The Best Cannabis Strains of All Time

There are thousands of unique weed strains available to modern growers. Cultivators have access to all manner of traits to suit their situation and preferences. Despite the sheer volume of varieties, a select few cannabis strains stand out from the crowd. These are the best cannabis strains of all time.

These plants are known all over the cannabis world. Their names prick the ears of experienced and novice smokers alike. Such strains stem from all over the Earth, earning their place on the map through competition wins, amazing flavours, intense highs, and immense popularity.

These varieties include legendary landrace strains such as Acapulco Gold, Thai, Colombian Gold, and Durban Poison—all used by breeders to create many of the varieties we know and love today. World-famous CBD strains also occupy this pantheon. The likes of Charlotte’s Web, ACDC, and Juanita la Lagrimosa helped to ignite the booming popularity of cannabidiol.

And, where would we be without some of the tastiest terpene-rich cultivars around? Purple Haze, Vanilla Kush, Trainwreck, Grapefruit, and Strawberry Cough all serve as a reservoir of these delicious molecules, and have passed them down to countless offspring.

Royal Queen Seeds: A Source of Legendary Genetics

The expert breeders at Royal Queen Seeds have successfully created an entire range of popular weed strains based on these legendary genetics. Our versions of these top-tier cultivars feature many of the same traits as the originals, along with a few tweaks and changes that make them our own.

We’re proud of these plants, and they continue to provide consistent and impressive harvests to thousands of growers around the world. Whether you’re growing for the first time or simply want to add world-class genetics to your seed collection, explore the best strains of all time below for some solid options. You’ll come across the RQS version of each one, and learn what sets them apart from the pack.

Cheese

This indica-dominant hybrid stems from the United Kingdom. The strain emerged during the 1980s and soon after exploded in popularity. It quickly made its way across Europe and America, where its genetics live on in the form of many new hybrid strains. Cheese originates from a Skunk #1 phenotype, made obvious through her relaxing high and earthy taste.

Royal Cheese (Fast Flowering) remains one of the most popular Cheese varieties created by RQS. Her remarkably colourful flowers boast shades of purple, green, and orange, and produce a respectable THC level of 17%. Her slightly indica-dominant genetic profile exerts a relaxing body high that soothes the muscles while keeping the mind clear. Royal Cheese Automatic captures these same desirable traits in autoflowering format. She manages to churn out indica-dominant buds and THC levels of 15% only 11–12 weeks after germination.

Girl Scout Cookies

Girl Scout Cookies—or GSC—offers sweet and earthy aromas alongside a healthy bout of euphoria. This popular strain stems from the breeding hotspot of California, emerging from a cross between OG Kush and Durban Poison. After winning numerous Cannabis Cups, GSC rose to stardom. Growers all over the world fell in love with her delicious terpenes and energising sativa nature. Two different phenotypes of the strain exist that provide similar traits: Thin Mint GSC and Platinum GSC.

At RQS, we couldn’t resist creating our own version of this legend. Starting out with Forum Cookies S1 genetics, we stabilised a productive strain that offers all of the best Cookies traits. Royal Cookies features a massive THC level of 23%, a euphoric high, and large yields both indoors and outdoors.

Super Silver Haze

Super Silver Haze showed up with a bang in the 1990s. This energising sativa strain supercharges the nervous system with high levels of THC and refreshing terpenes. Her electrifying traits are known to impress almost anyone that tries her, which explains her consistent Cannabis Cup wins in 1997, 1998, and 1999. Breeders created this timeless variety by crossbreeding the equally well-known strains Skunk, Northern Lights, and Haze.

Shining Silver Haze serves as the RQS version of Super Silver Haze. Inspired by this legend, we produced a cerebral sativa of our own. She produces tall and thin flowers coated with a thick layer of resin. This viscous substance possesses 21% THC, medium levels of CBD, and a complex terpene profile defined by tastes of citrus, pine, earth, and fruit.

White Widow

We have no doubt that you’ve heard of this variety. In fact, most people seem to know of this renowned strain before ever taking their first toke—White Widow has reached an almost mystical status. Dutch breeders created this prestigious plant in the 1990s using an international blend of genetics. They crossed a particularly zesty Brazilian sativa landrace with a heavy South Indian indica, resulting in a hard-hitting beast with a motivational and inspiring high.

