Cannabis varieties, cultivars and genetics explained

Introduction

Looking for “types of cannabis” seems straightforward until terms such as variety, cultivar, strain, genetics, phenotype, chemotype, Indica, Sativa and Hybrid begin to overlap. They do not all mean the same thing, even though everyday language often treats them as interchangeable.

This guide is a map, not a catalogue, potency ranking or product list. It explains what a name can contribute and which questions to ask before treating that name as a stable identity.

A clearer vocabulary

Cultivar

A cultivar is a cultivated selection recognised for particular traits and maintained through propagation or breeding. In cannabis, commercial naming does not always meet a formal botanical standard, so provenance and documentation still matter.

Variety

In general English, variety often means a type or line of cannabis. In botany, it has a more specific taxonomic meaning. We use the familiar word where it helps readers, while identifying the source and avoiding the suggestion of a closed chemical category.

Strain

Strain is the term most readers encounter for a named type of cannabis. It comes from other scientific contexts and is not always the most precise botanical term for a plant. Familiarity does not make it proof of scientific identity.

Genetics or lineage

These terms describe the declared ancestry of a selection. The information is most useful when it comes from an identifiable primary source, such as the breeder, and has a coherent documentary trail. A published family tree does not guarantee that every sample sold under the same name is genetically identical.

Phenotype

A phenotype is the observable expression produced by the interaction of genetics and environment. Plants from the same cross can differ, and a particular selection may receive its own number or name.

Chemotype or chemical profile

A chemotype groups or describes a sample by composition. Interpreting cannabinoids or terpenes requires an analysis of that sample, with a date and method; a name cannot replace the data.

Three common ways to organise cannabis varieties

1. History and origin

This approach includes local populations, traditional lines and selections associated with a region. Genomic research can help reconstruct domestication, while commercial origin stories may simplify a much more complex history.

2. Declared parentage

Modern crosses are often described through the names of their parents. This is a practical way to follow a family when the attribution comes from an identifiable source and any disagreement is stated clearly.

3. Measured composition

A sample can be described through cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds. This comes closest to its actual chemistry, but it remains a snapshot of one sample at one point in time.

Indica, Sativa and Hybrid

These labels are deeply embedded in cannabis culture, but they do not reliably organise all genetic and chemical diversity. Before using them as a shortcut, read our guide to what Indica, Sativa and Hybrid can—and cannot—tell you.

Examples with different evidential strength

These four examples show why origin records need different degrees of qualification:

• Gary Payton — a first-party account naming the breeder, cross and selected phenotype.
• Gelato 33 and Gelato 41 — one family with numbered selections and an alias that needs careful interpretation.
• RS11 / Rainbow Sherbert #11 — public name variants with creator, selector and exact lineage unresolved.
• Oreoz — a provisional secondary attribution whose breeder link and cross direction are not confirmed.

How to assess a cultivar record

Ask six questions:

1. Who attributes the name or cross?
2. Is the source a breeder, laboratory, producer or aggregator?
3. Do credible accounts disagree?
4. Does the evidence describe a tested sample or repeat generic figures?
5. Does the text separate reported aroma, measured chemistry and anecdotal effects?
6. Does it acknowledge what the record cannot establish?

If the documentation is incomplete, that uncertainty should remain explicit. A visible gap is more useful than an invented family tree.

Important limits

• rankings of the “strongest” cultivars;
• universal THC percentages;
• recommendations for sleep, symptoms or a desired effect;
• cultivation instructions;
• availability, menus, prices or purchasing information;
• claims that a cultivar name proves local availability.

Related reading

Start with Indica, Sativa and Hybrid, or learn how to interpret THC, CBD and other cannabinoids.

Sources

1. Smith C. J. et al. (2022). The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States. PLOS ONE.
2. Watts S. et al. (2021). Cannabis labelling is associated with genetic variation in terpene synthase genes. Nature Plants.
3. Ren G. et al. (2021). Large-scale whole-genome resequencing unravels the domestication history of Cannabis sativa. Science Advances.

For the bigger picture: see how cannabis clubs in Barcelona actually work or how membership requests work at Club Guru.