Also known as “The King Among Hybrids”, there’s a reason why the Royal Kush strain earned its name. This is one of the most powerful indica-dominant strains available in the cannabis world, earning its title in royalty due to its mighty relaxation and analgesic effects.
The Royal Kush strain features some of the highest THC levels found among other indica-dominant strains, which is why the effects of Royal Kush are so forceful – and therefore not suitable for those with a low THC tolerance.
Whether you’re looking to try out this popular strain, or if you’re already a keen user of it, here is everything you need to know about the Royal Kush strain!
Strain History
Genetics
Unlike a lot of other hybrid strains, the genetic history of Royal Kush is very clear. The Royal Kush strain is a hybrid of the infamous Skunk #1 and Afghani indica landrace.
Skunk #1 is one of the most famous indica-dominant strains in the world, earning its name thanks to its penetrating skunk-like smell. The Afghani strain is another wildly popular indica-dominant strain, with its name deriving from its Steroids Side Effects native habitat of the mountains in Afghanistan.
Origins
The Royal Kush strain was originally created by G13 Labs. G13 Labs originated in the north of England during the 1980s before connecting with other breeders and Agents in Amsterdam.
Within the next couple of decades, G13 Labs dominated the world with its popular cannabis strain seeds and famous original hybrids, including Royal Kush and Pineapple Express.
Strain Appearance
The Royal Kush strain is as visually impressive as its side effects. With medium to large flowers, Royal Kush shares a similar structure with most indica strains thanks to its dense, tight buds.
The leaves and buds are varying shades of light green with yellow pistils throughout, and in some cases, tones of purple appear when the plant is grown in colder conditions.
Sticky, white trichomes cover the entirety of the bud and leaves, making the bud notoriously hard to break apart by hand.
Strain Flavor
The Royal Kush strain features a surprisingly smooth smoke for an indica-dominant strain. On the inhale, Royal Kush tastes mostly wood-like with the distinctive earthy flavors of the Skunk #1 parent.
Once exhaled, this flavor turns slightly sweeter, with hints of fruity tones. It’s worth noting that this is a particularly pungent strain, which can be overwhelming for those who are new to smoking cannabis.
Strain Aroma
The Royal Kush strain’s aroma is full-bodied and as equally potent as its flavor. Thanks to its Afghani genetics, Royal Kush smells like a mixture of pine, earth, and incense likened to sandalwood. Once broken apart, bursts of sour, citrus-like tones make their way through. This aroma is carried through the exhalation when smoked.
Strain Cannabinoids
- THC: 19-23%
- CBD: 0.58-0.95%
- THCV: 0.13-1.08%
- CBC: 0.26-0.75%
- CBN: 0.08-0.18%
- CBG: 0.24-0.92%
Strain Terpenes
The Royal Kush strain features an abundance of terpenes, with the most notable being Myrcene, Pinene, Camphene, and Limonene amongst others.
Myrcene is included for its citrus and spice-like properties, while Pinene is responsible for the strain’s distinctive pine-like and earthy aroma and flavor.
Camphene is predominantly found in indica-dominant strains with a high THC content, and Limonene also contributes towards the citrus-like tones in the bud.
Strain Side Effects
Royal Kush is a slow creeper strain that eventually hits the user like a ton of bricks. It starts by relaxing the whole body, with a tingling (almost numbing) sensation starting from their heads and shoulders before traveling down to their feet.
Most of the time, this sensation will feel like a wave that pulses throughout the body.
This hum of gentle energy is mirrored in its mental side effects, as the strain works to numb the mind – which is why it is commonly used amongst those struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental illnesses.
The side effects of Royal Kush are undoubtedly strong. Don’t expect this strain to clear your mind and improve your productivity – instead, it will slow down everything from your breathing to your movements, leaving the user in a state similar to being knocked out.
The user’s thoughts and speech will slow down, resulting in a somewhat giggly state, before ultimately falling into a sleep free from interruptions. It is also common for a user to experience psychedelic effects like struggling to see properly, distortions in their vision, and lack of sense of time.
