Different Strains of Weed: Types, Formats, and How to Pick
- Strain, type, and format are three different things entirely.
- Indica, sativa, and hybrid describe the type, not the product.
- Obama Runtz genetics stay disputed across published sources.
- Mendo Breath crosses OGKB with Mendo Montage, per Leafly.
- The format you pick changes the experience as much as the strain.
- You must be 21 or older to buy cannabis in Washington State.
A menu board with sixty names on it is not helpful. It is intimidating.
Obama Runtz. Mendo Breath. Magic Marker. Then a wall of formats behind the counter, from jars of flower to pre-rolls to badder in little tubs.
Most shoppers cope by grabbing whatever they had last time. That works, but it leaves a lot on the table. Once you see how the pieces fit together, that same board turns into a map.
This guide sorts it out in three layers. Type, strain, and format. If you want the deeper version of layer one, start with our breakdown of how indica and sativa really differ.
You must be 21 or older to buy cannabis in Washington State. This article is educational and makes no medical claims.
The confusion usually starts with one word doing three jobs.
Strain, Type, and Format Are Not the Same Thing
People use these words interchangeably. They should not.
Type is the broad category. Indica strain, sativa strain, or hybrid strain. It is a starting hint, nothing more.
Strain is the specific variety. Mendo Breath is a strain. So is Magic Marker. Each one has its own parents, aroma, and reputation.
Format is the product you carry out. Cannabis flower, pre-rolls, blunts, weed vapes, THC edibles, or concentrates.
One strain can show up in every format on that list. The same Mendo Breath might sit in a deli jar, a pre-roll tube, and a cart on the same shelf.
That last point matters more than most guides admit.
Look at three strains people ask for by name.
Three Strains Worth Knowing
These names come up constantly at the counter. Each one tells a different story about how strains get made and named.
Obama Runtz
Obama Runtz is an indica-leaning hybrid with a genuinely murky background. Published sources disagree about its parents.
Most describe a cross involving Afghani, OG Kush, and Runtz. Others trace it through Obama Kush instead. A few note the name spread through a viral video before the genetics were ever documented.
Treat the lineage as unsettled. Judge the jar in front of you, not the story behind the name.
Mendo Breath
Mendo Breath has a much clearer paper trail. Leafly lists it as an indica made by crossing OGKB with Mendo Montage.
Growers describe sweet vanilla and caramel on the nose. The strain came out of Mendocino County breeding work, which is where the name comes from.
Shoppers usually reach for it in the evening rather than the morning.
Magic Marker
Magic Marker is a hybrid with a loud aroma and a good pedigree. Leafly credits the cross to Permanent Marker and RS-11, bred by Seed Junky Genetics.
The smell runs sharp and chemical, with sweetness underneath. Reported flavors skew toward ammonia and diesel, which sounds unappealing until you smell it.
Both parents have collected awards, so the hype has some backing.
Now the part that trips people up.
Expert Insight: The Format Changes the Strain More Than the Name Does
Shoppers chase a strain name across the whole store and expect the same experience every time. It does not work that way. The aromatic compounds that give a strain its character are volatile, and published terpene research notes that the lightest ones are lost most easily during handling and processing. A Mendo Breath flower jar and a Mendo Breath distillate cart can carry very different terpene pictures. So when a favorite strain feels off in a new format, the grower did not fail you. The format simply carries a different part of the plant.
A High Point Cannabis Budtender and Medical Cannabis Consultant
That is why the format deserves as much thought as the name.
The Same Strain, Six Different Formats
Here is what changes when you switch formats.
| Format | What it is | How fast it starts | Good to know |
| Cannabis flower | Dried buds you grind yourself | Minutes | Carries the fullest aroma profile |
| Pre-rolls | Flower rolled and ready | Minutes | No grinder, no rolling skill needed |
| Blunts | Flower in a thicker wrap | Minutes | Holds more than a standard pre-roll |
| Weed vapes | Oil heated in a pen or cart | Minutes | Low smell and easy to carry |
| THC edibles | THC in food or drink | Often an hour or more | Slow start and a delayed peak |
| Concentrates and badder | Whipped extract for dabbing | Minutes | Very potent, named for its texture |
The timing gap is real. Research through the National Institutes of Health found THC in the blood almost immediately after inhaling. Swallowed THC peaked hours later instead.
Same plant. Very different clock.
That gap explains most first-time surprises with edibles near me searches. Start low and wait.
Ready to put it together?
How to Actually Pick at the Counter
You do not need to memorize sixty names. You need four decisions.
- Pick your window. Morning, afternoon, or evening. This narrows type immediately.
- Pick your format. Fast and controllable, or slow and long. That choice does more work than the strain name.
- Read the label. Check the THC number, the terpene list, and the test date.
- Say what you actually want. Tell a budtender the goal, not just a strain name.
Number four is the shortcut. A budtender who knows you want a mellow evening can find five options. That still works when the strain you asked for sold out yesterday.
Every legal product in this state runs through required lab testing under Washington State cannabis rules. Our staff read those reports daily.
New to all of it? Start with Cannabis 101 before you visit.
Here is what shoppers ask us most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Obama Runtz genetics actually documented?
Are they documented? Not reliably. Published sources disagree, with some listing Afghani, OG Kush, and Runtz, and others pointing to Obama Kush. Treat any single lineage claim about this strain with caution.
Is Mendo Breath an indica or a hybrid?
Is it indica? Leafly classifies Mendo Breath as an indica, from a cross of OGKB and Mendo Montage. Some breeders describe it as indica-leaning hybrid instead. Either way, it sits on the relaxing end.
Are indica and sativa reliable labels?
Are they reliable? Only partly. They started as plant descriptions and became shorthand for effects. Most products sold today are hybrids, so the terpene profile tells you more.
Is badder the same thing as a concentrate?
Is it the same? Badder is one kind of concentrate. The name describes the whipped, soft texture. Other concentrates come as shatter, sugar, sauce, or rosin.
Are pre-rolls and blunts different products?
Are they different? Yes. A pre-roll uses a thin rolling paper. A blunt uses a thicker wrap and usually holds more flower, so it burns longer.
Is one format stronger than another?
Is one stronger? Strength depends on the product and the amount, not the category alone. Concentrates run high in THC. Edibles feel different because of how your body absorbs them.
Read the Menu Like a Map
Type, strain, and format are three separate dials. Once you know which one you are turning, the wall of names stops being noise.
Pick the window, pick the format, then pick the name. That order works far better than the reverse.
All cannabis products are for adults 21 and older. This article is educational and makes no medical claims. Please store all products safely away from children and pets. Talk to a licensed medical professional about any personal health question.
Reach Your Peak with High Point
High Point Cannabis would rather teach you the map than just hand you a bag. Tell one of our budtenders what your evening looks like, and they will walk you to the right shelf. Brush up on the indica and sativa difference or browse the menu before you come in. Must be 21 or older.