Why Colorado Tokers Love Triangle Kush

When I was a kid, thinking about the Bermuda Triangle always freaked me out. Stories of boats and military planes vanishing in the open ocean and compasses spinning uncontrollably right off the coast of Florida would give me nightmares. And I grew up in Arizona. On the surface, the Bermuda Triangle and Triangle Kush have no real link other than the strain having been bred in Florida, but their mysterious similarities run deep — especially after a joint of the strain gets your conspiracy juices flowing.

Triangle Kush reportedly got its name from the triangle formed on a map by Florida’s top pot-farming cities: Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville. Most growers believe that this unrelenting indica with unknown origins is an OG Kush phenotype with strong Afghan and Hindu Kush characteristics. Getting a whiff of its earthy-bubblegum notes and then being glued to your seat by the strain will probably convince you, too.

Legend has it that Triangle Kush originated in Florida in the early ’90s, when Hindu and OG Kush phenotypes were all the rage. Its validity as a top-tier strain is debated, though; some believe it to be an average phenotype that receives undeserved hype because of limited availability from its original breeder. The White, a similar strain also known as Triangle, came from the area around the same time, causing even more confusion about Triangle Kush.

The Bermuda Triangle myth has been disproved, with thousands of planes and ships safely traveling through it every year — yet the stigma still exists. Triangle Kush, despite having birthed heavyweights like Lee Roy and Rare Dankness #1 while becoming one of the more mind-numbing indicas on the market, hasn’t quieted all of its doubters. It still doesn’t get the love of Afghani, Bubba Kush or even Grape Ape, and some tokers continue to label it overrated. Forget them: This sour twist on classic genetics and the relaxing high make Triangle Kush a must-have for indica connoisseurs.

Looks: Chunky and compact, Triangle Kush’s all-indica status is immediately evident, with milky trichomes and a rich bright-green color doing its Afghan heritage proud.

Smell: The classic but unique kush smells sour, dirty and sweet all at once. Invigorating diesel and earthy notes kick nostrils up front, followed by creamy bubblegum scents and a hash-heavy back end to bring them back down to earth.

Flavor: Triangle Kush is sweeter than most kushes, with diesel notes and an initial sourness that’s stronger than its smell suggests, but its earthy hash flavors still shine through at the end and in the aftertaste.

Effects: Despite creating a short-lived burst of energy, Triangle Kush makes those who smoke it useless for anything but an overdose of relaxation. Focus, energy and motivation all suffer after only a few hits, but the strain’s mind-draining effects also greatly curb pain, insomnia, stress and eating disorders.

Home grower’s take: “I tried it once and haven’t since. The yields just weren’t there. And flowering took more than ten weeks, so after three weeks of drying and curing, that’s more than four months on a strain that produced less than two pounds [under two lights]. Just can’t afford it under my plant count. Doesn’t mean I won’t buy it from someone else, though. It’s hard to find such a strong, simple high nowadays.”

Commercial grower’s take: “Don’t expect to find this on sale or at a dispensary that sells $25 eighths. This is a quality-over-quantity strain that takes long to bloom and yields little for your efforts, but it’s worth the extra money if you want to smoke a conservative amount each night before bed. Don’t confuse this with Triangle, which is a different strain wth similar characteristics; most dispensaries call that ‘The White’ now to avoid any confusion. Triangle Kush is a purer indica with more flavor.”

Is there a strain you’d like to see profiled? E-mail [email protected].