Strawberry Cough is a sativa that is particularly notable for its taste. The flavour is the result of crossbreeding by cannabis pioneer Kyle Kushman. Its buds won the title of Best Flower in the 2013 Cannabis Cup. It is fruity and light and provides an uplifting and productive smoke that can be widely enjoyed. The strain is a cross between Strawberry Fields and Haze and has an average THC composition of between 15% and 20%.
Kushman, who is a former editor of the High Times, developed the strain by chance in 2000. He claims that he received a clone from a fellow breeder that had been grown next to a strawberry patch somewhere in Connecticut. Kushman noticed the clone’s strong strawberry scent and called the strain Strawberry Field. He eventually crossed it with a Haze plant and this resulted in Strawberry Cough, a strain that tastes soft and sweet, and results in a very cerebral high. Kushman then built a buzz around the new Strawberry Cough strain in the underground cannabis market and handed out clones to help boost its popularity.
Strawberry Cough has large and chunky flowers. While it has dominant sativa genetics, it has a bud structure that is more typical of an indica, with solid and densely packed leaves. However, the sativa genes can be seen in the buds’ tapered and conical shape, which looks more like small pinecones than popcorn.
The flowers have a covering of cloudy amber trichomes that give the leaves a slightly yellowish appearance. They have red pistils and a mild scent of strawberries comes off the buds. When the buds are burnt they give off a herbal cloud, much like the parent strain Haze. Smoke from Haze is harsh and causes many people to cough. The initial taste of the smoke is of ripe strawberries and on the exhale, the strawberry flavour has some more sweetness.
The buzzy high hits in almost immediately. Some users say that they felt initially unsettled, but this soon faded, and in the right setting they could embrace the sharp focus provided by the strain. It is considered great for deep conversations, reading, and working on tasks that require creativity and problem solving. The strain presents an opportunity for non-linear and less traditional ways of thinking, making it particularly creative. It also provides a sense of euphoria and a tendency to talk, which makes it a great social strain. Those looking for medical uses may find it beneficial for regulating mood disorders and helping with anxiety or stress. Some have also said that it can help with pain relief. It has a long lasting high, typically about three to four hours.
Strawberry Cough is a relatively easy strain to grow. The original proprietary strain from Kyle Kushman is clone-only, which means you will need a clipping from a mature healthy plant in order to grow it. However, the Amsterdam based seed bank Dutch Passion has developed its own version and seeds can be bought. The plants tend to be short and bushy, like indicas, with medium height. When grown indoors it will flower within nine weeks and produce an average yield.
This is a hugely popular sativa, with a mild but distinctive flavour and an expansive high. It has even appeared in popular culture with Michael Caine and Clive Owen sharing a smoke of Strawberry Cough in the film Children of Men.
