Best Indica Strains: 6 Classic Indicas Worth Knowing

Indica is one of the categories Leafly uses to file strains, and for all 6 strains below, reviewers put sleepy and relaxed among the top effects. The label is still a rough guide rather than a promise, because effects also depend on the batch, the amount and the person; this guide to indica vs sativa vs hybrid explains what the labels mean. The 6 below are well documented, each with more than 1,000 ratings on Leafly.

Granddaddy Purple, or GDP, was popularized in 2003 by Ken Estes. Leafly describes it as a cross of Mendo Purps, Skunk and Afghanistan, while noting that others say it is Big Bud x Purple Urkle. This California staple has a complex grape and berry aroma and deep purple flowers with a frosty coat of resin. Leafly describes a mix of cerebral euphoria and physical relaxation, and reviewers tag it sleepy, relaxed and hungry. See the Granddaddy Purple strain profile.

Bubba Kush, also called BK or Bubba, is an indica from Florida known for heavy, tranquilizing effects. Its genetic origins are uncertain: the breeder it is named after says it appeared just after 1996, when an OG Kush pollinated an unknown indica, and its stocky build suggests Afghani descent. Sweet hashish flavours come through with subtle notes of chocolate and coffee, and the bulky buds range from forest green to pale purple. Leafly credits it as an ancestor of Kush Mints and Wedding Cake. Read the Bubba Kush strain profile.

Purple Kush is a pure indica from the Oakland area of California, made by crossing Hindu Kush with Purple Afghani. Leafly describes a subtle, earthy aroma with the sweet overtones typical of Kush varieties and a blissful, long-lasting euphoria. Reviewers tag its flavour as grape, violet and earth, and report feeling sleepy, hungry and relaxed. See the Purple Kush strain profile.

Kosher Kush, also known as Kosher OG, originated in Los Angeles as a clone-only strain and is related to OG Kush. Leafly says it won Best Indica at the High Times Cannabis Cup in 2010 and 2011, plus Best Strain in 2011. It is known as one of the most pungent OG Kush relatives, with a smell of rich earth and fruit, and reviewers tag it sleepy, relaxed and hungry. More in the Kosher Kush strain profile.

Afghan Kush, or Afghani Kush, traces its roots to the Hindu Kush mountain range near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where Leafly says it was refined over centuries as a source of hash such as charas. It forms massive, blunt-topped buds full of resin, and Leafly describes its effects as powerfully sedating. Reviewers tag the flavour woody, tarry and earthy. See the Afghan Kush strain profile.

Death Star is an indica from Sensi Star and Sour Diesel, and Leafly lists its breeder as unknown. It is named for its pungent, skunky, sweet jet fuel aroma, and the buds look frosty with purple shades in the stems. Leafly describes a powerful buzz, and reviewers tag it sleepy, relaxed and tingly, with skunk, pungent and diesel flavours. Read the Death Star strain review.

Since the reported effects are so similar, aroma is the easiest way to choose. Granddaddy Purple and Purple Kush lean grape, Bubba Kush leans coffee and hash, Kosher Kush and Afghan Kush lean earthy and woody, and Death Star is the fuel-heavy one. Potency overlaps too: Leafly's listings put these 6 between about 15% and 21% THC, and lab results for the batch in front of you matter more than the strain name.

Health Canada lists sleepiness, confusion and slower reactions among the short-term effects of cannabis, and says effects from smoking can last up to 24 hours. Start with a small amount, plan to stay in, and follow Canada's lower-risk cannabis use guidelines, which advise not driving for at least 6 hours after use.

Look for lab-tested flower with clear THC and CBD numbers, and buds that look and smell fresh. The GasDank menu carries lab-tested products, its flower comes from small-batch growers, every batch is checked before it goes on the menu, and flower is kept in UV-protected jars until it is packed. Menus change, so the indica flower page shows what is on the menu right now. Delivery is same day across Toronto and the GTA, usually within 1 to 2 hours, with mail order across Canada. Customers must be 19 or older (21 in Quebec), and ID is checked.