Hemp flower consists of the dried flower buds of female Cannabis sativa plants. 

Lots of cannabis lovers who want to benefit from the therapeutic effects of cannabis without getting high enjoy smoking hemp flower. 

Since hemp flower contains such little tetrahydrocannabinol, compared to marijuana, it doesn’t result in a psychoactive experience — yet it still delivers many of the benefits of cannabis.

This article covers why hemp flower is the way to go when it comes to cannabis use.

Top 20 Hemp Flower Strains on The Market

The best CBD flower is different for everyone since each user is seeking a different experience from their cannabis use. Some CBD flowers are more common or popular than others, though, so it’s a good idea to try out a few of the top sellers and see what you like. 

Here is a list of the top 20 CBD hemp flower strains:

1. ACDC

ACDC is the most popular hemp strain on the market right now. It’s a CBD-dominant hybrid that provides a very minimal high if any. It’s regarded as one of the best hemp strains for medicinal users because of the average 13% CBD and 13:1 ratio of CBD to THC.

ACDC comes from a Cannatonic phenotype. The primary terpene is myrcene, and it delivers a delicious and enticing flavor and aroma that are woody and earthy with a touch of pine and citrus.

Most users report that ACDC provides a dull sense of euphoria and intense relaxation without making you feel overly tired. 

2. Bubba Kush 

Bubba Kush is one of the most popular cannabis strains in the world. It’s a heavily indica-dominant hybrid hemp, containing over 22% CBD on average.

The dominant terpenes are myrcene and caryophyllene, so the bud gives off a sweet earthy scent and provides flavors like chocolate and coffee.

Most users take Bubba Kush hemp to help with overstimulation, often found alongside anxiety or insomnia. This strain provides intense relaxation that can sometimes get in the way of daily routine by making you sleepy.

3. Cannatonic 

Cannatonic is often referred to as the “CBD Queen,” as both the marijuana and hemp varieties provide high levels of CBD. Cannatonic hemp averages over 16% CBD. It’s made by crossing MK-Ultra, a pure indica strain, and G13-Haze, an indica-dominant hybrid.

Cannatonic’s predominant terpene is myrcene, and the flower provides earthy notes alongside distinct woody or piney flavors.

Cannatonic is a popular hemp strain for reducing anxiousness. Most users who swear by Cannatonic hemp adore it for its relaxing effect that is coupled with enough energy to stay awake and happy to enjoy the experience thoroughly.

4. Cherry Creme Brulee

Cherry Creme Brulee is a “designer hemp” strain, adored for its unique flavors and aromas and its high CBD content. This strain is a sativa-dominant hybrid that is a cross between Berry Blossom and Dream Tonic. It’s a relatively rare strain, given how challenging it is to grow and cultivate successfully, but it’s cherished by those who can get their hands on it.

The terpenes include myrcene, caryophyllene, and bisabolol. It has a one-of-a-kind odor and flavor, with notes of dark cherry and black pepper with a sweet, floral overtone.

Cherry Creme Brulee hemp comes in with an average of over 16% CBD and under 0.75% THC.

5. Cherry Pie

Cherry Pie has an interesting and legendary genetic line, coming from Granddaddy Purple and Durban Poison. As such, Cherry Pie is a heavy-hitting indica-dominant hybrid with over 16% CBD and minimal amounts of THC.

Cherry Pie offers most users deep relaxation, usually to the point of sleepiness. It’s a popular option for combatting insomnia, and it can quiet a busy mind as well.

Cherry Pie’s primary terpenes include myrcene, guaiol, and caryophyllene. The scent is full of dark cherries, and the flavor is a bit earthy with a strong taste of sweet berries.

6. Girl Scout Cookies

Girl Scout Cookies — also just called “GSC” — is a wildly popular strain made from crossing OG Kush and Durban Poison. It’s a heavily indica-dominant strain that has given way to countless popular crosses, including Garlic Cookies, Animal Cookies, and Blue Cookies.

