The Best Medical Cannabis Strains to Grow in the State of Montana

Growing cannabis in Montana has challenges; the best medical strains to grow in Montana are well-adapted to the Treasure State’s uncertain weather and set you up for success. Autoflowers are a great choice, as they flourish in Montana’s climate. This doesn’t mean you can’t grow photoperiods. If you choose to try, pick hardy and resilient cultivars. This list is your ultimate guide to strains perfect for Montana’s unpredictable weather and growing conditions.

Montana presents a unique challenge for outdoor growers with its cold winters, warm summers, and significant daily temperature shifts. The state has a continental climate characterized by its warm and dry summers. Temperatures can swing dramatically, sometimes by as much as 50°F (10°C) daily. Don't be surprised when one day your cannabis plant is enjoying a comfortable 80°F (26°C) and the next, it's enduring a brisk 30°F (-1°C).

Besides the daily temperature shifts, growers in Montana also need to navigate high wind speeds. Thankfully, these winds typically come after your plants finish flowering. Cultivating cannabis in such shifty weather can be a challenge, which is why most growers recommend cultivating autoflowers.

Autoflower strains are well-suited for Montana's environment because they mirror ruderalis’s native climate. Their fast turnaround lets you get ahead of the weather before it gets colder. Montana growers also do well with strains that have Columbian Gold genetics, as Colombian Gold is native to the Sierra Nevada mountain range and thrives in cooler weather.

Wedding Cake

Wedding Cake is an indica-dominant strain that flourishes in Montana's challenging climate. Even without Colombian Gold in its genetic makeup, Wedding Cake cannabis seeds produce robust plants that do well in the state's northern regions.

Wedding Cake Feminized Seeds

Wedding Cake is known for its sweet taste and the harmony between the indica and sativa traits. If you want to chill but still remain sharp, Wedding Cake is a great choice.

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Wedding Cake's resilience came from the Hindu Kush in its genetics. This hardy heirloom, native to the Hindu Kush mountains, adapted to hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.

Triangle Kush, one of Wedding Cake’s parent strains, introduced Hindu Kush genetics to Wedding Cake. Wedding Cake’s other parent strain, Animal Mints, gave the strain its delectable pastry taste and aroma.

To increase your chances of successfully growing Wedding Cake marijuana seeds in Montana, try growing Wedding Cake Auto. Growing this indica-hybrid turned autoflower guarantees you will see harvest before the state's weather takes a turn.

Wedding Cake cultivar profile

Zkittlez

Zkittlez cannabis seeds stand out as another excellent strain for growers in Montana, primarily due to the hardiness it inherited from Skunk #1 through Grape Ape. This blend of genetics gives Zkittlez plants the resilience they need to thrive in Montana's climate and the candy-coated taste and aroma that earned the strain its name.

Zkittlez Feminized Seeds

One puff of this flavorful strain, and you'll understand why Zkittlez is named after the fruity rainbow candy. Those who try it, say they aren't just tasting the rainbow; they're seeing it as well.

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Skunk #1’s genetics are a noteworthy part of Zkittlez’s background. This parent strain was made by crossing Colombian Gold with Acapulco Gold and an Afghani indica. The breeder behind this classic strain, David Watson (Sam "The Skunkman"), took time stabilizing Skunk #1 until it only expressed the strain’s best traits. Then, he continued to tweak Skunk #1’s genetics. He eventually produced Cheese, another strain featured in this list that would become highly popular in the U.K.

If you want to grow Zkittlez cannabis seeds in Montana’s unpredictable climate successfully, Zkittlez Auto is your best option. This variant’s shorter grow cycle and additional resilience make it exceptionally well-suited for Montana's outdoor growing conditions. Its autoflowering version simplifies the cultivation process, ensuring a quicker and more reliable harvest.

Zkittlez cultivar profile

Afghan

Afghan shares a native region with Hindu Kush, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border of the mountain range. Like Hindu Kush, Afghan cannabis strains evolved traits that allow them to thrive under the region's hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters.

Afghan Feminized Seeds

Afghan is a very popular indica heritage strain that delivers a heavy-bodied high. Afghan seeds grow large, fragrant buds known for their happy, relaxed effect.

