of the plant are collected. Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and doctor who developed binomial nomenclature, the contemporary method of naming organisms. He is regarded as the "father of modern taxonomy" and classified the species for the first time in 1753.

Cannabis Sativa is the most common type of cannabis.

APPEARANCE

Sativa plants have thin, finger-like leaves and are tall and slim. They take longer to mature than some other varieties of cannabis and can reach heights of more than 12 feet. Additionally, these plants have a distinctive light green color.

It smells tropical, sweet, and tangy.

SATIVA STRAIN EFFECTS

Feeling cheerful, uplifted, euphoric, and active are common effects of sativa strains. Sativas are frequently regarded as "daytime" strains utilized to feel productive, creative, focused, and complete tasks.

BENEFITS

•  Sharper focus - Helps calm the mind so it can focus on the task at hand.

•  Energizing - The desired outcome for daytime users, or those who prefer to consume before engaging in an activity or socializing.

•   Mood-uplifting - Sativa strains have an impact on mood, which gets better.

•  Increases creativity - Generates new ideas or assists in unleashing creativity.

•   Mind-expanding - Cannabis sativa strains are frequently believed to focus attention inward for reflection, which is not restricted to creativity.

Products made from cannabis sativa provide some relief from the following symptoms:

Anxiety. Some believe that cannabis sativa strains' uplifting and soothing properties aid in reducing stress. Others find it useful for "snapping out" of recurring or disturbing thoughts.

ADHD. Some individuals reported that cannabis sativa-derived products could help manage the symptoms of ADHD because of the cerebral and heightened focus effects linked to sativas.

Depression. Known for their energizing, mood-boosting, and creativity-inducing effects, sativas may be effective in combating lethargy and apathy.

BEST SATIVA STRAINS

HISTORY

Traveling marijuana aficionados brought Afghani landrace strains to California in the middle to the late 1970s. Breeders discovered that Afghanica plants bred favorably with the then-common tall, lanky sativas.

The process involves breeding male and female plants from different strains. The male plant pollinates the female plant, resulting in seeds of both plants and strains.

In a crossbreed, the offspring will display qualities from both parents, although sometimes the phenotypes will be more similar to one of the parents than the other. It is often the case that hybrid plants undergo selective breeding to yield the most robust and desirable characteristics.

APPEARANCE

Genetics can influence hybrids to have both sativa and indica characteristics. The characteristics of hybrid strains are as follows:

An indica-dominant hybrid may have:
          •   Thick, small buds
          •   Strong skunky smell
          •   A bluish or purple color

A sativa-dominant hybrid may have:
          •   Narrow, wispy buds
          •   Faint, fruity scent
          •   Feels spongy or fluffy

Therefore, it means that hybrid strains of cannabis can grow tall and slender like Cannabis sativa or short and stout like Cannabis indica.

HYBRID EFFECTS

A specific combination may have different effects depending on inherited traits from the parent plants.

If the strain is sativa-dominant, you'll probably benefit from mood enhancement, energy, focus, anti-anxiety, and anti-inflammatory properties. On the other hand, you're more likely to feel sedated and relaxed if the strain has a high indica content.

BENEFITS

•   Improved sleep - Sleeping better comes easily to those with lower levels of anxiety and despair.
•   Minimizes chronic pain - One of the most frequent reasons people use medical marijuana is to relieve pain. Numerous types of pain, including joint, neuropathic (nerve), and muscle pain, have been proven to be reduced by cannabis.
•   Lowers inflammation - If you experience persistent pain, a hybrid cannabis strain might be more helpful than a pure Indica or Sativa. This is because hybrids usually provide a more well-rounded benefit, including relaxation and pain relief.

Aside from improving overall brain function, hybrid cannabis has many other potential health benefits.

POPULAR STRAINS

•   Blue Dream
•   Wedding Cake
•   White Widow
•   Gorilla Glue
•   Jack Herer
•   OG Kush
•   Chiquita Banana
•   Purple Kush
•   Bruce Banner #3
•   Chemdog
•   Sour Space Candy
•   Cherry Pie

These popular hybrid strains have been bred from indicas and sativas.

The right type of cannabis for you depends on your specific needs and preferences. Indica vs sativa vs hybrid: If you want a strain that will relax your body and mind, then an Indica is probably your best bet. If you're looking for a strain that will give you energy and help you focus, then a Sativa is probably what you want. And if you're not sure what you're looking for or want the best of both worlds, then a Hybrid might be the right choice.