A question that even many experienced growers debate. Here’s how the cannabis terminology breaks down technically and in practice:
1. “Strains”
Common in the cannabis community, but not botanically correct.
Borrowed from microbiology (used for bacteria or viruses), not plants.
Example: “I’m growing the Gelato strain.”
Widely understood and accepted in marketing and culture.
Not scientifically accurate.
2. “Genetics”
Refers to the genetic lineage or heritage of a plant — its breeding background.
Example: “This plant has Gelato × Wedding Cake genetics.”
Correct when discussing breeding, lineage, or phenotype hunting.
Sounds professional among breeders and cultivators.
Too technical for general consumers at times.
3. “Cultivars”
The botanically correct term for cultivated varieties of a plant species.
“Cultivar” = “cultivated variety.”
Example: “We’re growing the Zkittlez cultivar this season.”
Scientifically accurate.
Increasingly used by academic and professional growers.
Still uncommon in everyday cannabis culture — may sound overly formal.
So, which should you use?
For professional or agricultural contexts (licensing, research, breeding): use “cultivar” or “genetics.”
For general marketing or public communication: “strain” is still acceptable and widely recognized.
Best practice: use “genetics” when referring to seeds or breeding lines (e.g., “We offer premium genetics”), and “cultivar” when describing the actual grown plant variety.
Example of consistent use:
“We specialize in premium cannabis genetics, offering a diverse range of cultivars bred from award-winning parent lines.”
Chemovar should be added to the poll. It is the most accurate. When describing cannabis to others, the main points are always chemically based; aroma, trichome production, EFFECT.
Strain is wholly inaccurate and if we are trying to teach, why perpetuate inaccurate information simply because the masses do it? Cultivar is inaccurate, we aren’t growing/trading/using the plant simply for the aesthetic aspect that would be described when using cultivar.
you have just made my life more complicated, but this is why market research, polls and open discussion are so important. Thank you for your input CJ, very important what you say.
I would say that for active growers, they would use cultivar and chemovar as when they are sharing information with other growers they are sharing cultivation aspects. When they are describing market/usage values, it’s usually in the chemical realm.
Wow i like strain because i know those more than cultivars. I feel like i should be at a table with a monicle on sippin tea like all snobby! “ its called a cultivar!” Ok well whatever. Its to the point when people ask me what strain is this. I want to say its weed, kind bud, chronic! I miss the 90’s when there was like 15 strains i knew about from reading hightimes. Names are out of control now.
I had a customer come in and her and i pulled her car into the shop. Her car smelled like some kickass buds. And i said hey your car smells interesting and she laughed and instantly i said what is that strain…..she says oh i dont know and then she Blurts out slaps and tickles……ok wtf is that? i almost started laughing at her……Yeah i see it clearly now and the names lol. the looks i got from the other guys over at the other sales counter when she said that was priceless man!
I feel snobbish when I say cultivar, or chemovar, but as a lecturer of cannabis, I should be using the correct terminology. Some people in South Africa, call strains, strands!!! That well eeks me out. “Potato, potato” or “Tomato, tomato”, but do not call it a strand of cannabis.
@wow_arizona , i tried updating the poll with chemovar, but its giving an error. Hopefully I will make it work. Thanks for your input gents, lets keep it rolling.
I’ll start calling it a cultivar the same day I stop calling it “dank.” Until then, I’m sticking with “strain” like it’s still 2004 and I’m reading High Times under a blacklight.
You shouldn’t feel snobbish. I find it sad that the term “snobbish“ is now applied to people who use the proper terms for things.
Our society now gives equal or greater credence to opinion over fact. We’ve been conditioned to find intelligent people contemptuous. yet, we still want them to solve all our problems and make cool shit for us, but they should never make us feel ignorant.
People say they want to learn, but then have cognitive dissonance when it comes to changing anything that they feel they “know“. I don’t correct people in conversation. I understand what they’re trying to say and use the proper terms in response.
If this forum is supposed to be for teaching people things, then at what point do you actually discard true definitions and just go with that which the masses find palatable?
But, then again, maybe I’m just being too particular. We should probably just go back to the times where we “balanced humours “ and obtained that equilibrium through the application of leeches.
1. “Strains”
Widely understood and accepted in marketing and culture.
Not scientifically accurate.
2. “Genetics”
3. “Cultivars”
So, which should you use?
the looks i got from the other guys over at the other sales counter when she said that was priceless man!