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After centuries of cultivation, this indica strain naturally stabilized. It became the primary source for different types of hashish that many hippies enjoyed from the 1950s to the 1970s. Besides becoming a rich source of hashish, Afghan marijuana plants grew more robust. This shows when growing this heirloom in Montana or elsewhere in the northern region of the U.S.

For a truly successful grow, especially if you're new to Montana's climate or cannabis growing, I highly recommend Afghan Auto. This autoflowering variant has a shorter growth cycle and thrives better in cooler climates thanks to its ruderalis genetics.

Afghan cultivar profile

Super Skunk

One promising sign that a strain will grow well in Montana is if it is genetically related to Skunk #1 or Afghan. With both cannabis strains in its lineage, Super Skunk is a great choice. This indica-hybrid is a remarkable cultivar that inherited several of the best characteristics from its parent strains.

Super Skunk Feminized Seeds

Super Skunk is a popular strain known for its intensely skunky fragrance and balanced hybrid effects. Clear and precise thoughts are met with overall good vibes with this stinky strain out of Super Skunk seeds.

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Super Skunk marijuana seeds produce plants with dense and resinous flowers similar to Skunk #1. It also acquired Skunk #1’s early flowering, giving it an advantage most strains desperately need in Montana's time-sensitive growing seasons. By flowering much earlier than most strains, Super Skunk helps mitigate risks associated with the early frosts, high winds, and sudden temperature drops that often occur as harvest draws near.

Super Skunk is resilient enough to handle temperature shifts thanks to its other parent, Afghan. Afghan plants' robust nature allows them to thrive in most climates, a trait they share with Super Skunk.

If you're new to growing or unfamiliar with Montana's climate, it's best to pick Super Skunk Auto. Not only is this version much more straightforward to tend to, but its short growth time means you can avoid surprises from Montana’s high winds and unpredictable climate.

Super Skunk cultivar profile

White Widow

White Widow is a classic indica-dominant strain that emerged during an era dominated by names like Northern Lights, Haze, and Skunk #1. Despite the stiff competition, White Widow carved out a name for itself, achieving legendary status when it won the Dutch High Times Cup.

White Widow Feminized Seeds

Are you looking for a relaxing smoke to unlock your conversational and creative side? You are going to love our White Widow seeds!

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After its win, White Widow became a household name among enthusiasts and a staple in coffee shops. When White Widow, along with Skunk and Northern Lights, introduced indoor cultivation, it brought about a shift in European cannabis growing. Indoor cultivation helped White Widow minimize the undesirable 'wild' traits synonymous with strains of that era.

Despite being admired for establishing indoor cultivation, White Widow thrives just as well outdoors. It is easy to grow in most conditions because it’s flexible with weather changes. Its short flowering time makes it the ideal strain for Montana growers. Breeders often cross it with other strains to shorten the resulting hybrid's flowering time.

If standard White Widow doesn’t grow quickly enough for your needs, you try White Widow Auto marijuana seeds. This autoflowering variant of the legendary strain guarantees a shorter growing cycle, so you can see your harvest much sooner.

White Widow cultivar profile

Cheese

Cheese is a well-known strain popular among enthusiasts from Holland and the U.K. It started from a batch of Skunk #1 seeds that David Watson introduced to Holland in the 80s to combat the strain's notorious smell problem.

Cheese Feminized Seeds

The Cheese strain is a feminized hybrid from the U.K. This indica-dominant Cannabis delivers consistent potency and a distinct, musky flavor. As a direct descendant of the hybrid Skunk #1, its aroma is quite pungent. 

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This pack of seeds was bred and selected to produce cannabis plants with significantly reduced odor since carbon filters weren't a common practice when constructing an indoor grow room. Growers valued plants with reduced smell as it minimized complaints from neighbors, which often got growers into trouble. 

By the late 80s, this selection of Skunk #1 marijuana seeds made its way to the U.K., where it quickly earned a large following and was aptly renamed "Cheese" due to its distinct taste and smell. Despite its popularity, Cheese cannabis seeds only became available in 2002 thanks to Milo Yung (Big Buddha Seeds). Milo backcrossed a cutting from the Exodus Collective with an Afghan variety, creating Big Buddha Cheese.

Its Skunk #1 ancestry ensures that Cheese grows well in Montana. However, grow Cheese Auto if you want to guarantee a successful harvest.

