Sour Diesel is a sativa strain that provides an energetic and positive high that has made it one of the most popular strains in the United States. A number of strains, such as Sour Jack, have come from Sour Diesel, and it has inspired strains such as NYC Diesel. It is suitable for use in social situations and when alone, and its combination of physical and mental effects makes it even more versatile.
The name comes from the fuel like smell of the flowers. It has a mostly sativa head high, but there is a subtle hint of indica relaxation. It tends to be a potent strain with THC levels ranging from around 20% to 25%.
The exact origins of Sour Diesel are not known and there is no definitive agreement on its original genetic makeup. There has been a great deal of speculation about it and some say that it was derived as a distinct phenotype of a strain named Diesel, others believe that it is a phenotype of Chemdawg that leaned more towards sativa than indica. There are also those that think it is a cross of Chemdawg and Northern Lights.
The plant has round, medium sized buds with leaves that are a yellowish-green colour. It has a number of red hairs called pistils, these are structures that catch pollen from male plants, and they stand out in contrast to the leaves. It should be slightly sticky when properly cured and when the buds are broken open, you can see trichomes coating the insides of the dense flowers. It is a strong smelling plant and the odour intensifies when the buds are broken open or ground.
The smoke is famous for being particularly harsh that can make people cough and their eyes water. It has a sour taste that not everyone enjoys and it can linger for a long time after smoking. If you are trying to be discreet then you should be aware that the smell travels and can linger for some time.
Sour Diesel’s high hits users quickly in the form of a pleasant head rush. It is a more spacey than cerebral high and users may feel chatty if surrounded by others or introspective if alone. Many people have said that they feel physically relaxed when smoking but few have said that it leaves them in a couchlock.
The strain has been known to induce a sense of euphoria and this can help with mild stress, anxiety and depression. Smokers have also described relief from aches and pains, while others have said that it can be an aphrodisiac. It is a strong sativa and the altered mental state it brings about can lead to paranoia, so users are advised to carefully regulate their intake. The high can be expected to last for up to three hours.
Sour Diesel can be grown indoors and outdoors, although it grows best outdoors in semi-humid, Mediterranean-like climates. The plants have a tall spindly appearance and large spaces between flowering nodes. The plants can grow to over four feet tall, and their heights increase massively during the flowering stage. They flower within 10 weeks when grown indoors and in early November when grown outdoors, and growers can expect up to 2 ounces per square foot of plant.