The Best Purple Weed Strains for Growing

Have you ever wondered what gives purple weed strains like Purple Haze their iconic color? The short answer is genetics and the environmental conditions they’re grown in. What does that mean exactly? The article will define purple weed and share three examples of some of the most popular purple weed strains that you can grow for yourself.

We’ll also talk about how you can turn cannabis purple (if the environment doesn’t do it for you). Paying attention to this advice will help you get the most from your purple strains.

What makes weed purple?

Purple strains of marijuana get their unique color from high concentrations of anthocyanins. This pigment is found in all higher plants (including Cannabis strains) and gives leaves, stems, and flowers purple to red colors. The type of color that anthocyanins express depends on the pH level of the plant.

However, when it comes to turning Cannabis purple, the most important environmental factor to consider is the weather. Under cold temperatures, the chlorophyll in a purple marijuana strain breaks down, which causes anthocyanins to become dominant, resulting in the leaves of your cannabis changing color and becoming purple. 

This breakdown also occurs in other strains of uniquely Colored cannabis, such as Blue Dream, which also has high levels of anthocyanins that give the strain its deep blue leaves. Anthocyanins are also a class of flavonoids that give you an astringent feel and a bitter taste in your mouth. Flavonoids are similar to terpenes, which are the compounds responsible for the taste and aroma of cannabis buds.

Purple buds have that little bit of extra depth in their flavor profile because of this flavonoid. Outside of that, anthocyanins do not affect your buds’ quality or THC content as some people would like you to believe. It’s simply a misconception that purple weed strains have. 

The reality is: that purple weed is often the sign of an experienced grower who knows how to properly take care of their garden and provide the right amount of nutrients, temperature, and light for their Cannabis. It’s a lot harder to tell how much of it is skill nowadays because there are strains with purple leaves regardless of whether or not the conditions they’re grown in are ideal.

Environmental Factors

When it comes to growing purple weed strains, the temperature of your growing environment matters a lot. A purple buds strain like Purple Haze won’t guarantee rich purple flowers without the right temperature. You need to ensure the anthocyanins are dominant in the leaves of your cannabis. The only way to do that is by reducing the amount of chlorophyll by growing your weed in low temperatures.

When growing Cannabis in low temperatures, you cause a natural reaction that breaks down chlorophyll. To successfully achieve this, though, you’ll need a daytime temperature of around 75-80°F (23-26°C) and a nighttime temperature of 65-70°F(18-21°C). This process involves stressing your cannabis to a degree by growing them at a lower-than-ideal temperature. And although it won’t cause your cannabis to hermie, it will slow down its growth, especially in its early stages. However, this is less of a concern now with some purple strains.

Genetic Factors

Genetics plays an equally if not more important role when growing any purple weed strain. After all, if the strain you’re growing doesn’t have the right genes that allow it to produce high concentrations of anthocyanins, then you’re out of luck. 

Trying to stress your cannabis into turning purple by growing them in low temperatures will often slow down your plants’ growth or, worse, kill them. Genetics are essential, and are why we include a list of purple marijuana strains in this article. The three examples below are weed strains that consistently express the same purple color due to a strong genetic preference.

If the particular cannabis strain you decide to grow does not turn purple, it’s either because the strain has no history of doing so or it doesn’t have the particular gene that would make it purple. Any attempts to force a Cannabis plant to turn purple when it isn’t a purple strain will not result in the Cannabis plant changing color.

What other plants produce anthocyanins?

All land plants produce anthocyanins. In the case of Cannabis, Northern Lights is a great example of a strain with high concentrations of anthocyanins that can get purple under the right conditions.

Three purple strains you should be growing

Although its origins are hard to pin down, it’s believed that crossing Haze with Purple Thai made Purple Haze. This is where this purple buds strain gets the earthy and sweet flavors that it’s known for.

Purple Haze

Like both of its sativa parents, Purple Haze has an energizing effect that will carry you through the day. Its head high is potent but not overwhelming, perfect for those looking to have a strong boost of energy to kick off the day while doing any house chores or work projects.

Purple Haze feminized seeds

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The best part about this strain is that you won’t experience any anxiety afterward. The come-down is mellow; you won’t end in a crash where you’ll feel drained and dried out on your couch. However, toke Purple Haze in moderation. The more you smoke in one day using one of the best wax pens, the more pronounced its adverse side effects become.

Despite the strong buzz that it gives, you won’t even need half of that energy when growing Purple Haze in your cannabis garden. It’s an easy strain to grow, considering it can handle extreme and unpredictable climates. It’s also one of few purple strains to grow well in not just Mediterranean climates but also steppe and temperate climates as well.

Because it can handle changing temperatures without hindering growth, you can stress it into turning purple without any repercussions. Purple Haze also has a flowering time of 9 weeks, which is impressive considering most sativa-dominant hybrids take at least 10 weeks.

Purple Haze cultivar profile

Purple Kush

Purple Kush is a weed strain that lives up to the kush in its name. This pure indica has a THC content of 22%, making it a potent kush that delivers a robust, relaxing body high. It’s the best strain for people having trouble with insomnia since its sedative effects will lull you into sleep. However, unlike other strains, Purple Kush’s sedative effect comes with a light and fuzzy sensation rather than a heavy feeling that leaves you tired, like you’ve been on a night out with friends and had too many drinks.

