When you shop for cannabis, you expect to come across deep green cannabis strains, just as you’ve seen on TV and in the movies. So, when a budtender pulls out of a grape-like purple weed strain, you may be a bit confused, but purple weed is real.
What makes purple weed purple? Is it safe? Does it mean it’s better than other, greener strains?
If you have questions about these plum and violet cannabis flowers that catch the eye and draw so much attention, we have answers.
Let’s take a deep dive into what this color means for your favorite marijuana buds.
What is Purple Weed?
Purple cannabis is simply a cannabis plant with a purple coloration or shades of purple hue. The coloration is often a result of the effects of water-soluble compounds called anthocyanins.
Typically, you can associate these wine-colored flowers with Indicas; Indica buds tend to grow with this type of coloration, indicating a potentially sleepy, relaxing profile.
Today, the cannabis community has a variety of exotic purple weed strains that you can find in your local dispensary.
And if you don’t know what to ask for, you can always inquire about the deepest purple buds a shop has.
What Makes Weed Purple?
Weed obtains its purple color from water-soluble compounds called anthocyanins.
These compounds, part of the flavonoid group, contribute to various plant colors, such as reds, blues, and purples. The presence and concentration of anthocyanins in cannabis depend on factors like genetics, environmental conditions, and nutrient availability.
Is Purple Weed Safe?
Purple weed is as safe as any high-quality cannabis, with its safety and potency determined by cultivation and processing care rather than color.
When obtained from reputable growers adhering to safe practices, purple weed is as safe as green varieties. Rest assured, the stunning color is a natural, safe expression of the unique characteristics of the cannabis plant.
How Does Purple Weed Taste?
Purple weed taste is not significantly affected by anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for its unique color. These compounds don’t add distinct flavors different from chlorophyll in green weed.
Therefore, the taste of purple weed primarily depends on its terpene profile, similar to that of green varieties.
The Best Purple Weed Strains (Updated 2024)
Every purple weed strain is going to look different. While some buds demonstrate intense violet colors, others will only have slight hues of mauve or plum.
Just because one strain is more purple than the other doesn’t mean that strain is any better! It’s simply just genetics.
If you’re looking for some well-known grape-like strains, we’ve got you covered. Here are a handful of high-quality dark purple weed strains that you’ll love for more than just their color.
Indica vs. Sativa vs. Hybrid
If you’re looking for a weed that will calm you down, consider purchasing indica. If you, on the other hand, need an extra energy boost, choose sativa. The reason for that is that indica contains a higher concentration of CBD, while sativa has a higher concentration of THC.
When it comes to the main categories of weed, you will need to know what indica, sativa, and hybrid are. Simply put, a hybrid is a cannabis plant crossbreed between a sativa and indica plant. It will be quite difficult to find a cannabis strain that’s a true sativa or true indica, as they are typically combined into one cannabis plant.
In other words, you can find indica-dominant and sativa-dominant strains when looking into purple weed strains.
Best Purple Indica Marijuana Strains
If you’re looking for weed that can relax you and even help you sleep better and longer, choose indica. Below, you can find some of the most common indica-dominant purple weed strains.
Grandaddy Purple (GDP)
A blend of Purple Urkle and Big Bud, Granddaddy Purple is one of the most distinctive, sought-after purple strains in the cannabis industry.
This Indica-dominant purple marijuana strain was introduced to California in the early 2000s by Ken Estes, and its appeal has not dropped since then. Its aroma is a pleasing note of grapes and berries. Users turn to GDP to combat pain, stress, loss of appetite, and insomnia. After use, they report feelings of euphoria, sedation, relaxation, and increased appetite.
Obama Kush
A weed strain can’t be named after Barack Obama without delivering, so trust us when we say the qualities of this purple marijuana are not just in the name.
It may not be as purplish as those already listed, but it sure has slight purple colorations and has gained weight around the purple marijuana community for its potency.
This Indica-dominant strain is a cross between Afghani and OG Kush, and it is renowned for its intense euphoric rush.
Sour Grape
If the name hasn’t given it away yet, this purple strain is legendary for its fruity aroma.
Sour Grape is an Indica-dominant blend of Sour Diesel and GDP with some bits of sourness to boot. We’d describe this strain as potent, pure, and oh-so-purple.
If you want something that makes you feel energetic and calm simultaneously, reach for this one. Its relaxing effects make it perfect for stress relief, and consumers have also reported that it helps with relieving muscle tension.
Grape Ape
This purple weed strain is a potent Indica-dominant hybrid, and it’s the result of a cross between Mendocino Purps, Skunk, and Afghani. Its THC level averages 18%-21%, so if you want a truly immersive high, this is just right for you.
Users report a relaxing, full-body experience that culminates in deep, peaceful sleep, so it’s best to enjoy at night when you have nowhere to go or work to do. It can help alleviate the symptoms of insomnia, chronic pain, appetite loss, anxiety, and depression.
