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Cannabis is the plant used to grow marijuana, but it comes in various types. For example, some growers prefer to grow sativa plants- these grow exceptionally tall and can produce buds that give you sensationally stimulating effects. However, perhaps the most common and popular type of cannabis to grow is cannabis indica.

Many people prefer to grow cannabis indica plants as they’re smaller and grow faster than cannabis sativa plants, making them especially helpful for indoor growers. What’s more, these strains are considered the best when it comes to relieving physical issues such as pain, inflammation, and headaches thanks to the deeply relaxing effects they offer.

Whether you’re looking to grow cannabis or you’re simply trying to decide which type of cannabis is best for you, it helps to know all about indica strains. It also helps to know how they look, how they grow, what kind of effects they’ll give you, and how they differ from sativa strains. Here’s a guide to everything you need to know about cannabis indica.

What Is Cannabis Indica?

Cannabis indica is one of the three main types of plants in the cannabis family. While ruderalis cannabis plants are fast-growing plants that don’t produce marijuana, cannabis indica and cannabis sativa are the types used to grow and harvest marijuana, also known as weed, kush, or simply cannabis.

In comparison to cannabis sativa plants, cannabis indica plants are shorter, bushier, and grow faster. If you’re looking for an easy plant to grow or simply want plants that don’t take up much space, indica plants are perfect. What’s more, these plants can produce impressive yields of high-quality cannabis.

Indica strains are considered the best kinds of strains for users who want relaxing and soothing effects. Many recreational users choose these strains for evening or nighttime use when they just want to kick back and relax. The mentally and physically relaxing qualities of indica strains can also help with a wide range of mental and physical issues.

Although most indica strains are high in THC, they generally contain more CBD than sativa strains as well. This is likely part of why they produce such relaxing effects. Indica strains are very common and easy to find- you can find tons of indica strains online along with indica-dominant sativa strains if you’re looking for a calming and sedating high.

Growing Cannabis Indica Plants

You can easily distinguish cannabis indica plants from other plants thanks to how they look. While sativa plants can grow as tall as 20 feet with narrow leaves and cone-shaped buds, indica plants are the opposite. These plants are generally short and bushy with densely-packed buds.

Indica plants can generally grow to heights of around 3-6 feet. This makes them ideal for indoor growers who often have limited space. They also grow faster than sativa plants, which makes them great for beginner growers.

The best way to grow indica plants is generally to set up an indoor grow space. You’ll need an enclosed space such as a tent, grow box, or even a premade growing unit. These should be decked out with artificial lights (such as HID lights) as well as some form of temperature and humidity control.

They can also be grown outdoors. This is generally much cheaper as you don’t have to buy a lot of equipment, although you’ll still need plant containers and nutrients to feed your plants. Although growing outdoors takes less effort, it’s harder to control the growing conditions. As such, you may have to wait longer for your plants to be ready for harvest.

In the early stages of growth, it’s best to give indica plants around 18 hours of light and temperatures of around 70-75°F. They should also be given nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. These can be infused into soil or water. Once the plants begin to flower, this can be reduced to temperatures of 65-70°F and 12 hours of light a day.

Usually, you can expect your plants to flower within around 8-12 weeks. Indica plants can grow impressive yields and you’ll end up with dense buds that are packed with relaxing effects. There are also tons of different indica strains you can grow, each with different tastes, aromas, and qualities.

What Are The Effects Of Indica Strains?

Although every strain is slightly different, indica strains are generally known for being incredibly physically and mentally relaxing. While sativa strains give you a powerfully uplifting mentally-stimulating high, indica strains will calm your mind down and give you soothing waves all over your body.

Most users find that indica strains induce a strong mental euphoria while still being mentally soothing. They can quickly wash away your stress and worries and make you feel much more peaceful. In many cases, they’ll relax your mind to the point where you’ll find it hard to focus or be productive. However, it’s ideal when you’re looking to relax at the end of the day.

While the mental effects are quite strong, indica strains are mostly known for the body-focused high they give you. You can expect intense physical relaxation- relieving your body of all kinds of pains and aches and leaving you in a calm, tension-free state. You might even end up feeling glued to the couch due to how relaxing indica strains are.

Medical users often use indica strains to relieve physical ailments such as chronic pain, inflammation, headaches, and migraines. The physically soothing effects can swiftly take away all kinds of physical tension, making it great for these purposes. They’re also the best strains for tackling insomnia as they can make you physically and mentally relaxed enough to drift off to sleep.

Recreational users also enjoy indica strains purely for the enjoyable and relaxing high they give you. When you don’t need to be productive and simply need a strain that’s going to melt away your worries and help you relax, indica strains are perfect. They’re generally used in the evening or at night time because of this.

When Should You Use Indica Strains?

The calming effects of indica strains are ideal for many situations. Many users use indica strains simply because they want to chill out and relax. For instance, if you don’t need to be productive for the rest of the day and just want to kick back on the sofa and listen to music or watch Netflix, a good indica strain will enhance the experience.

