Sour Diesel. Purple Kush. Amnesia Haze. If you’re a fan of cannabis, you’ve probably noticed that there are many different types to choose from, and most of them have funny names. And yes—they are all different. But, what makes them different, exactly? And how many marijuana strains are there, really? Well, let’s find out. 

What Are Cannabis Strains?

In popular culture, different cannabis cultivars are referred to as “strains.” Each individual strain is a cannabis variety that has been bred for its specific characteristics by a cannabis breeder. So, Granddaddy Purple is a strain. Harlequin is another strain. The former is a sleepy strain that produces a high percentage of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The latter is a mellow flower that produces both THC and cannabidiol (CBD). The plants both have different lineages and different characteristics. Hence, they are different strains. 

But, the word “strain” comes with a fair share of controversy. From a scientific perspective, referring to cannabis varieties as “strains” makes very little sense. And yet, “strain” is the word that remains in popular culture. The difference is mainly semantic—in the world of botany, different plant varieties are called cultivars, not strains. The word “strains” is usually reserved for bacteria and viruses, not plants.