Purple Kush
As the name implies, this strain has a dark purple color and a fruity taste. It is an Indica strain birthed after a cross between Hindu Kush and Purple Afghani. It is a very potent strain with THC levels as high as 27%.
Users report a deep feeling of euphoria and relaxation that fills the mind and disperses the gloomy clouds. It can help alleviate the symptoms of muscle soreness, appetite loss, and neuropathy.
Blackwater
As much as its name might be misleading, Blackwater has a deep purple hue resulting from concentrated purple pigment anthocyanin. Purple weed users will typically say that they notice strong sedative effects with this Indica-dominant marijuana strain.
Purple weed users who are facing a busy day or week might benefit from this purple strain weed as it has shown to have productivity-boosting potential. When it comes to its aroma, you will notice sweet grapes, lemon, and pine, which combine into a very pleasant smell.
Best Purple Sativa Cannabis Strains
As explained above, sativa is great if you’re looking for that feeling of ‘high.’ With sativa-dominant marijuana, you will notice how your uplifted mood and how you have more energy than before.
Purple Haze
Purple Haze is one of the very few pure purple sativa strains in the world and is generally just about the most sought-after strain globally.
This purple marijuana strain is so good Jimi Hendrix popularized it in his 1967 hit song titled Purple Haze. Its flavor is a mix of earthy and sweet, and its aroma will have you thinking of berries and spices. Purple Haze is a favorite because of the creativity and energy it inspires.
Blue Dream
When exposed to cold, you will notice how this Blue Dream turns purple. Blue Dream is a sativa-dominant weed created by combining Super Silver Haze and Blueberry. Compared to other purple weed strains on our list, this weed has a stunning production of flowers.
Also, there might be better choices than Blue Dream for those who have little tolerance because of its exaggerated potency and intense flavor.
Sweet Purple
You will find Dutch strains and Thai sativa in this sativa-dominant marijuana called Sweet Purple. This strain grows really fast and vigorously, resulting in a plant that has the shape of a chandelier.
With Sweet Purple, you can expect different phenotypes, but they are all of exquisite quality that will leave you speechless.
Best Purple Hybrid Weed Strains
If you’d like to combine the benefits and effects of both Indica and Sativa, hybrids are your friends! Find out which are the most recommended hybrid purple weed strains in our list below.
Purple Punch
If you’ve heard about one particular purple weed strain already, it’s probably Purple Punch. This marijuana strain is praised by millions of users across the globe because of its rich flavor and aroma but also its strong and long-lasting effect.
Purple Punch is a great choice for those looking for a purple weed that can relax them but also surprise them with its complex aroma.
Girl Scout Cookies
If the name is not unique enough, Girl Scout Cookies will also impress you with its unique type of flower, only a few plant leaves and large calyxes. The reason it ended on our list is due to its taste and aroma both remind the consumers of freshly baked cookie dough, hence the name.
However, don’t let the innocence of the name fool you, this is considered one of the best weed strains in the world.
Critical Purple Kush
Critical Purple Kush is the result of a combination of Purple OG and Critical Mass, blending all of its potent benefits and effects in one weed strain. This purple strain grows fast and has an impressive flowering process, but you will be more interested in its incredible flavor and impressive potency.
If your state allows home cultivation, this is the plant to get! Critical Purple Kush is a very resistant plant so it will reward you well even if you don’t take care of it properly.
Benefits of Purple Weed
Although there is still a lot of discovery to be made around the benefits of purple weed, some users have started noticing lasting and notable effects.
Pain Relief
Purple weed’s active compounds deliver pain relief. Users employing purple weed to alleviate chronic pain report a noticeable reduction in pain levels once the effects kick in.
Anti-Depressant Properties
Purple weed strains feature calming and relaxing compounds proven to alleviate the effects of depression and anxiety when administered correctly.
Higher Active Compounds
The purple pigment in plants, called anthocyanins, may impact the synthesis of THC in cannabis. Geneticists are actively developing strains that maintain higher CBD concentrations than standard cultivars.
4 Common Myths About Purple Cannabis
As access to the internet increases, a lot of information floats around, with people spreading various narratives on how the purple marijuana flower came into existence.
Most of these narratives hinge on what makes weed purple and what growers may be doing on their farms to create these marijuana strains.
First, let’s look at some of the marijuana myths about how purple cannabis strains are derived.
Myth #1: Excessive Nitrogen Application
Undoubtedly, nitrogen is essential for the growth of marijuana. It is, in fact, one of the primary macronutrients that cannabis plants need at various stages of their lives.
Being a macronutrient means that cannabis plants need an abundance of nitrogen to survive — Nitrogen influences plant development, productivity, and yield.
However, while requiring a lot, too much nitrogen is a thing. Some people believe that you can get purple weed by applying excessive nitrogen, but what do the facts say?
Advanced research on the effects of nitrogen on medical cannabis showed that beyond optimum usage, a nitrogen overload could adversely affect your plant. And, instead of purps, you will be getting browns (no pun intended).