Indica strains can also come in handy for various medical issues. They’re often used for pain as they can help soothe and relieve all kinds of aches, strains, and tension. They can also be helpful for users dealing with depression and chronic stress, especially as they relax your mind and take away your worries. Not to mention they’re fantastic for counteracting insomnia and sleep problems.

They’re best used late in the day as they can make it hard to be active or even stay awake. However, if you have a free day and just want to relax, an indica high can always make it better. On the other hand, you should opt for a sativa strain if you’re looking for a more stimulating and energizing high.

What Are Indica-Dominant Strains?

Indica and sativa strains aren’t the only types of strains you’ll find when you buy marijuana. Hybrid strains are also extremely popular. These are strains that are made by cross-breeding indica and sativa strains, resulting in a plant that contains qualities of both. What’s more, the marijuana produced from these plants gives you the effects of both indica and sativa strains.

Hybrid strains can have various ratios of indica to sativa. While 50:50 strains are considered balanced hybrid strains, you can also get strains that lean more towards sativa or indica genetics. Strains that are higher in sativa genetics are sativa-dominant strains whereas their indica counterparts are indica-dominant strains.

Indica-dominant hybrid strains can have a ratio of anywhere from around 55:45 to 95:5 indica to sativa. Most are around 60-80% indica. These strains are a fantastic choice for users who want to feel soothed and relaxed but still want some sativa-style mentally-stimulating effects. They can also help users who want versatile medical benefits. There are plenty of indica-dominant strains out there and many are simply classified as indica strains.

How Is Cannabis Sativa Different?

Cannabis sativa is one of the main types of cannabis plants along with cannabis indica. While cannabis indica plants are known for their short stature and faster growing times, sativa plants are generally tall, spread out, and often take longer to grow.

Sativa plants can grow as high as 20 feet when given the right conditions. Along with having tall stems and narrow leaves, the buds of sativa plants also look different. They’re generally cone-like and often referred to as foxtails.

Although sativa strains can be grown indoors, they require a lot of space due to how tall they grow. They’re also well-suited to warm weather, hence why they’re usually grown outdoors. Good weather conditions are needed to grow sativa plants outdoors and, although they take a while to grow, the effects are worth it for many users.

In contrast to the relaxing body-focused highs that indica strains give you, sativa strains are known for being exceptionally mentally stimulating. They’ll boost your senses and your creativity, making them great for taking on creative tasks or socializing with friends. They can be quite physically energizing and can also help users suffering from issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

Best Indica Strains To Buy

If you want to test out the effects of indica strains for yourself, there are more than enough to try. We offer a massive range of indica strains and indica-dominant strains, each of which has differences in taste, aroma, and effects. All of our products have detailed product descriptions so you can make the perfect choice for your needs. Here are some of the best indica strains you can buy right now.

Querkle - If you’re looking for a fruity-tasting indica-dominant strain, Querkle is a fantastic choice. This strain carries scents of fresh grapes and berries, and the taste is just as good. Querkle has an 80:20 indica to sativa ratio, so you can expect deep physical relaxation along with a subtle mental boost that keeps you focused and alert.

Grape Ape - Grape Ape is a stellar indica strain that gives you one of the most enjoyable physical highs. Whether you want to tackle pain and inflammation or simply want a strain that’ll help you relax, Grape Ape is a solid choice. The sweet grape-like taste makes it even easier to enjoy.

Nuken - Nuken is one of the most popular strains on the market for users who enjoy relaxing effects. It has an 80:20 indica to sativa ratio and moderate THC levels that usually range from around 13-25%. The soothing body buzz lasts for a long time and can relieve all kinds of stress and physical tension without leaving you feeling too sedated.

Strawberry Banana - As you might guess from the name, this strain has an incredible aroma and flavor. Strawberry Banana is a cross between Banana Kush and the Strawberry phenotype of Bubble Gum, resulting in a strain with an intoxicatingly sweet flavor. The effects are just as great- this indica-dominant hybrid offers a peaceful and calming high that also boosts your happiness and creativity.

MK Ultra -  MK Ultra is a cross between OG Kush and G-13. While most indica-dominant strains are known predominantly for their physical effects, MK Ultra gets its name from its powerful cerebral effects. It’s a hypnotic strain that’ll enhance your thoughts and senses while also making it very easy to sleep.

Conclusion

Cannabis indica is one of the main types of cannabis plants. Indica plants are short and bushy and can produce impressive yields of densely-packed buds. Indica strains are best for evening or nighttime use, especially as they can put you in a deeply relaxing state that makes it hard to focus. They can also help relieve issues such as pain, stress, and insomnia. 

Whether you’re looking for indica strains, sativa strains, hybrid strains, or other marijuana products, you can find everything you need and more online at Leaf2Go Online Dispensary.