Cheese cultivar profile

Blue Cheese

Blue Cheese is another strain created by Milo Yung, born from crossing Blueberry and Cheese. Despite its name, this hybrid doesn't have the sour and salty bite of cheddar or resemble France’s funky bleu cheese. Instead, it combines the taste of cheese with the flavor and fragrance of fresh blueberries, making you think that you just caught a whiff of a charcuterie board.

Blue Cheese Feminized Seeds

Blue Cheese seeds are known to grow a sweet and savory flavored plant. This taste is just as unique as the euphoric feelings it delivers its user.

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This flavorful hybrid adapts well to Montana's continental climate. It also produces hardy mature marijuana plants with a fast flowering time inherited from Blueberry and Cheese.

For new growers in Montana who are still getting familiar with the state's unpredictable weather, growers recommend Blue Cheese Auto. The inclusion of ruderalis genetics gives this autoflowering variant a shorter growth time. Blue Cheese Auto produces plants that thrive better in Montana's growing conditions than standard Blue Cheese.

Blue Cheese cultivar profile

Purple Punch

Purple Punch is an indica-dominant strain made by crossing Larry OG with Granddaddy Purple. This indica-hybrid produces robust, fast-flowering cannabis plants, ideal for Montana growers. Big Bud also inherited these genetic traits from Granddaddy Purple.

Purple Punch Feminized Seeds

The Purple Punch weed strain hails from the tropical island of Hawai'i. This hybrid is 80/20 indica dominant and first bred by Supernova Gardens in Kauai, Hawai'i.

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Besides having a fast flowering time, Purple Punch plants are known for their vigorous growth, significantly reducing the time needed to be in veg. This reduced veg time means that growers can shift Purple Punch into its flowering much sooner when the plants are given the light deprivation they need to initiate flower. The 12/12 light and dark cycle takes effort. Still, it's a price that most growers must pay if they want a successful harvest, especially in regions like Montana.

With Purple Punch Auto, you can enjoy the highs and flavors of Purple Punch with less effort. Regardless of which variant of this indica-hybrid you choose to grow, Montana's cold climate turns these plants purple. So, if you love the sight of purple cannabis plants, I highly recommend investing in some high-quality cannabis seeds and growing this hardy strain.

Purple Punch cultivar profile

Critical Mass

Critical Mass is a reimagined version of Big Bud that uses the same strains in its creation, excluding Northern Lights.

Critical Mass Feminized Seeds

Critical Mass is particularly known for having high levels of CBD, making it an excellent choice for those who want to relieve their symptoms and still be able to function.

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Critical Mass was created by the legendary breeders Scott Blakey (Shantibaba) and Nevil Martin Schoenmakers. Their years of growing cannabis gave them the insight and experience needed to redefine a classic strain like Big Bud into something even more remarkable—Critical Mass.

Critical Mass is a high-yielding cultivar known for its vigorous growth and dense flowers. While rapid growth is positive, Critical Mass is notoriously susceptible to mold. This makes standard Critical Mass a bit trickier to grow in Montana’s climate since it needs steady conditions similar to Montana's warm and dry summers for a successful harvest.

Since snowstorms occasionally arrive in Montana as early as mid-September, many enthusiasts highly recommend growing Critical Mass Auto to help your plants avoid damage from Montana's harsh weather.

Critical Mass cultivar profile

Purple Kush

Last on this list is Purple Kush, a pure indica strain made from crossing two heirloom strains, Hindu Kush and Purple Afghani. Both strains originated in the rugged terrains of the Hindu Kush mountain range.

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 Afghani is an inbred landrace created from multiple Afghan varieties of cannabis. This is distinct from the hybrid strain made by crossing Purple Kush and Afghan.

Purple Kush is an excellent strain to grow in Montana because of the robust nature of its plants, which are derived from its two heirloom parents. Purple Afghani passed on its genetic resilience and colorful purple aesthetic to Purple Kush, benefitting growth in cooler climates.

If you want to grow Purple Kush in Montana, go right ahead! Make sure to buy marijuana seeds from trusted sources like ILGM, where you're guaranteed quality seeds that won't grow plants with wild traits. For extra peace of mind, Purple Kush Auto will ensure you see your harvest before the first frost hits.

Purple Kush cultivar profile