America’s tens of millions of weed lovers stand ready this summer to tear the roof off this joint and burn one down.
Coast to coast in 18 legalization states, from backyard barbecues to beach hangs, we’re vaxxed, waxed, and roaring out of the ‘rona recession.
It’s the roaring 420s: There are more legal cannabis stores and delivery services in more towns than ever before. Sales of dried, cured flower comprise half of our essential, $13.7 billion legal US cannabis industry, according to the 2021 Leafly Jobs Report.
Hundreds of types of strains can overwhelm anyone at a dispensary, and even those are just a slice of the five thousand-plus Leafly strain database cake.
Based on exclusive data and leading grower interviews, Leafly sniffed out the best-selling, on-trend, 25-ish hit strains for your summer days and nights this year.
Since we all get lit and do something, we paired effects with eight types of activities. Pulse pumping yet? Oh, it will be.
Dank-licious summer days
Seasonal, complimentary weed flavors and effects abound, whether you’re gardening, working out, socializing, or getting crafty.
Gardening and farming
Tend your garden while sampling fruity, light-tasting, energizing herb that amps up wildflower colors.
Much respect to classic, widely available pot Strawberry Cough and Super Lemon Haze. Dig something more modern? Phat Panda’s Pineapple Mintz in Washington crosses Golden Pineapple to Kush Mintz.
Working out, playing, deep-cleaning
THC fights boredom and pain, and sports fans swear by certain power flower.
Dial in your doja with terpinolene, marijuana’s reported energy terpene, or aroma molecule. Look for orange color-coded strains on Leafly—that’s us pointing out terpinolene.
Fresh in terpinolenes this season—A Golden State’s Lava Flower blossoms in Cali bowls.
Nationally, classic terpinolene strain Jack Herer reigns with sweet sugar kisses. Take a hike on XJ-13 from Good Chemistry, or twerk it with Jack Flash from Native Roots, both in Colorado.
Leafly reviewers also report several classic trees amp them up: Sample this year’s crop of Durbans.
Alibi Cannabis in Oregon electrifies with its classic “fruity with hints of guava” Durban Poison. In Illinois, brand RYTHM rocks a super clean White Durban.
Daytime meetups
Trendy hybrids will melt the ice at awkward reunions, delayed weddings, and birthday parties.
For classic flavor, shop fun, citrusy Tangies and family. If it’s the future you want to puff, seek Zkittlez crosses. DNA Genetics debuts Ztrawberriez (Strawberry x Zkittlez) in Arizona.
Guava Zkittlez from Talking Trees Farm in California offers thick, tropical fruit zest with a chatty, chill vibe.
“A summer strain is strong in flavor, and light, like a white wine with uplifting effects,” said the Washington growers at Freddy’s Fuego, who recommend their sativa Hell Cat.
“A light but tasty smoke while you enjoy the sun, is there anything better?”
Creative zoning
Rapper Open Mic Eagle tells Leafly sativa hybrids are the shit, “When it comes to enhancing my creative process and keeping me engaged with my work all day.”
Eagle calls for Roll’s Choice OG from Smarty Plants in Los Angeles. Fact is, many OGs and Cookie crosses pop hot for “creative” and “focused” in reviews.
DNA Genetics in Arizona heralds fruity OG Miss DNA this summer—a cross of Kosher Kush and Strawberry Banana.
Cream of the Crop’s Cookies cross, Strawberries and Cream, can help you with your rhyme flow and your beatbox.
Sparkling summer nights
After a quick disco nap and snack, feast on flavors that’ll make afternoons a delight, flex on haters, and K-O insomnia.
Afternoon adventures
If you ever see me fightin’ in the forest with a grizzly bear, help the bear—cuz I’m turnt on Chappo’s Churro, a savage, sweaty new cross of everything strong from Northern Emeralds in California. This reported El Chapo OG cross to Churro amounts to four maximal OGs mixed with some Cookies and Glue. Phew.
Once you’ve seen the view from that summit, it’s hard to live in the valley. Stay at the peak with Lemon OZ Kush from indoor leaders Wonderbrett.
Expect the essence of summer in a nug: thick orange soda, lemon, and mandarin tang, with a lengthy, hybrid stone. Lemon OZ Kush contends for Strain of the Summer 2021—aligning genetics, selection, cultivation, aesthetics, pungence, taste, and effects.
“I’m thinking of the sun, and tropical, and that’s the same vibe [as this cultivar],” Brett said. “You’re ready to go chill at the beach, put your feet in the sand, and enjoy yourself with a piña colada.”
See also: California’s Emerald Cup-winning modern classic Gelonade (now in AZ) and new cross Lemonatti; both from Connected Cannabis Co.
Raging after dark
Blow minds at the evening meetup with the finest kind. We’re talking about that heavy session where everyone brings out the fire flower.
“In summer, the heavy terp strains take center stage at the Freddy’s smokeouts,” said Washington’s Freddy’s Fuego.
Freddy recommends their Le Mans—that’s Lemon Tree x Triangle Kush x Triangle Kush x M10.
Don’t bring your baby lungs to 2021’s heavy-hitting MAC crosses—like Cannarado’s Spritzer (a cross of Runtz, Grape Pie, and MAC), grown excellently by Fat Face Farms and Chronic Therapy in Colorado.
Equally potent—the craze in Breath strains has made it to Oklahoma’s flourishing medical scene. OK’s Flower of Life touts Dirty Sprite Breath, for example.
And no summer hit list can miss Gelatos and GMOs—be it Alien Labs’ Baklava abducting fools in AZ and CA, or six-state operator Grassroots Cannabis’ selling out of Garlic Cookies.
Vibing and hooking up
Thinking of some weedy freaky-deaky?
Classic, best-selling Original Glue sits atop the list of strains our readers report as “euphoric.”
For round two—smoke your Cake and eat it too, boo. This year serves Cake crosses for days:
- Mountain Sun Botanicals slangs Cake Mints in Oregon
- Item 9 Labs can’t sit on its Caked Up Cherries in Arizona
- Cake Batter from breeder Seed Junky in Los Angeles will have you stuck
Sleeping it off
The great philosopher Andrew W.K. once said: “Resting counts as partying, but only if you rest HARD.”
Unplug from the universe with on-trend indica hybrids and beyond like:
- Connected’s Cannabis Co.’s Nightshade
- Cypress Hill rapper B-Real’s new Insane strain Stuffed French Toast (Paris OG x Face-Off OG)
There’s waaaaay more, but we’re out of time. Yes, 25-ish flowers mean a lot of summer smoking. But just wait until New York and the rest of the US come online next year.
As always, the strain of the summer remains the one you love your way.
Make jays while the sun shines!
Leafly editor Alyssa Yeoman contributed to this article.
