Why Colorado Tokers Love Strawberry Banana

Who doesn’t like the word “juicy”? Besides being the name of one of Biggie’s most recognizable songs, almost everything sounds better when described as “juicy.” Fruits, steaks, derrieres, bits of information — they’re all more desirable when juicy. Just hearing the word makes me imagine something ripe and refreshing. Something like Strawberry Banana — the cannabis strain, not the smoothie.

Although not yet as popular as Tangie or Strawberry Cough, Strawberry Banana is one of the juiciest strains I’ve ever come across. It quickly fills a room with a blend of terpenes that smell like a cross between a box of Fruit Loops and a bag of chopped strawberries and bananas that you left in the sun too long. Trying it for the first time is a real eye-opener, but the high will close those eyes soon enough.

This indica-leaning fruit salad was bred from Banana Kush and a Bubblegum phenotype with strawberry characteristics. Subtle Bubblegum scents are present on the back end, and although that strain is probably responsible for Strawberry Banana’s savoriness, much more strawberry came out of this mixture than Bubblegum — and that’s a good thing. When I have it in my collection, I’ll rest my nose atop an open nug jar for ten minutes, like a child introduced to flavored lip balm for the first time. Someone really needs to bring that strawberry phenotype into town.

Such a mouthwatering smell can be a hard act to follow, but Strawberry Banana’s fruit flavors meld together in harmony, along with an earthy twang that’s fresh but calming at the same time. After the flavor sensation wears off, though, the effects start to become a lot heavier. A slow, pleasant descent into sleepy bliss usually brings users down within an hour, but the strain still has daytime use if you’re feeling particularly stressful, anxious or over-caffeinated. In other words, it’ll get you chill, which is exactly what smoothie sippin’ should do.

Looks: Bright green, with orange pistils and shades of white and purple throughout. A thin layer of sugary trichomes will make the calyxes look like candy mints, thanks to relatively open and tall buds for an indica.

Smell: Like a funky, skunky bag of strawberries. Syrupy, sour notes similar to those of tamarind (a fruit that inspired a popular Mexican candy coating) hit first, followed by a refreshing burst of ripe strawberries and relaxing hints of bananas.

Flavor: Although not quite as strong as the smell, the taste is still very potent, starting with a sweet punch of strawberries that morphs into a mellow banana flavor with earthy, kush-like traits.

Effects: Strawberry Banana’s high is functional enough for daytime, but don’t expect to be productive. The indica slowly relaxes users from the moment it’s inhaled, pulling them down to rest before they know it. Medical users like it for anxiety, stress and insomnia.

Commercial grower’s take: “We’ve really maximized this one. I don’t think people really knew much about it around here until the last year, but it has been popping off since then. We started blasting it [for wax] about six months ago, and the results have been in-fucking-credible. Smell, taste, high — it’s been amazing.
The live resin sells out in a day or two. Growing it isn’t too hard. I think it’s safe for beginning and moderate growers if they’re good at following directions. She’s a hungry one, so don’t be scared to feed her — but you’d better flush for at least a week to make sure that flavor isn’t ruined. If you’re a fan of topping, then this a good one. You’ll be surprised at how fast the buds grow, but it’ll take at least nine weeks until they’re ready. Yield is strong, though, and she’s pretty strong through every season or very minor temperature fluctuations. This one isn’t going anywhere for a while.”

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