As the side effects of Royal Kush are so powerful, users with a low THC tolerance must be careful when consuming it.
The positive side effects can quickly turn negative if your body and mind isn’t ready for the strain, resulting in paranoia, anxiety, nausea, dizziness, dry eyes, and cottonmouth.
It’s also common for the user to veg out into a comfortable position and not move for hours on end. These side effects are normal in cannabis strains, and can usually be cured by drinking water and sleeping through the side effects.
Medical Benefits
Due to the powerful mind-numbing and analgesic effects of the Royal Kush strain, this strain is ideal for people who struggle with pain such as chronic illnesses, arthritis, injuries, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, and more.
This is why Royal Kush is often offered as a form of medical cannabis for those with severe pain.
The mental side effects of Royal Kush are often beneficial for those struggling with mental disorders such as depression, severe anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, and more.
Of course, cannabis cannot be used as a permanent solution for mental illnesses, but it can be effective when working alongside other treatments such as medication and therapy.
However, as the strain’s side effects are so powerful, users are recommended talking to a doctor before consuming Royal Kush, otherwise the effects could have an adverse reaction.
The analgesic effect of Royal Kush is also ideal for people who struggle with insomnia or chronic fatigue, as it works to relax the body into a sedative state. People who take Royal Kush tend to fall asleep very quickly, and won’t wake up at all throughout the night.
Strain Review
Royal Kush is certainly one of the most powerful indica-dominant strains out there, and it makes sense why it’s so popular. With such a high THC content, people will use Royal Kush to unwind after a stressful day or to numb their mental or physical pain.
It features strong analgesic effects, rendering the mind and body into a cozy, sleepy, and relaxed state. These effects are most beneficial for people struggling with depression, severe anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, chronic pain diseases, and more.
However, due to the strength of the strain, Royal Kush is not generally recommended for beginners. Beginners tend to have a low THC tolerance, which can result in the positive side effects of Royal Kush quickly turning into negative ones.
Instead of relaxing the body into a sedated state, it can make the user paranoid and anxious as the vision distorts and they lose the feeling of control.
Strain Grow Info
Strain Seeds
Due to its popularity, it’s quite easy to buy Royal Kush seeds online. The best place to get Royal Kush seeds is from the strain’s original creator, G13 Labs.
Alternatively, experienced growers can purchase clippings from the mother plant of other reputable breeders and growers.
Strain Flowering Time
Royal Kush plants have a fairly fast flowering time, with indoor cultivation flowering within 8 to 9 weeks. Plants grown in outdoor set-ups will typically be ready to harvest in late September.
Strain Yield
The Royal Kush strain offers a moderate yield, with an average yield of 1.6 ounces per square meter for plants grown indoors and a yield of 36 ounces for the whole plant when grown outdoors.
This strain isn’t too fussy when it comes to which set-up it grows best in, though experienced growers say that the plant does better in outdoor set-ups. As long as the outdoor set-up is semi-humid and maintains a steady warm temperature of around 70 °F, the plants will grow in abundance.
While the plants require a consistently warm daytime temperature, they don’t mind being exposed to some cooler temperatures during the nighttime, as this is when the purple streaks can appear.
The reason why purple tones begin to appear in the cold is because of the anthocyanin pigments in the plant. These pigments are agitated by a drop in temperature, resulting in a variation of color.
The same concept applies to trees and foliage that changes gold and brown during fall and winter as the temperature drops.
Due to the structure of the Royal Kush plant, growers will have to keep their plants well-maintained in indoor set-ups. This is because indoor cultivation doesn’t offer natural sunlight to the entire plant, which is why leaves and flowers towards the bottom of the plant will often suffer.
The best way to ensure the plant receives all the vital nutrients, growers should trim away large leaves at the top of the plant to allow light to penetrate through to the bottom.
This website will serve as the ultimate guide and record for various different cannabis strains that are available, from melon gum and golden goat, to wookie and hog strains. There is so much to learn about each strain, and each has its own benefits and medicinal properties.
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