Purple Kush also provides a bit of head high that leaves you with warm, euphoric feelings. When it comes to smoking Purple Kush or consuming edibles made from it, highly consider when to take it. It’s best to treat Purple Kush as an end-of-day strain since it will likely knock you out for the day, unlike sativa and sativa-dominant strains.

Growing your Purple Kush weed isn’t as relaxing as its effects. Because it’s a pure indica, it grows as a bush and stays low to the ground. This makes it harder to grow outdoors, which is why most growers choose to grow this weed strain in an indoor setup, either in a closet or tent. Regardless of what setup you choose, though, you have two options when it comes to seeds:

Feminized

Growing Purple Kush feminized seeds requires as little attention as you would give with any indica strain. The only exception is the number of nutrients you provide. To get the best out of this weed strain, you’ll need to give it plenty of nutrients during its vegetation and flowering phase. However, you’ll need to watch how much you provide since you do not want to cause nutrient burn.

As far as the flowering time, feminized Purple Kush seeds have a flowering time of 8 weeks. By the end of it, you’ll be able to harvest around 9 to 15 ounces per 3x3ft.

Purple Kush feminized seeds

Purple Kush seeds grow a potent Cannabis strain that originated on the Cannabis-loving West Coast. It is a pleasantly relaxing indica strain that also delivers pure bliss.

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Purple Kush cultivar profile

Autoflowering

Growing the autoflowering variant of Purple Kush is a bit easier than its feminized counterpart, but the plant will behave the same. Purple Kush is a fairly short Cannabis plant anyways, and the autoflowering version will only grow up to 3ft tall.

Purple Kush autoflower seeds

Purple Kush Cannabis originated in Northern California as a potent yet happy indica. This strain combines the hardy Hindu Kush with the indica dominant Purple Afghani.

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However, although both plants are short, Purple Kush autoflower has a reduced yield compared to its feminized counterpart. Because of the nature of autoflowers, they prioritize speed over anything else – which unfortunately includes yield. A Purple Kush Autoflower plant typically produces about 4 to 6 ounces per 3x3ft.

Purple Punch cultivar profile

Granddaddy Purple

Granddaddy Purple (GDP) is another great kush strain available in our store. It has a THC content of 23% but don’t let that fool you. GDP offers a surprisingly mild experience compared to other indica or indica-dominant hybrid strains.

GDP won’t hit you with a potent sedative effect. Instead, it offers a deeply relaxing sensation that also draws out feelings of euphoria. Alongside the fuzzy sensation you get from its mild head high, you’ll also experience a calm bliss that’ll make you giggle. Additionally, it can occasionally stimulate your appetite, which can be a relief if you’re suffering from feelings of nausea. Despite not having a strong sedative effect, GDP still has enough of a buzz that won’t just calm your anxieties but also help you rest.

Generally speaking, growing Granddaddy Purple is easy. Despite being a pure indica, this strain has developed resistance to common marijuana diseases and pests, allowing you to grow this strain outdoors. However, to get the most out of your seeds, it’s highly recommended that you grow indoors. Indoors, you’ll have full control over the climate, allowing you to grow GDP in low temperatures that guarantee it will turn purple.

Feminized

You can grow GDP feminized seeds indoors or outdoors. The main requirement for this strain is space; since indicas grow extremely bushy, you’ll need to space them out to avoid overcrowding. You won’t have much to worry about since indica strains are known to grow well and produce great results, even without a lot of care and attention.

GDP has a flowering time of 9 weeks, and by the end of it, you will have produced 14 to 17 ounces per 3x3ft.

Granddaddy Purple feminized seeds

This is a product of crossbreeding Purple Urkle and Big Bud, two popular indica strains! If you love indica strains, you are going to fall head over heels in love as this bad grandpa is a 100% PURE indica!

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Granddaddy Purple cultivar profile

Autoflowering

Granddaddy Purple Autoflower, like some autoflower strains, suffers from a few caveats in exchange for growing a lot faster than standard marijuana strains. It grows faster, and by the end, you’ll have 4 to 6 ounces per 3x3ft. This yield may not seem much at first, but considering you can grow autoflowers year-round, it allows you to compensate for your losses. Autoflower strains also benefit from not consuming as many nutrients and being more resistant to temperature shifts.

Granddaddy Purple autoflower seeds

Need to relax after a long day? Why not sink into your couch and kiss the worries of the day goodbye? Auto Granddaddy Purple (Auto GDP) is the strain for doing just that.

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Granddaddy Purple cultivar profile

Purple Mix Pack

If you’re having trouble choosing any one of these purple weed strains, then why not pick all three of them? ILGM’s Purple Mix Pack lets you buy all three marijuana strains for the price of one! It saves you money just as much as it saves you the trouble of choosing one over the other. The pack contains 30 feminized seeds, 10 of each strain.

Purple Mix seed variety pack

Purple is a symbol of nobility, and these three strains are nothing short of royal. All have beautiful purple hues, but that is where their similarity ends. That is what makes this mix pack so epic - you can get a little bit of everything.

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Conclusion

When it comes to purpling your Cannabis, consider your strain’s genetics and the environment you’re growing it in. You can buy seeds for the purple Cannabis strains on this list (or save by buying the Purple Mix Pack) or purchase other top strains like Blue Dream and Super Silver Haze in ILGM’s online store.