Indica, Sativa, & Hybrids: What They Are & What It Means for You

Want to be more informed about the cannabis you use on a regular basis? In this post, we’ll cover the three primary types of cannabis, what they mean, and what they mean for you as a cannabis consumer.

What are cannabis types?

To understand exactly what cannabis types are, let’s look at another kind of flower: roses. When you think of a rose, you might think of the traditional, Valentine’s Day-style flower that’s pinkish-red, plump, and positioned on top of a long, thorny stem.

But there are over 150 species of roses, each with different colors, shapes, stems, and more.

Cannabis is similar— it appears in different types that have different physical traits, as well as effects. There are two primary cannabis types you probably want to know about— indica and sativa. There are also hybrid types, and we’ll talk about those, too.

What is Sativa?

Sativa is a cannabis variety that features tall stems and narrow leaves designed to maximize water conservation, and is thought to be an energizing type. It grows best around the equator where the air is warm and can grow as high as 20 feet. Sativas flower in 10-16 weeks, and draw their name from a word meaning ‘things that are cultivated.’ We’ll talk more about its effects a little later.

What is Indica?

Indica features broader leaves and shorter stems, and is thought of as the ‘relaxing’ type— though that’s not really the whole picture as we’ll discuss later. Indica is named after the location where it first became popular, India, and features short, bushy plants designed to survive in harsher climates than sativa. Perfect for growing indoors, indica grows more quickly than sativa (6-8 weeks to flower) and grows no taller than 3-6 feet.

What is Hybrid Cannabis?

Hybrid cannabis is bred by combining plants that come from both indica and sativa types. In fact, cannabis strains that are truly either 100% indica or 100% sativa are pretty rare, thanks to years of secret cannabis growing and breeding before more widespread legalization.

Effects of Different types

Before we dive into the specific effects of different cannabis types, it’s important to note that each individual type doesn’t have a hard-line distinction from the next. Basically, what we mean is that not all indicas cause the same set of effects and not all sativas create the same set of effects. Some indicas behave like sativas, while some sativas are more like indicas. This is because they both contain many of the same cannabinoids and terpenes, and also because they interact with unique people’s bodies in different ways.

That said, here are the most basic, most common differences between the cannabis types.

Effects of Indica

Generally, indica types tend to be more relaxing, sedating, and calming. They’re great for when you just want to kick back and enjoy being high, or want to bring yourself down from a high-energy or high-stress day. Feelings associated with indica include mellowness, sleepiness, carefree feelings, relaxation, and calm.

Effects of Sativa

Sativa, on the other hand, tends to be a bit more energizing. Creative, alert, energetic, cheerful, and creative are all words associated with the effects of sativa. It can cause positive and energetic feelings that make you want to get up and do something. They can be great for when you want to do some creative work or enjoy cannabis in a social setting.

Effects of Hybrid types

Hybrid types, as you might guess, can contain different traits of both indica and sativa. Again, there is less of a strict distinction between the two types as it is, so hybrid types can cover even more of a spectrum.

Whether you want indica, sativa, or hybrid types, Green has you covered. We have some of the most high-quality and affordable cannabis in Las Vegas, so check out our menu today to place an order for cannabis delivery in Las Vegas.