Indica vs. Sativa vs. Hybrids: Which Are Better? – Latest Cannabis News Today

Those who are familiar with these terms have probably used the cannabis plant in one way or another. Namely, the Sativa and Indica are both parts of the cannabis family, while the third one may be perceived as a crossbreed of these two. Throughout history, both of these subspecies (Indica and Sativa) were utilized for different purposes. Namely, many studies claim that Indica is a form of tranquilizer, making a heavy body high.

On the other hand, Sativas lift you and put you in a good mood by making you feel “high.” In the past couple of years, people have been continuously cross-breeding these plants, and eventually, each strain has become hybridized. Unfortunately, all these things remarkably decreased their effectiveness, making them much less beneficial. No one says that both are practically useless, but these days it’s hard to find high-quality strains. 

Namely, we assume that by now, you have gotten really confused by all this information. Today, we will discuss these three subspecies and provide you with some useful info to make things more straightforward.

Everything You Need To Know

Indica And Sativa Origins

As people started to move throughout Southern and Western Asia, the cannabis herb adapted to its new areas. Now, West Asia’s population started utilizing marijuana specifically for their fibers, oils, and seeds, while people in Southeast Asia began growing this plant for numerous psychoactive reasons. Therefore, evolution is the main reason, along with natural selection, why these two kinds of marijuana were born. In the beginning, both flowers and stems were usually harvested for their fibers and seeds. Later, many scientists have discovered that our ancestors utilized cannabis for its numerous medicinal benefits, such as alleviating pain, insomnia, and spiritual experiences.

Morphology And Development

When it comes to indica and sativa herbs’ visual characteristics, you can differentiate them by focusing on particular traits. Namely, indica strains usually grow very bushy and short and are up to six feet tall. On the other hand, sativa strains can grow much higher and reach almost twenty feet when grown outside. Furthermore, their branches go upwards. 

Their leaves are relatively narrow and long, while the leaves of indica are wider and thicker. Because they are smaller, indica strains are perfect for those who want to grow the plant indoors. Indica plants usually make less of a yield in comparison to Sativa plants. Sativa plants typically have more extended vegetation periods. 

Let’s Talk About Hybrids

Now that we’ve learned the basics about Sativa and indica, we will go further into details about hybrids. Namely, indica & sativa hybrids represent a mixture of sativas and indicas effects. Since cannabis breeding has become extremely popular in the last couple of years, hybrids have easily found their place in the cannabis world. Today, we can easily make a difference between hybrid vs. sativa vs. indica strains. 

Hybrids can be divided into three groups, and they include:

1. Balanced hybrids are a perfect blend of both worlds and consist of 50 percent indica and 50 percent sativa genes. The most popular ones are Super Silver Haze, White Widow, Purple Diesel, and Blue Dream.
2. Sativa-dominant hybrids contain indica’s calming body effect, as well as Sativa’s cerebral high. Some of the most famous types involve Purple Trainwreck, Headband, Sour Diesel, Juicy Fruit, and Alien Girl.
3. Indica-dominant hybrids alleviate pain by providing people with a real high. Some examples include Aurora Temple, Afgooey, Purple Urkle, Girl Scout Cookies, Skywalker OG, and Tahoe OG.

The Effects Of Strains

The impacts of various weed strains depend highly on numerous factors involving your biological tolerance, the product’s chemical characteristics, consumption method, and dosage. That’s why it would be recommendable to carefully analyze all of these things to find the best solution for yourself. Cannabis is packed with a lot of chemical compounds that together make an exceptional harmony of effects.

Cannabinoids such as CBD and THC (these two are the most common) have the most therapeutic effects. For instance, THC increases appetite and makes us feel high, and also helps with nausea and pain. On the other hand, CBD helps people cope with anxiety, pain, inflammation, and numerous medical issues. The good thing about it is that it is a non-intoxicating compound. 

Now, as we stated above, cannabis comes with various cannabinoids.  Therefore, it is of great relevance to familiarize yourself with both CBD and THC before you start using them. Do not pick a strain based on its sativa or indica categorization. Instead, base your selection on these:

• CBD-dominant strains come with small quantities of THC and are frequently used by people who are quite sensitive to THC.
• THC-dominant strains are usually purchased by individuals who want to achieve that “high” effect and also by the ones who seek pain relief, want to combat depression, insomnia, anxiety, and many other issues. 

Now, if you’re starting to feel like your anxiety is getting worse since you’ve started using THC, then it would be best to utilize a strain that contains much more CBD. Balanced CBD/THC strains are packed with equal amounts of CBD and THC and are helpful if you want to eliminate pain. Moreover, it also provides you with mild euphoria. This is a good alternative for those who are new to cannabis.

How To Choose The Right One?

Now, this is quite a difficult question because no one can give you one hundred percent accurate answer. It is all up to you. Generally speaking, people utilize all of them for different purposes. For instance, if you want to smoke during the day because you lack energy, you can use Sativa. On the other hand, if you are quite anxious and have trouble falling asleep, then opt for Indica.

Additionally, if you are looking for a perfect blend of these two that is going to give you a relaxing sensation and a much-needed focus, then use a hybrid. The best one contains an equal mix of Sativa and Indica. At the end of the day, you are the one who is going to make the final decision based on your needs.