Stemming directly from White Widow S1, the RQS version of White Widow bestows similar effects. She boasts a balanced high that stones the body while awakening the mind. Flavours of earth, pepper, and pine infuse every hit, and both indoor and outdoor plants produce yields that will keep your stash jars full for months into the future.

Super Lemon Haze

Super Lemon Haze produces small and dense flowers that pack a serious punch. Breeders created this hybrid by crossing Lemon Skunk and Super Silver Haze over several generations to achieve a stable and productive phenotype. This tasty sativa claimed victory at two Cannabis Cups, impressing judges with her tangy taste and clear, crisp high.

Although we adore the original, we identified some room for improvement. So, we crossed Shining Silver Haze with Lemon Skunk to make this possible. By creating Lemon Shining Silver Haze, we made an alternative with higher THC levels, an even more stimulating effect, and flavours that set the taste buds ablaze.

Jack Herer

Jack Herer has one of the most interesting backstories of any cannabis variety. Her creators named the strain after cannabis author and activist Jack Herer, the man who penned the book The Emperor Wears No Clothes. The wisdom within these pages details the many uses of the industrious hemp plant. The Jack Herer strain serves as a tribute to such a great human being. The sativa-heavy cultivar imparts a clear-headed and creative effect perfect for wake-and-bake sessions.

Royal Jack Autoflowering channels the traits of the original Herer into an easy-to-grow and resilient specimen. With a height of only 40–80cm, growers can cultivate her in a stealthy manner. Grow her in converted cupboards or secret spots outdoors to maximise privacy and keep your horticultural hobby off the radar.

Blue Dream

If you’ve ever travelled to Amsterdam in search of the quintessential coffeeshop experience, you’ve probably come across Blue Dream. Although she originated on the West Coast of the United States, this lively sativa variety made a huge splash over in Europe, and remains a firm favourite in the cannabis hotspot of the Netherlands. She beats back a bad mood and lethargy with a euphoric yet peaceful high.

Our very own Haze Berry mimics all of these traits, and adds a spin of her own. As the progeny of Blueberry and Haze, the delicious terpenes locked within her trichomes offer excellent vaping and edibles experiences. This hardy outdoor strain thrives in raised beds amongst companion plants, such as basil, that further augment her flavours.

Chemdawg

Ah, we love a bit of Chemdawg! This indica-leaning powerhouse has changed the world of weed as we know it. Breeders used her genetics as the foundation for much-loved strains such as OG Kush and Sour Diesel. Her diesel aroma may seem off-putting to some, but it actually becomes moreish very quickly. She offers a completely different terpene experience than the sweeter and more fruity varieties out there.

At RQS, we decided to improve upon this great strain. By crossing Chemdawg with Sour Diesel, we gave rise to one of our most prized creations: Kali Dog. Compared to the original, she features higher levels of THC and resides further towards the indica end of the spectrum. Smoke her at any time of day for a clear-headed experience that enhances focus (and tastes superb).

OG Kush

From Californian dispensaries to Dutch coffeeshops and Spanish cannabis clubs, you’ll find this strain anywhere you go. Despite her popularity, some elements of this cultivar remain a mystery, including her name! One camp insists that the “OG” stands for “ocean grown”, whereas others speculate it must mean “original gangster”. What we do know: breeders in Florida created her in the early 1990s by crossing an unknown Cali strain with a Dutch Hindu Kush plant.

Of course, we had to develop our own super-special version of OG Kush! The Royal Queen Seeds variety came about following a breeding project involving Chemdawg, Lemon Thai, and Pakistani Kush. This robust strain delivers superb results both indoors and outdoors, and her frosty buds offer a THC value of 19%. Use her to craft potent extracts and edibles to feel the full force of her effects.

Sunset Sherbet

Sunset Sherbet descends from a lineage of some of the tastiest strains of all time. She stems directly from Girl Scout Cookies, but OG Kush, Cherry Pie, and Durban Poison all had their say in her development. The buds of Sunset Sherbet feature a powerful phytochemical cocktail that smells of berries and citrus, and catapults the mind into a state of razor-like focus.