GSC hemp routinely contains around 16% CBD and trace amounts of THC. It has an enticing terpene profile headed by caryophyllene, and it gives off sweet, earthy notes with a bit of skunk.

GSC is well-known for its top-shelf appearance, with purple and blue leaves, abundant frost, and striking orange hairs.

7. Critical Mass

Critical Mass is an indica strain bred by crossing Afghani with Skunk #1. The CBD levels in this strain are extremely high and provide ultimate relaxation, sleepiness, and even couchlock in larger doses.

The primary terpene is myrcene, but it also has high levels of caryophyllene and limonene. The odor is earthy and sweet, and the flavor is woody and citrusy.

8. Elektra

Elektra is an indica-dominant hybrid made possible by crossing Early Resin Berry with the most popular hemp strain of all time: ACDC. It has around 15% CBD on average but can top 20%, and it contains approximately 1% THC.

Four primary terpenes give Elektra its citrusy and piney aroma and earthy flavor: myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene, and humulene.

Most users take Elektra to combat anxiousness and sleeplessness. The high CBD content and low THC make it a popular option for medicinal users who want results without feeling inebriated. 

9. Gorilla Glue

Gorilla Glue has gained wild popularity recently as one of the most sought-after indica-dominant hybrids. It has an average CBD content of around 15% and often has less than 1% THC, making it a popular option for medicinal and recreational users alike.

Gorilla Glue — more commonly referred to now as “GG” or “Original Glue” for copyright purposes. This strain is associated with heavy relaxation and mental calmness.

GG has an earth and piney aroma and flavor, containing predominantly myrcene with many other terpenes for an effective cannabis entourage effect.

10. Harlequin

Harlequin is one of the more popular cannabis strains for users looking for a high CBD to THC ratio. It often has up to about 12% CBD and less than 1% THC. It’s a sativa strain that provides energizing effects, can boost focus and concentration, and makes most users feel more creative.

The primary terpenes include myrcene, pinene, and limonene, and secondary terps include bisbolol, linalool, and terpineol. The odor is earthy and skunky, and the flavor is woody and piney.

Most users report feeling a sense of relaxation after consuming harlequin without feeling sleepy.

11. Hawaiian Haze

Hawaiian Haze is a sativa made by crossing — unsurprisingly — the Hawaiian strain and the Haze strain. It provides intense energizing effects and boosted creativity for most users, and many individuals report feeling happy and talkative. 

Hawaiian Haze includes significant amounts of myrcene, alpha-pinene, and terpinolene, along with a variety of other terpenes in small quantities. CBD levels typically reach up to around 17% but can top 20%, with THC coming in under 1%.

12. Lifter Plus

Lifter Plus is a cross between Special Sauce (another popular hemp strain further down on this list) and Haze. It’s a sativa-dominant hybrid with enticing flavors of fuel and sweet, earthiness. With myrcene as the dominant terpene, the odor is woody and earthy.

Lifter Plus commonly hits CBD levels over 20%. As a sativa, it may provide relaxation and calmness without feeling overly sedative. 

13. Northern Lights

Northern Lights is well-regarded as the most famous cannabis strain throughout history. Anyone even tangentially involved with the cannabis industry has heard of this pure indica bred by crossing Afghani with Thai.

Northern Lights hemp has a high CBD content, often hitting over 20% CBD with under 0.1% THC, on average.

The predominant terpene in Northern Lights is myrcene, giving the buds a sweet, earthy aroma and woody and piney flavor.

14. Pennywise

Pennywise marijuana is close to a 1:1 CBD to THC ratio. The hemp version can hit CBD levels of approximately 18%.

Pennywise is very aptly named, as it’s a cross between Harlequin and Jack the Ripper. It’s an indica with a nice terpene variety, including myrcene, pinene, linalool, and limonene. It offers a sweet aroma and an earthy, woody flavor with notes of citrus.

15. Skywalker OG

Skywalker OG is a cross between Skywalker and OG Kush. It’s an indica-dominant hybrid with a CBD content routinely hitting above 19%. THC levels vary, depending on the source. This strain has a wide range of terpenes, including myrcene, bisabolol, caryophyllene, guaiol, limonene, myrcene, pinene, and more.

