Citrus
Earthy
Spicy
Skunk
Sweet
Depression
Lack of appetite
Sleep
Stress
Relaxation
Sleep/Sedation
Uplifting
Most marijuana strains are designed to elicit particular flavors or experiences. Some strains induce potent effects with an accompanying flavor, whereas others focus the attention completely on the flavor.
Banana, or Banana OG, is very much a strain in the latter category. It is designed to remind you of bananas as much as possible.
Most banana-flavored products these days are artificial in flavor, but this strain is designed to be as natural and close to bananas as possible.
Let’s examine this strain and figure out if it genuinely is the ultimate banana experience it claims to be.
What Is the Banana Cannabis Strain?
The Banana strain, also commonly known as Banana OG, is a classic member of the OG Kush family.
When you first imagine the flavor and aroma of bananas, you might think of artificial bananas. This artificial banana smell is the main flavor you notice in banana-flavored products. This is because most banana products are flavored using an older banana type that is, sadly, extinct.
However, the Banana strain is as close as possible in flavor and aroma to those delightful bananas in your fruit bowl. It is also known for its exceedingly relaxing effects.
Like any good indica strain with a decent genetic history, Banana has plenty of intensely relaxing, soothing elements that lead to a comforting high.
On first smoking Banana, you will get an initial burst of relaxation and gentle calming sensations. You will feel happy while also euphoric and elated, which leaves you feeling spry and energetic.
Instead of falling into an unconscious stupor like with other, more infamous indicas, you will want to jump up and get moving. You might find yourself finishing a creative task or just generally embracing the world around you and going for a walk.
As with all indicas, however, this will begin to descend into that classic sensation of gentle restfulness. You won’t fall asleep and be unable to open your eyes. But you will want to find the nearest pillow and take a short rest.
Just as this sets in, your stomach will start rumbling, and you will feel that familiar pang of the munchies. Unfortunately, you might be too tired to deal with it. It is a good thing that Banana tastes good enough to make you think you have already eaten!
So what about the aroma and flavor of the Banana strain? Does it taste just like bananas?
Aroma
When describing a marijuana strain called Banana, it is pretty obvious what the first flavor notes are going to be.
However, if a strain had just one flavor in its aroma profile, most people would think it pretty dull. Good, reliable strains with potent characteristics have a myriad of deep, rich smells to their aroma and leave you coming back for more.
Despite its name, Banana has a lot more than just bananas. When you first smell it, you will get that initial whiff of slightly overripe bananas and the smell of ethylene.
Once that initial smell passes, there is plenty of intense sweetness, plus a hint of a strangely nonspecific smell of tropical fruits.
What about its actual taste? Does it taste just as good as it smells?
Flavor
Even though this strain is called Banana, the first thing you notice when this dense and hazy smoke hits your tongue is not bananas.
Instead, you will notice a wave of potent sweetness, plus a general sensation of tropical flavors. It is almost like a pineapple and a gigantic pile of various tropical fruits assailed your tongue all at once.
Of course, after this initial wave passes, there are plenty of banana flavors. It has a gently fuzzy, almost tangy flavor profile of slightly too ripe bananas settling in very firmly on your tongue.
While this might sound quite unpleasant, it is surprisingly delightful and refreshing. It tastes just like really high-quality bananas that have sat on the counter for just a day too long. This effect provides even more sweetness than usual.
There is also a slight twang of that typical OG Kush flavor, with a slight skunkiness and intense diesel smell that reminds you of stopping off in a roadside gas station. However, the taste of bananas and tropical fruits almost entirely wins out.
What about how this strain looks? Does it have an accompanying good appearance to match its unique flavor profile?
Appearance
Just like a lot of other OG Kush related strains that have decent indica leanings, Banana has a reasonably dense appearance. It looks very tightly packed with lots of intense green shoots poking through.
Alongside this dense appearance, there are plenty of oranges. These come from strangely elongated pistils showing through the bud, poking outward and grinding up into an elegant, potent powder.
There isn’t a massive amount of white trichomes on this strain, as most of the flavor comes from within the bud. However, there is still plenty of intensity despite this fact.
Despite its exotic flavor, Banana doesn’t have any uniquely distinctive markers that set it out from other strains. It is instead a solidly reliable, almost predictable strain; one that you could mistake for almost any other strain on the shop counter.