Inspired by this cultivar, we had to create our own take on Sunset Sherbet. By crossing her with Pink Panties, we stumbled upon a progeny that features one of the best terpene profiles we’ve ever tested. Considering we’ve sampled hundreds of strains, those words mean something! Her dense and sticky flowers emanate aromas of candy, citrus, herbs, and fresh mint.

Critical Mass

Critical Mass captured the hearts of indica-loving cannabis users following her creation. A hit in almost every coffeeshop, Critical Mass imparts an immediate high that sinks the body into the couch and makes the eyelids heavy. Such a stoning experience could only stem from parent strains Skunk #1 and Afghan.

Our answer to Critical Mass? Critical. Like the original, we harnessed the stoning prowess of Skunk and Afghan to create our own cultivar. Our variety features slightly more sativa genetics, a trait that adds more stimulation to the high and prevents the mind from dozing off to sleep. Outdoor plants grow to a height of 220cm. Give her enough space, and she’ll treat you to huge yields.

Sour Diesel

Another legend that arrived on the scene in the 1990s, the popularity surrounding Sour Diesel remains. At the time, this cross between Chemdawg 91 and Super Skunk took sativa-loving growers by storm. After spreading all across the world, hundreds of breeders used her genetics to create a new wave of stimulating varieties. Her fast-acting high jolts neurons into action and gets the creative juices flowing.

We captured the very essence of Sour Diesel in our own version of the strain. We crossed Original Diesel, Northern Light, Shiva, and Hawaiian to replicate and improve upon the original. Our variety packs a THC content of 19% and a much more complex terpene profile. Her delightful tastes of citrus, fruit, herbs, pepper, and sourness light up the tongue, especially when vaped.

Banana Kush

Banana Kush changed the game for many cannabis chefs out there. When making edibles, it helps to find strains that fit recipes hand in glove. Inheriting a scrumptious terpene profile from Ghost OG and Skunk Haze, Banana Kush offers the ultimate option when baking brownies, cakes, and other sweet dishes. Alongside her mouthwatering taste, she imparts a mellow body buzz perfect for relaxing evenings.

Fat Banana from Royal Queen Seeds ups the ante in the domains of potency and flavour. Her outrageous THC level of 25% and insanely sweet taste will greatly increase the strength and taste of your edibles and extracts. When chowing down on those brownies, buckle up and prepare for blastoff!

Bruce Banner

Named after the alter ego of the Hulk, Bruce Banner and these little cannabis seeds have something in common: they both turn into massive green monsters! This strain grows tall, develops a massive canopy, and thrives in large outdoor spaces and roomy greenhouses. If you have the room to contain this tree-like sativa, you’ll be in for some massive harvests.

Don’t get us wrong, we love Bruce Banner. But after trying this strain, we saw some room for creativity. By crossing OG Kush with Strawberry Diesel, we created a strain that produces much higher levels of THC while retaining Bruce Banner’s famed productivity. This lady will switch your brain on with a THC level of 27% and fill your stash jars with an outdoor yield of up to 700g/plant.

Black Domina

What happens when you throw the best indica genetics together in an ambitious breeding project? The answer: Black Domina. Some mad scientist cannabis lovers decided to cross Northern Lights, Ortega, Hash Plant, and Afghan. Not surprisingly, the resulting strain slams the body and mind with a soothing and narcotic effect. She reddens the eyes, ramps up the appetite, and gives rise to deep, philosophical thoughts.

The only way we could improve upon Black Domina was to cross her with other brutally stoning strains. By injecting some Kalijah genetics into the mix, we added more THC and a high that completely melts the muscles while spreading a smile across the face. The result, the Royal Domina. Save this strain for the evenings to take advantage of these euphoric effects.

Grape Ape & Grapefruit

Grape Ape and Grapefruit were created for taste, and taste alone. Although they both catalyse hard-hitting highs, their flavours come to the fore when smoking. A zippy sativa strain, Grapefruit descends from Cinderella 99 and unleashes tastes of citrus and tropical fruits. In contrast, Grape Ape lands a stoning indica high right to the body, alongside scents and flavours of oranges, lemons, and limes.