Myth #2: Watering Regimens
Water is undoubtedly a requirement for healthy cannabis plants, but how much water does cannabis need?
Some believe that watering cannabis plants using a specific schedule or not watering them at all within a given period would make the plant turn purple.
This myth fails to consider that cannabis plants also grow in the wild under varying conditions with varying water availability. And that while cannabis plants adapt to the fluctuating amounts of water they receive, none of the adaptations makes them yield purple weed flowers.
Myth #3: Depriving the Plant of Oxygen or Carbon Dioxide
As an extension of water scheduling, you may have come across suggestions that overwatering your cannabis plant can inhibit the root’s oxygen absorption and make the leaves turn purple.
They say if you control your cannabis plant’s CO2 intake to be below the optimum requirement, you will be harvesting purple cannabis in no time.
Although some growers attempt deprivation techniques to induce purple coloration in weed, the results vary, and many growers may not achieve the desired outcome.
The most important thing to remember is that O2 and CO2 are vital elements cannabis plants need to survive.
Depriving your plants of one or both will adversely affect their metabolism, leaving you with a sickly plant and a low harvest.
You may be getting shades of the desired coloration, but definitely not the potency or bountiful harvests your plant would have given you. So, what do you want: healthy flowers or unhealthy purps?
Myth #4: Light Cycle & High Intensity Get You Purple Flower Weed
Light intensity may determine how fast a cannabis plant grows during the vegetative phase, as well as how fast it flowers. In the pursuit of purpleness, stories are going around that with prolonged lighting and higher lighting intensity, one could get purple weed flowers.
What these myth fails to account for is that:
- You can only get the purple hue if the coloration is part of the genetic composition of the parent plant. No amount of light will alter the natural characteristics of cannabis plants.
- You don’t need to use very high light intensity. As a matter of fact, using high light intensity is more likely to get you yellow leaves, which, at best, is a sign of an unhealthy plant.
If you want to get the best out of your cannabis plants, it would be best if you don’t subject them to any harsh conditions, as is often suggested by these myths.
3 Facts About Purple Weed Flower
Now that you know some of the most prominent myths about purple buds, let’s talk about the facts. What makes weed purple? What does purple cannabis do?
Fact #1: Anthocyanins Make Weed Purple
Are you wondering what makes weed purple? Anthocyanin is your answer.
Anthocyanins are phytochemicals in the flavonoid groups responsible for red, purple, or blue pigments and hues found in many plants.
Blueberries are blue because of anthocyanins; these natural chemicals are also responsible for giving purple cannabis its vibrant color.
According to Marijuana Botany, the strain must have the genetic potential to produce anthocyanin pigments for weed to develop purple coloration. That is, with all other environmental conditions being equal and favorable to the process.
So, you can see that science backs up what we said earlier; it’s genetics, not external manipulation, that produces purple weed.
Fact #2: Purple Weed Flower is Not a Cannabis Superpower
What does purple weed do? Is there anything special about it? Why all the hype around it?
People often seek out purple weed strains with hopes of having some all-new experience, but don’t judge the weed by the color of its leaves.
There is no scientific indication that being royally colored makes purple weed strains different from the others. The color may make it appear attractive, but that’s all there is to it.
Beyond the colorations, the potency of a weed strain is firmly reliant on its genetic makeup.
Next time you have Purple Haze weed, and you feel super relaxed, know it has nothing to do with its hue and all about its cannabinoids, terpenes, and more.
Fact #3: Genetics and Temperature Play a Significant Role in Purple Weeds’ Hue
If you are keen on how to grow purple marijuana, then you have to forgo all the myths and focus on two factors:
- Genes – It’s all in the seeds. If you want to get purple weed, then you have to cultivate the right seeds with the genetic potential to produce anthocyanins. Nurture indeed plays a significant role in expressing the innate characteristics of marijuana plants, but nature supplies the blueprint, or shall we say, purple print? You plant purple; you get purple. It’s that simple.
- Temperature – with the right seeds, the next thing you need is the right temperature to induce the purple hue. Expert growers suggest mimicking cool weather during the flowering phase, just as is experienced during fall. Like most other plants, the leaves of cannabis plants with anthocyanin change color during fall.
With these two in place, you will be well on your way to growing your purple marijuana.
Understanding Purple Weed Flowers With Elevate Holistics
With your medical marijuana card, you can get purple cannabis buds from any applicable state-authorized dispensary. But how do you get your medical marijuana card in the first place? That’s where we come in.
Elevate Holistics can help you get your MMJ card in three quick, easy steps – and you can do it all from the comfort of your home.
That’s right: Elevate’s telemedicine services allow you to meet with a board-certified physician over the phone or computer.
From there, you two can discuss your qualifying medical conditions and see if MMJ is right for you.
Weed is better (and cheaper) with a medical card.
Getting your medical card means gaining access to better weed at lower prices. You can get your MMJ card 100% online with Elevate Holistics today. Click Here to Book Now!
