Indica CBD vs Sativa CBD | A Guide To Craft Hemp Flower Strains
Indica CBD vs Sativa CBD Guide | Benefits And List of Best Flowers
Which is better? Football or basketball? Beer or wine? Android or iPhone? Indica CBD or Sativa CBD?
Some questions are hotly debated. Although it’s technically all subjective from person to person, some preferences have their pros and cons.
As a craft hemp flower company, we can’t really answer the first few questions for you—but we can help you decide between indica CBD vs sativa CBD and which is best for you.
At Dreamland Organics, we know a thing or two about growing CBD flowers, both indica and sativa. As such, we’ve compiled a guide for you to help you better understand the benefits, uses, and advantages of each type of hemp flower plant over the other. We have also compiled a list of some of our favorite CBD strains from each type of plant in order to help you along your CBD flower search.
Craft Hemp Flower Plants
To clarify some things real quick, this guide and list refers to craft hemp flower plants—not marijuana plants.
But what’s the difference between craft hemp flowers (AKA CBD flowers) and traditional cannabis plants?
Well, the main difference is that craft hemp flowers are not designed to get you high like traditional marijuana plants. This is because CBD flowers contain only trace amounts of THC—the chemical element which makes you high. They contain so little of this cannabinoid that it won’t make high. Although, this guide can still apply to traditional cannabis plants.
Be careful, though, not to confuse the “entourage effect” with being high. The entourage effect is simply when the CBD, other cannabinoids, and terpenes within a craft hemp flower interact with one another to cause a heightened effect of relaxation and beneficial properties. Although novice CBD smokers may confuse the feeling, they’re not the same thing. While THC from traditional cannabis plants can cause feelings of intoxication, the entourage effect does not.
Learn more about the entourage effect on our blog post: What Is The Entourage Effect? What Does The Entourage Effect Feel Like?
It’s also good to note that the differences between sativa CBD and indica CBD aren’t necessarily set in stone. Many of the properties and effects between each type of plant can differ slightly based on different factors. Similarly, they can often be used to treat the same conditions or ailments, though they do this in different ways.
Some of the factors which dictate a CBD flower’s effect include:
Whether it’s Indica CBD or Sativa CBD
The CBD strain itself
Terpene mixture
Level of CBD concentration
Indica CBD Effects And Benefits
As opposed to sativa CBD, indica CBD is considered the “downer” of the two. This is because its main effects include mental and physical relaxation. As a result, it typically proves to be the better of the two when it comes to using it as a sleeping aid, pain reliever, or general overall relaxer.
Indica CBD is usually recommended for nighttime use due to its relaxing effects—which can make one feel sleepy. Although it can also be taken during the day, we recommend drinking a caffeinated beverage or two to cancel out the sleepy feeling it may give.
Indica plants are usually stocky and short with wide, thick leaves. The buds themselves are also dense and conical shaped. They grow faster than sativa plants on average and are native to harsh and turbulent climates such as those in India, Turkey, or Pakistan.
According to Google analytics, indica CBD is usually more popular among online shoppers than sativa CBD is. This may be in part due to the various health benefits which indica plants specialize in—as indica CBD is oftentimes more effective than sativa at helping to relieve chronic pain and related conditions.
Indica CBD is best recommended for those suffering from:
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Chronic pain
Inflammation
Nausea
If you’re suffering from these conditions, consider giving indica CBD a try. It also still serves as a great plant if you simply want help relaxing at the end of the day. Terpene profiles tend to vary from earthy or gassy tones to fruity ones.
So go home, put your feet up, relax, and go to sleep early with some relaxing indica CBD.
Our Indica CBD Recommendations
Dream Fuel
Dream Fuel is one of the most popular indica CBD strains on the market. Like any indica CBD strain, it is especially good at relieving pain and anxiety.
This CBD flower emphasizes mental focus, relaxation, and mental serenity above all else. It is also ultra effective at being almost instantaneous. The CBD effects kick in almost immediately, and will leave you feeling relaxed, focused, and calm. It’s also especially smooth, making it a great option for those new to CBD flower smoking or vaping.
Dream Fuel is technically a hybrid strain, but it’s indica dominant in structure. As a result, you get mostly indica CBD effects—but with just a hint of sativa, helping to level out the sleepiness which indica CBD may cause. Thus, this is a great strain for those who want something to smoke at night and during the day to stay relaxed and anxiety free.
The terpene profile is mostly gassy, but with strong notes of mango and other exotic fruits. It’s definitely one of our best-tasting strains to date.
Kimbo Kush
Named after the late heavy-hitting MMA fighter Kimbo Slice, Kimbo Kush packs a potent and equally heavy-hitting CBD punch.
At 17% CBD concentration, this craft hemp flower is one of the most potent and powerful indica CBD strains to date. As such, it’s also one of our best sellers.
The high CBD concentration mixed with its pure indica makes Kimbo Kush one of the most effective CBD flowers for relaxation, pain relief, and sleeping assistance. Because it’s so potent, we usually recommend this hemp nug to veteran CBD enthusiasts. Although, don’t let that scare you from trying it—just make sure you have nowhere to be when you try it out for the first time.
This indica CBD strain is best suited for those who really want to relax late in the evening; we advise caution if you attempt to smoke it during the day. Don’t get us wrong when we emphasize the potency of this strain.