We love a challenge, and creating something that tasted as good as these two strains tested us to our limits. However, we’re confident in saying that Sweet ZZ tastes better than practically any other strain on Earth. Her purple-green buds are loaded with trichomes that pump out tastes of candy, fruit, sugar, and nectar. On top of this, her THC content of 27% keeps smokers on their toes and exerts a truly mind-rattling high.

Power Plant

Power Plant has an interesting origin story. The pure sativa strain started off life as a landrace variety growing in South Africa. Strain hunters handed these seeds over to reputable breeders, who tweaked and perfected her in the 1990s. Winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place positions at High Life Cup events, Power Plant has more than proven her worth in the cannabis space. Since this well-earned publicity, users all over the world have experienced Power Plant's focused and motivating high.

After gaining access to the original landrace, we tried our hands at tweaking Power Plant in our own way. Power Flower is the outcome. We created a phenotype with a THC level of 19%, medium quantities of CBD, and a heavy and cerebral effect. Tastes of citrus, earth, fruit, and pepper roll across the tongue with every hit.

Northern Lights

Of course you were expecting to see this name on the list! And rightly so. Northern Lights also contends for the title of the most famous strain of all time. This pure indica variety sends a flurry of THC and myrcene into the bloodstream then straight to the brain. Her deeply relaxing high comes courtesy of pedigree Thai and Afghan landraces.

Inspired by this incredible strain, we wanted to make these amazing genetics more accessible to beginner growers. We crossed her with a high-performing ruderalis strain to infuse her with autoflowering genetics, making her much easier to grow. She maintains a medium height throughout the growing cycle while offering excellent indoor yields of 500–550g/m². Her THC level of 14% offers a subtle and chilled out high that won’t send you over the edge.

Lambsbread

This 100% pure sativa variety stems from Jamaica. Bob Marley himself thoroughly enjoyed the effects of this landrace. Despite adapting to the Jamaican climate, strain hunters believe the variety came across from Africa at some point over the last few hundred years. Lambsbread conjures a head buzz that ramps up the mood and gets the dopamine pumping. THC levels of up to 25% will ensure you enjoy these effects for hours to come.

We took Lambsbread and added flavours rarely found elsewhere. By crossing her with Pre-98 Bubba Kush, we gave rise to Pumpkin Kush Regular. This productive photoperiod strain packs tastes of sweetness, spice, and desserts. Enjoy these flavours with every toke, and bake these buds into edibles for an even more intense experience.

Moby Dick

Much like the fictional whale, Moby Dick earned her name for her sheer size. This huge sativa develops into a tree-like plant when given the space to fulfil her true potential, indoors or outdoors. Her towering canopy yields up to 1500g/m² indoors, with buds that provide a truly unique effect. Moby Dick also offers high levels of THCV, a cannabinoid that works with THC to produce a spacey, happy, and cerebral high.

Royal Moby offers a potent alternative to this popular strain. Using Haze and White Widow, we created a strain with 65% sativa genetics and 35% indica. She casts a balanced, clear, and stoning effect over the mind with every toke. Enjoy these buds when writing or painting for some creative inspiration. Be careful, though, a THC level of 21% hits fast!

Hindu Kush

Hindu Kush originates from the harsh climate of the mountain range with the same name. This jagged landscape spans 500 miles between Afghanistan and Pakistan, experiencing dry summers and wet, snowy winters. To adapt to these conditions, the Hindu Kush strain ramped up its resin production—a substance loaded with cannabinoids and terpenes—to protect itself. Hindu Kush kept this trait through the domestication process, and offers a deep body high alongside tastes of earth and sandalwood.

We’ve created an entire archive of Kush genetics at Royal Queen Seeds that share similar traits to this hardy strain. Bubble Kush, Candy Kush, Critical Kush, Pineapple Kush, and Special Kush #1 all share stoning effects and impressive resin production.

AK-47

Although named after a weapon of war, AK-47 has a knack for inducing a peaceful state of mind. In fact, we believe there’d be a lot less conflict in the world if people would inhale more of this strain! AK-47 received her sativa genetics from a rich mix of landrace strains, namely Colombian, Mexican, Thai, and Afghan. Rather than shooting bullets, she lights up the endocannabinoid system with high levels of THC.

