The Best Medical Marijuana Strains to Grow in Arizona

Arizona mainly has a semi-arid and arid climate, providing hot or extremely hot summers and warm to cool winters, depending on where you are in the state. The closer you are to the southwest like in Phoenix, the hotter and drier the conditions become due to its hot desert climate. However, the northern and eastern regions have cold, semi-arid climates with hot and dry summers and cold winters.

At first glance, these conditions may sound idyllic for growing Cannabis, but the state does offer a bit of a challenge. Its extremely high temperatures cause moisture to evaporate from the soil faster and, as a result, increase the amount of watering growers need to provide for their plants. There’s also the matter of heat stress on your plants.

If you want to brave the state’s sweltering climate and grow Cannabis, you must plan accordingly. This article lists the 10 best strains to grow in Arizona and ways to help retain the moisture in your soil longer and prevent heat stress in your plants.

White Widow CBD

White Widow CBD is one of the best Cannabis strains to grow outdoors in Arizona. It’s a sun-loving strain that thrives in places with hot and even dry summers. It can also handle sudden drops in temperature, making it especially good in semiarid and arid climates with cold nighttime temperatures that can reach around 50°F (10°C).

White Widow CBD feminized seeds

White Widow CBD seeds grow an indica-dominant marijuana strain that's been popular in Amsterdam coffee houses for decades.

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Regarding growing, White Widow CBD doesn’t need any extra effort to produce a considerable yield of 18 ounces per plant. However, that’s only under normal growing conditions. Due to Arizona’s extremely hot temperatures, you must provide more for your plants to flourish.

Grow White Widow CBD by buying White Widow CBD feminized and autoflower seeds in our store. You can also purchase regular White Widow Cannabis seeds for higher THC levels.

Please check out our seed deals below to get some of these strains for a great price!

White Widow CBD cultivar profile

Strawberry Cough

Strawberry Cough is a low-maintenance strain that’s perfect when growing in places like Arizona, where you must contend with extreme heat that makes it challenging to hold any moisture in your soil and ensure your Cannabis plant isn’t under-watered. It also helps that this particular cultivar is a sativa-dominant hybrid, meaning it thrives in hot places.

Strawberry Cough feminized seeds

Strawberry Cough seeds delivers a fruity sweetness and a clear-headed high. This sativa-dominant strain truly smells and tastes like strawberries.

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That said, you must ensure your sativa Cannabis plants are sufficiently watered since drier climates can also cause leaves to dry out. Beyond that, you don’t need to provide much for a considerable yield of 14 to 17 ounces per plant.

Read our full review of Strawberry Cough, or buy Strawberry Cough feminized seeds in our store.

Strawberry Cough cultivar profile

Critical Mass CBD

As the name implies, this indica-dominant marijuana strain is known to produce large and “critically” heavy buds. The plants sometimes create large and dense enough buds to snap branches. This particular cultivar also produces buds rich in Cannabidiol (CBD). While there’s a lot of ongoing research regarding this compound found in Cannabis, a 2016 study suggests that CBD contains analgesic properties that can aid in pain relief.

Critical Mass CBD feminized seeds

Critical Mass is a marijuana strain that promotes relaxation without causing couchlock. When combined with high levels of CBD, this all-around feel-good strain provides good vibes and chill feels.

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Critical Mass CBD plants flourish better outdoors in warm and dry climates. Growing this strain is easy and doesn’t require much effort, outside of finding ways to help support the branches that hold the heavy and dense buds they produce.

Grow Critical Mass CBD by buying Critical Mass CBD feminized and autoflower seeds in our store. You can also buy regular Critical Mass for higher THC levels.

Critical Mass CBD cultivar profile

Hindu Kush

Most of Arizona has a semi-arid climate that offers extremely warm and dry conditions for growing Cannabis. And while some marijuana strains will struggle to thrive in those conditions, it is the ideal climate for growing Hindu Kush. This strain is a pure indica originating in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where it gets its name and ability to thrive in hot and dry places.

Hindu Kush feminized seeds

Any Cannabis that can take on the harsh conditions of this homeland's climate must be strong. This strain is conditioned to create crystal trichomes coats that protect it from its surroundings.

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Hindu Kush is a very undemanding strain, so we highly recommend it to first-time Cannabis growers. It also helps that Hindu Kush has a fairly considerable yield of 14 to 17 ounces per plant, so if you’re also looking for a high-yielding strain, look no further.

Read our full review of Hindu Kush, or buy Hindu Kush feminized seeds in our store.

Hindu Kush cultivar profile

Big Bud

Big Bud is a popular indica-hybrid strain known for its high yields and big effects, giving consumers a deeply relaxing full-body high. It’s said that indica strains like Big Bud are known to help with sleep, and while there’s still ongoing research regarding that, a recent 2022 study at least suggests it to be true.

Big Bud feminized seeds

Big Bud remains popular for all kinds of growers due to its high yields. Staying true to its lineage as an indica strain, Big Bud delivers deep full-body effects that will highly motivate you to relax.

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When cultivating Big Bud Cannabis, you’ll find that this indica strain loves to be grown outdoors in warm climates where it can reach its maximum height potential. Additionally, Big Bud can be grown hydroponically, which solves the problem of Arizona’s extreme temperatures that cause soil substrates to dry out quickly. But more importantly, it helps you make the most of Big Bud’s potential yield of 16 to 25 ounces per plant.

Read our full review of Big Bud, or buy Big Bud feminized seeds in our store. For the best possible yields from your Big Bud plants, download our Harvest Guide. It can help you pinpoint the best time to harvest your plants.