The terpene profile is gassy overtones with notes of vanilla coffee. For a full review, read our blog post: Kimbo Kush Review
Sativa CBD Effects And Benefits
Not liking the sound of indica CBD effects? Well, don’t worry, because sativa CBD is also a great option.
Unlike indica CBD, sativa CBD is considered the “upper” of the two. Although it may still offer minor feelings of relaxation or mental serenity, it emphasizes energy, creativity, mood uplifting, and productivity above all else. This makes sativa CBD a great option for battling depression, mood disorders, or general feelings of lethargy.
Because it boosts energy, sativa CBD strains are usually used during the day. But there’s no reason you can’t use them at night, either, since they aren’t overly stimulative. In fact, its creativity-boosting effects may be beneficial in certain after work hobbies or activities. This explains why sativa CBD tends to be a favorite among writers, artists, and other creative people.
Sativa CBD plants typically mature slowly, but often grow up to 12 feet. They usually grow thin, finger-like, and delicate leaves with light and airy buds. Generally, sativa CBD plants grow best in warm and sunny climates like in Central America or parts of Africa and Asia.
Though sativa CBD can treat similar ailments to indica CBD, they’re especially best for treating things such as:
Anxiety
Depression
General lethargy
Stress
“Mental fog”
Terpene profiles of sativa CBD strains tend to be either floral or citrus.
If you need a mood booster or an attitude adjuster, then get yourself a sativa CBD nug to help yourself get through the day.
Our Sativa CBD Recommendations
Eden
One of our best-selling sativa CBD strains, Eden is a mild yet energizing craft hemp flower.
Eden emphasizes mental focus and mood enhancement over energy or productivity—though it certainly grants energy, too. So this makes it a great option for those who want to lift up their spirits or treat depression. It’s also effective at mild pain relief and treating anxiety.
We consider Eden to be an “all day smoker,” because it’s neither overly relaxing nor overly stimulative. This makes it a terrific alternative to traditionally prescribed anxiety or depression medication (with doctor’s consent, of course).
This sativa CBD strain is best recommended for those who want to stay calm and relaxed in a busy or stressful work environment—or for those who simply want to stay in good humor.
The terpene profile is mostly floral, with minor hints of skunky, funky, and cheesy undertones.
Epic Sunrise
As the name implies, Epic Sunrise will have you feeling just like that: an epic sunrise. It’s one of the best sativa CBD strains when it comes to getting up at dawn and seizing the day.
Epic Sunrise prioritizes mental focus more than anything else. This makes it specifically great for staying busy and productive during a hectic day. But it also proves good at decreasing depression and anxiety. This sativa CBD will have you feeling cool, relaxed, and laser sharp.
Similarly to Eden—although both are especially great for daytime smoking—Epic Sunrise is also an all day smoker.
However, since the effects of Epic Sunrise are subtle and calming, it’s a great background substance. You can increase your focus and decrease anxiety without overwhelming feelings of being drowsy or overly energetic. This makes it a great day smoker to stay collected, focused, and relaxed while at work, at the beach, or while hanging out with friends and family.
The terpene profile has a flavor similar to blueberry lemonade. A little fruity, a little sweet, but with earthy notes underneath.
What About Hybrid CBD Strains?
As you can imagine, hybrid CBD strains offer the best of both worlds. Since they’re a cross of both indica CBD and sativa CBD plants, they offer the benefits of both.
Hybrid CBD flowers serve as the perfect balance between the stimulative properties of sativa and the relaxing and therapeutic properties of indica plants. For someone who wants to stay focused, uplifted, but also relaxed and calm, they offer the perfect compromise between all CBD qualities.
Additionally, hybrid CBD strains also create some unique flavors due to their mixture of terpenes and cannabinoids.
However, most hybrid strains tend to be either sativa or indica dominant, usually leaning towards one set of effects over another. In fact, Dream Fuel—which was listed earlier under indica CBD—is actually a hybrid, although it’s indica dominant and has those sets of effects.
Unfortunately, no truly neutral hybrid exists, since they generally tend to lean one way or another in terms of effects. But some hybrids come pretty damn close.
Our recommendation for the best balanced hybrid CBD strain? Immortal.
Immortal is one of our DLO exclusive CBD flowers. As a hybrid, it will give you the best of both worlds. It’s a functional yet relaxing craft hemp flower nug that you can use during the day or at night.
The main effects of Immortal are pain relief and anxiety relief. We actually consider Immortal to be the best CBD flower for pain.
Although, because it leans slightly towards indica, it also serves as a great sleeping aid and general relaxer. But most of those relaxation effects come from its high CBD concentration, of which can be managed by stretching your supply out, or by mixing it with a sativa CBD strain.
Out of all our strains, Immortal also has the most unique terpene flavor: sweet grape jam.
So if you want to stay simultaneously relaxed, calm, uplifted, and anxiety free, then give a hybrid CBD strain like Immortal a try.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this guide and list of best indica CBD and sativa CBD strains will help you find the best craft hemp flowers for your personal needs and tastes.
At DLO, we’re passionate about growing quality CBD flowers—and have grown them for over 10 years. We only grow fully organic CBD flowers in living soil and natural sunlight, and without the use of synthetic or chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Still not sure which CBD strain is best for you? Take a look at our CBD bundle deals and try a little taste of each.
Stay blessed.