Royal AK pips the original at the post all across the board. She offers a similar experience, but with higher levels of THC, more pronounced earthy and piney tastes, and superior yields both indoors and outdoors.

Cannatonic

Cannatonic stands as one of the most beloved CBD strains on the market. Stemming from Juanita la Lagrimosa, she puts out dense and resinous flowers possessing high levels of CBD and moderate amounts of THC. Her psychotropic effects are subtle, but pronounced enough to elevate the mood and induce the munchies towards the end of the experience.

The RQS catalogue offers a vast range of CBD genetics, from those offering a balanced high to those that produce no psychotropic effects at all. These world-class CBD cultivars include Fast Eddy, Royal Medic, Painkiller XL, and Stress Killer.

Afghan (AKA Afghani)

Afghani spans far back into antiquity. The landrace has called Afghanistan home for thousands of years, and originates from where the herb itself may have first appeared on Earth. She features robust genetics equipped to dealing with the elements, and flowers that produce a thick, protective coat of psychotropic resin.

Many of our strains stem from these prized genetics, including ICE, Special Queen #1, and Royal Cheese. They offer her core traits, but with their own unique qualities, from autoflowering speed to unrivalled trichome production.

Bubble Gum

The West Coast usually gets the credit for the best weed in the US. However, Bubble Gum stems from the state of Indiana. It emerged in 1994 and quickly gained notoriety by winning breeding competitions. With a short flowering time of 7–9 weeks and a candy-sweet taste, who doesn’t love Bubble Gum?

By crossing Power Plant with Santa Maria, we created a form of Bubble Gum that offers much better harvests. Bubblegum XL treats indoor growers to up to 500g/m² of these tasty flowers.

Skunk #1

If we should thank any strain for the amount of diversity on the market today, it would be Skunk #1. Breeders elected to use these genetics to create a long list of new cultivars, encouraged by her easy cultivation, genetic stability, and landrace origins. Skunk #1’s happy and energising buzz lifts the spirits and helps users start their day the right way.

In an effort to improve Skunk #1 where she lacks, we created Skunk XL. She features the best properties of the original, but provides more flowers at the end of the growing cycle. Her huge colas explode in size during the flowering stage and display shades of dark green and blue-purple. Then there’s Sweet Skunk Automatic, a fast and furious take on the original heavy-hitter that has become quite popular amongst growers of all experience levels.

Chocolope

Any guesses what this one tastes like? You got it: chocolate! Your other weed won’t taste the same after exposing your taste buds to this sweet delight. By crossing Chocolate Thai with Cannalope Haze, breeders created a delicious strain that went on to win two High Times Cannabis Cup awards and the 2007 High Times Strain of the Year award.

We captured the essence of this connoisseur strain in Chocolate Haze. By crossing the same parent strains, we achieved a phenotype with 20% THC and a sweet, chocolatey, and earthy terpene profile.

Blueberry

Blueberry graced the cannabis world with her presence for the first time way back in the 1970s. Skilled breeders—namely, DJ Short—crossed landrace strains Highland Thai, Purple Thai, and Afghan, and eventually stabilised a consistent progeny. Since then, Blueberry has served as a source of flavour for countless cultivars.

We fell in love with Blueberry at first toke, using her fruity and earthy genetics as the foundation for many RQS strains, including Haze Berry, Royal Bluematic, Blue Cheese, Blue Mystic, and Fruit Spirit. All of these varieties offer fantastic yields, quick growing times, and immense tastes of blueberries!

Original Haze

Original Haze genetics first sprung from the soil in the Californian city of Santa Cruz over 50 years ago. The lovechild of pedigree landrace strains, Original Haze ushered in a new era of potency and raised the bar in terms of quality. Her spicy terpenes and high THC content changed the game, and her impact lives on to this day.

Original Haze shows up in our genetic archive in the feminized form of Amnesia Haze. We’re proud of this strain and the enjoyable high she exerts. A THC content of 22% inspires the mind, and medium levels of CBD keep the high grounded. Plus, huge outdoor yields of 700g/plant will keep you stocked up for months to come. And, for those looking to shorten the growing cycle, there’s Amnesia Haze Automatic to consider. She offers the same effects, but in much less time.