It has a spicy and fruity aroma with an earthy overtone, and most users report tasting a bit of citrus, woodiness, pine, and sweet fruit.

16. Sour Diesel

Sour Diesel — also called “Sour D” — is a cross between Chemdawg and Super Skunk, two strains famous for their unique aromas and flavors. Sour D offers a strong scent and flavor of fuel and skunk with an earthy base. Caryophyllene is the predominant terpene, but others include myrcene and limonene.

This sativa-dominant hybrid has one of the highest levels of CBD available: usually over 25%. 

17. Sour Space Candy

Sour Space Candy (SSC) is a hybrid strain bred by crossing Early Resin Berry with Sour Tsunami, another popular hemp strain on this list. SSC packs in around 15% CBD and under 1% THC.

While this strain can be highly relaxing, it also tends to provide users with clarity of mind and an increased ability to focus, given its partial sativa genetics. This makes it a popular choice for daytime use among hemp proponents.

Primary terpenes include limonene and myrcene, so the odor and flavor are both citrus-heavy with an earthiness and notes of fuel.

18. Sour Tsunami

Sour Tsunami is one of the original cannabis strains that was bred for a high CBD content rather than THC. It’s an indica-dominant hybrid that commonly has a 12:1 ratio of CBD to THC, with an average of between 12 and 15% CBD.

Sour Tsunami has a complex terpene profile, providing flavors and aromas of earthiness, woodiness, and fuel with a touch of refreshing citrus.

19. Special Sauce 

Special Sauce hemp was made by crossing the Special Sauce marijuana strain with Early Resin Berry. It has around 13% CBD on average and less than 1% THC in most cases.

This is an indica-dominant hybrid that provides most users relaxation and sedation, often to the point of sleepiness.

Special Sauce has a very herbal aroma mixed with sweet berries that persist in the flavor as well. It tastes earthy and woody thanks to the myrcene and has a distinct chemical flavor as well.

20. Suzy Q 

Last but not least, Suzy Q is a high-CBD hybrid strain boasting around 12 to 15% CBD and usually less than 1% THC. It offers most individuals an uplifting and even motivating shift in mood, as well as calmness and moderate relaxation.

Suzy Q is dominated by the myrcene terpene, but it also delivers pinene and caryophyllene. It has a piney, spicy, peppery aroma, with flavors of pine, pepper, and earthiness.

What is Hemp Flower?

Hemp flower is a smokeable dried flower cultivated from a mature, adult Cannabis sativa plant. 

Hemp flower doesn’t contain much THC so there are minimal psychoactive or psychotropic effects associated with smoking it. 

Hemp flower typically contains cannabinoids like CBD and terpenes, and in some cases, it contains trace amounts of THC. This is because industrial hemp was legalized in 2018 [1]. Any hemp products containing less than 0.3% THC are considered permissible according to the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. 

Many users enjoy smoking hemp flower because it’s a legal form of cannabis. Others prefer the more mellow and milder high experience that comes from a strictly hemp-based product. 

This product also goes by a few different names:

• Hemp flower
• Hemp bud
• CBD flower
• CBD bud

Whichever way it is labeled, CBD hemp flower is a great alternative to smoking regular cannabis for users looking for a mild psychoactive experience while still seeking some of the therapeutic effects that are commonly associated with marijuana smoking.  

What Makes The Best Hemp Flower? 

The best hemp flower is going to be slightly different for everybody. Look for strains that specifically target your specific health goals for the best effects overall.

For example, if pain relief is your top priority, go for something with high CBD levels like Lifter Plus, Elektra, or Pennywise.

If you’re looking for something with a stronger sedative action instead, go for strains such as Special Sauce or Sour Tsunami. 

To select a strain of hemp that suits your needs consider the following attributes before buying:

• What is the terpene content?
• Which cannabinoids does it contain?
• How bioavailable are the compounds?  