Big Bud cultivar profile

Bubblegum

Bubblegum is a balanced 50% indica and 50% sativa hybrid. For this cultivar to flourish, you must be in an area with a warm and dry climate that gets a lot of sunshine. Arizona’s semi-arid to arid climate offers the exact conditions Bubblegum needs to thrive.

Bubblegum feminized seeds

Bubblegum seeds grow the perfect blend of 50% sativa and 50% indica. This feminized plant is famous for its sweet smell and powerful high. It contains a medium level of CBD, and a whopping 17% THC.

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But that said, protecting your plants against Arizona’s high temperatures is still important. Safeguard your plants’ growing medium from drying out too quickly. If left untreated, you may not know that you’re underwatering your plants, which can cause problems like wilting and curling of leaves.

Grow Bubblegum Cannabis by buying Bubblegum feminized seeds and autoflower seeds in our store.

Bubblegum cultivar profile

Cannatonic

Are you looking for a high CBD strain to grow in Arizona’s hot and dry climate? Look no further than Cannatonic. This Cannabis strain was bred specifically for its high CBD content of up to 12% and low THC levels of up to 6%.

Cannatonic feminized seeds

The typical Cannatonic strain is a hybrid produced by crossing the female MK Ultra and the popular G13 Haze male. It was bred for its high CBD content (up to 12%) and high THC content, up to 6%. 

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Normally, you’d have to monitor Cannatonic Cannabis plants for mold because this strain can have issues with it despite being resistant to most pests. But if you’re growing in places like Arizona, where the hot and dry condition makes it less likely for mold to appear, you won’t need to babysit your plants too much. Instead, you’ll need a way around the high temperatures that can dry out your soil and cause heat stress on your plants.

Read our full review of Cannatonic, or buy Cannatonic feminized seeds in our store. And if you want to know how to best treat your plants, download our Plant Care Guide.

Cannatonic cultivar profile

Harlequin

Harlequin is a high CBD sativa-dominant strain with a CBD content ranging from 10 to 15% with low THC levels of up to 7%. It is a fast-flowering strain that lets you harvest around early fall (mid-September) and can yield 14 to 17 ounces per plant.

Harlequin feminized seeds

Harlequin is a sativa-dominant hybrid offering the best sativa and indica qualities. This strain delivers very effective medicinal uses with its reasonably high CBD levels.

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Harlequin Cannabis plants thrive in hot climates with temperatures around 72-85°F ( 22-29°C). The only concern with this sativa strain is Arizona’s excessive heat, which can cause your Harlequin Cannabis to dry up and eventually wither. For the best results, grow this strain hydroponically and eliminate the issue while boosting the overall quality of your yield.

Read our full review of Harlequin, or buy Harlequin feminized seeds in our store, where you can also buy marijuana fertilizers for optimal plant growth.

Harlequin cultivar profile

OG Kush CBD

OG Kush CBD maintains most of the original qualities of OG Kush but has higher CBD levels and lower THC. This version boasts a CBD content of up to 15% with barely any THC (less than 1%). Regarding its yields, the high CBD version produces the same amount as its regular counterpart of 16 to 17 ounces per plant.

OG Kush CBD feminized seeds

OG Kush does an excellent job at making its users feel good, and it's no surprise that it's incredibly popular for both recreational and therapeutic uses.

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Growing OG Kush CBD is also no different than growing regular OG Kush. Its plants flourish in warm climates with lots of sunshine but can also thrive in less-than-ideal outdoor conditions. However, it’s still a moderately difficult strain to grow since it has no natural resistance against mildew, bug infestations, and diseases. So, if your garden gets hit by any of these issues, it’ll be harder for your plants to bounce back.

Grow OG Kush CBD by buying OG Kush CBD feminized seeds in our store, where you can also buy plant protectors to ensure your plants are safe from all kinds of bugs, diseases, and other pests.

OG Kush CBD cultivar profile

Blueberry CBD

Blueberry CBD is an indica-dominant strain with a high CBD content of up to 16% and barely any THC (less than 1%). Like its regular counterpart, Blueberry CBD is also a high-yielding Cannabis strain that produces 18 to 25 ounces per plant. But for this strain to reach its maximum yield potential, it has to be grown outdoors.

Blueberry feminized seeds

Blueberry CBD is a potent high-CBD indica-dominant Cannabis strain. It delivers a unique euphoria while also providing relief. It's very popular due to its tantalizing blueberry flavor and fruity aroma.

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Blueberry CBD prefers warm and sunny climates, making Arizona a good grow area. However, the excessive heat can introduce a problem for your Blueberry Cannabis, especially if you’re growing in soil. But, knowing this issue, you can stay ahead and avoid it.

Grow Blueberry CBD by buying Blueberry CBD feminized seeds in our store.

Blueberry CBD cultivar profile

How to grow in an Arizona climate

The best way to keep your soil from drying out too quickly is not excessive watering. Instead, you want to retain the moisture in your soil or substrate. Adding mulch or coconut fiber can help control the temperature in your soil. Additionally, mixing in perlite can help maintain moisture in the substrate.

To prevent heat-stressed plants, provide them with a shade cloth (ideally one with lighter colors). The shade cloth also doubles as a way to cover your crops and respect the law regarding outdoor Cannabis cultivation in Arizona. Remember, you must grow your plants in a closed area that isn’t visible to others.

Learn more tips and tricks like these by downloading Robert’s Grow Bible, a free 70-page grow guide that can make growing Cannabis a fun experience and help you start growing like a pro.