Aside from addressing these personal needs, the best hemp flower will be grown with care and cultivated by licensed growers following best practices in sustainable growing conditions. 

The best hemp flower will also be grown according to hemp and eligibility for USDA programs requirements. Look for hemp flower that’s been grown organically and tested by a third party for both potency and purity. 

Why Are Third-Party Lab Tests Important for Hemp Flower?

When searching for high-quality CBD or hemp flower products (and all marijuana products in general), it’s a good idea to review COAs from third-party lab tests. 

A COA, or certificate of analysis, is an FDA regulation of cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including cannabidiol (CBD), to help protect consumers from harm [2].

COAs can help you determine whether or not there are any heavy metals, additives, or potentially harmful ingredients in your hemp flower or cannabis product. 

Reviewing third-party lab tests is also beneficial because you can see which types and concentrations of terpenes and cannabinoids are present in the flower or product. This is helpful for those seeking out certain flavors, specific qualities, or effect profiles from their hemp smoking experience. 

Examining Different Types of Hemp Flower

Hemp flower, though almost exclusively free of THC, comes in many strains, just like the more common form of cannabis.

A few of the common strains of hemp flower include:

• Bubba Kush
• Elektra
• Jaeger
• Jet Fuel OG
• Legendary
• Lemon Drop
• Lifter & Lifter Plus
• Mango Diesel 
• Master Hemp
• Mojito
• OG Kush
• Sour Haze

Similar to marijuana, the strains have names based on flavors and effect profiles. You can research the strain you’re interested in to see what effects it may have or what it might taste like. 

1. CBD Hemp Flower

If you are looking specifically for CBD hemp flower, you’ll find a wide variety of products on the market. 

CBD hemp flower is the most common form of low-THC cannabis currently available because it is derived directly from industrial-grade hemp. CBD flower is available from various vendors and typically is the most natural form of hemp flower since it contains no additives. 

2. Delta 8 THC Hemp Flower

Delta 8 THC hemp flower is a newer option in the hemp flower market. 

Although it does contain more THC than its CBD-only counterpart, it is more widely considered legal and available for purchase than delta 9 THC marijuana. 

Delta 8 THC hemp flower is distinct from CBD or hemp flower because it does have a psychoactive component, although its high effects are significantly less than those derived from common D9 marijuana products. 

Delta 8 THC is about half as strong as delta 9 THC. 

3. Delta 10 THC Hemp Flower

Delta 10 THC flower is also more widely legalized than delta 9 THC and thus more readily available for purchase, including online. Similar to delta 8 THC, delta 10 THC flower does have a psychoactive component, but it has distinct effects compared to both D8 and D9.

D10 THC products compared with D8 THC, including flower, is known to be energizing, which is more relaxing and sedative. 

Both D8 and D10 are naturally occurring cannabinoids but do not necessarily occur naturally in large quantities. 

Hemp vs. Marijuana: What’s The Difference? 

Hemp and marijuana are both medicinal herbs derived from the Cannabis sativa plant.

Marijuana traditionally contains the psychoactive chemical compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), while hemp is a milder, non-psychoactive form of the Cannabis sativa plant with significantly less THC. 

Hemp is considered legal in the United States because of its low threshold of THC (0.3%). 

Inasmuch, despite both hemp and marijuana ultimately being the same species of plant, both plants have marked differences in phenology (how the plant grows and develops). This is common with plants. It’s why you can find so many different types of apples at the supermarket despite all of them being the same species of plant. 

This chart illustrates some of the major differences between hemp and marijuana:

	Hemp	Marijuana
THC	0.3% Delta 9 THC or less	0.3% Delta 9 THC or more
Psychoactivity	Non-psychoactive	Psychoactive
Legal Status	Federally legal	Not federally legal (except for some medicinal or therapeutic purposes in specific states)
Uses	Fabric, paper, supplements	Herbal and medicinal uses, supplements

Both hemp and marijuana have many uses and can benefit individuals in different ways. 

How To Smoke Hemp

Smoking hemp flower is a lot like smoking any other dried cannabis flower product. 

Here’s a quick overview of the steps for smoking CBD or hemp flower:

• Obtain your preferred dried hemp flower strain.

• Grind up the flower using a traditional cannabis grinder or your hands.

• Roll the ground-up hemp flower with some rolling paper, or place the ground-up CBD flower into a pipe or other smoking device.

• Smoke! 

Smoking CBD flower is just like smoking more traditional marijuana flower; it will just create a milder high experience if any. Since it contains less THC than the more commonly known forms of cannabis, there will be little to no psychoactive sensations. 

If you’d like to shake up your smoke routine a little, you can mix the ground cannabis with other dried flowers or medicinal herbs to create an herbal blend. 

Some herbs have different therapeutic or soothing effects, especially when combined with cannabis. Others simply enhance the aroma or flavor of the smoke. 

A few herbs you can include in your herbal blend include:

• Lavender
• Rose
• Lemon balm
• Damiana
• Kanna 

Can I Get High From Smoking Hemp Flower? 

Smoking almost any cannabis derivative can deliver a high, including hemp flower. Smoking hemp, though, which is made of 0.3% THC, makes for a much milder high than smoking traditional THC marijuana. 

The so-called “high” from hemp plants consists of only mild cognitive effects and puts more of an emphasis on the body. You feel relaxed and may even experience what’s called the “autopilot effect.”

Many people who have used both hemp and marijuana will agree that the effects of smoking hemp are substantially milder than marijuana, and many even consider hemp entirely non-psychoactive by any definition. 

Is There THC in Hemp Flower?

There is a trace amount of THC in most hemp flower products on the market. 

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, growing and producing industrial-grade hemp is federally legal in the United States. The Farm Bill permits licensed growers to cultivate hemp and produce hemp-based products so long as they contain less than 0.3% THC.  

Most hemp or cannabis products originating in the United States do have some THC. 

While the trace amounts of THC found in CBD or hemp flower may not deliver a powerful high experience, it does still contain the THC cannabinoid. If you may need to take a drug test, it could be best to avoid smoking hemp flower.

It’s also noteworthy to consider a few of the other cannabinoids that can be found in hemp flower:

• CBC (Cannabichromene)
• CBD (Cannabidiol)
• CBG (Cannabigerol)
• CBN (Cannabinol)

What’s The Right Dose of Hemp Flower?

Dosing hemp flower, much like dosing any CBD product or even marijuana, is different for everyone. 

The right dosage of cannabis products, whether smoked, consumed, or used topically, depends on a few different individual factors.

Personal factors that impact the way hemp flower will affect you include:

• Height and weight 
• Product potency
• Desired effects 
• Lung capacity 
• How much smoke you inhale
• How long you hold the smoke in your lungs

Hemp flower is said to contain between 10-20% CBD per portion. You can use this information to help determine how much CBD flower to smoke in one session.

The general rule when starting to use hemp products, like CBD, is to start small and slowly increase the dose until you achieve the effect you desire. This helps users avoid taking too much too quickly and being uncomfortable or overly impacted by the hemp.

The good news when experimenting with hemp flower and CBD flower is that because it has such low concentrations of THC, it’s unlikely that you will get ‘too high’ or have an overly intense psychoactive experience. Either way, it is best to use caution.

Final Thoughts: What Are the Best Hemp Strains?

Hemp flower is becoming increasingly popular across the United States thanks to the relaxing and powerful sleep-supportive effects of hemp. People looking for the therapeutic effects of cannabis without the high may want to consider using hemp flower. 

Hemp does contain THC but in almost negligible doses. And, dosing hemp flower is easy since it’s almost impossible to get ‘too high’ from smoking CBD flower. 

Whether you’re ready to have a terpene-rich aroma or a creativity boost, hemp flower can help you get there. Just roll up your favorite CBD flower strain, like sour space candy, or lifter plus, and mix any of your other favorite herbs, and enjoy a relaxing experience.