The best way to make sure you know what you are holding in your hand is to try and grow it yourself. So, what kind of specialized knowledge and tips do you need to grow your own Banana?
Banana Cannabis Strain Grow Info
Banana strain seeds are pretty widely available, but make sure that you pick up the right ones.
There is a vast number of different strains with ‘banana’ in the name, so ensure you are getting the banana you want from your local seed dispensary. The best way to make sure you have the right stuff is to try and get a cutting from a reliable grower that you have hopefully kept on friendly terms with.
Assuming you do manage to get it, whether through cuttings or seeds, Banana is surprisingly straightforward to grow.
With many similar traits to its predecessor of OG Kush, Banana needs a decently warm climate to grow. It also needs a higher than average relative humidity. The required humidity means that you can grow it either indoors or outside.
It doesn’t require temperatures much warmer than 70 Fahrenheit, so it can be grown even in colder locations in the wide outdoors.
As with many other indica strains, Banana will tend to grow quite broad and not very tall. This necessitates a fair amount of pruning and trimming to keep the plants growing properly. You can snip off the very tip of the upwards growth to help encourage it to grow more laterally and produce a larger yield. Additionally, you can also remove any larger leaves that try and grow in the shade of its outer bush.
These leaves often don’t get sufficient sun to be worth keeping. They also drain the plant’s resources and make it difficult to produce sufficient quantities of bud.
Once it is all harvested and cured, with plenty of individual attention paid to correct curing, what kind of final cannabinoid content can you expect from your Banana buds?
THC Content – Highest Test
Banana cannabis is well known for its extraordinarily noticeable and sometimes overpowering effects. The fact that it has such a great immediacy of impact means that it usually has a pretty high THC content.
Expect most samples of Banana bud to contain as high as 25% THC, and as low as 18%. This means that this strain has been cultivated to have as much THC as can fit inside it, making it a massively potent strain that should not be taken lightly.
For those inexperienced with weed, you should avoid smoking too much at once, as this level of THC can be pretty dangerous to you if you aren’t prepared for it.
What about its CBD content?
CBD Content – Highest Test
As might be expected for a strain that has been expressly bred to possess as much THC as possible, there isn’t really any CBD to speak of in the Banana strain.
This is fairly typical of most OG Kush related strains. As there has been such a concerted effort to get as much THC as possible into the bud that there isn’t any room left for any CBD.
So are there any medical benefits of the Banana strain, considering it has such low CBD?
Medical Benefits of the Banana Cannabis Strain
Many people rather foolishly assume that, just because a strain doesn’t have a large quantity of CBD, it doesn’t have any useful medicinal applications.
In actual fact, strains like Banana with such massive THC contents are perfect for treating all manner of unpleasant conditions.
For starters, this strain is excellent for dealing with feelings of depression. The pure happiness and general sense of motivation and purpose that it lends you is enough to banish all thoughts of sadness completely. This makes it equally useful in trying to treat anxiety, as well as a variety of other mental disorders.
Interestingly enough, this strain is also frequently used by creative people suffering from writer’s block. By opening their minds and allowing a feeling of genuine happiness to flood in, creative people can do away with their inhibitions and unlock their real creativity.
This ties in well with Banana’s ability to help suppress pain, especially pain resulting from a chronic condition.
Finally, this strain will tend to leave your stomach rumbling just as you begin to hit that gently sleepy stage. This makes it perfect for helping deal with annoying issues relaxing to lack of appetite.
But what about the potential side effects? Are there any unpleasant consequences of this strain?
Possible Side Effects of the Banana Cannabis Strain
It is almost a certainty that, when you get to enjoy a potent indica marijuana strain, you have to deal with both dry mouth and dry eyes. These two side effects are not especially damning or unpleasant on their own. But combined, they become incredibly irritating to have to deal with. Keep some water on hand, as well as a moist towel to help combat dryness.
The other significant issue with the Banana strain is its tendency to induce a feeling of paranoia and anxiety. This might seem strange, considering those conditions are frequently treated by using the Banana strain. However, an adverse reaction can occur when you smoke too much.
With such a high THC content, Banana can tend to be overwhelming in its effects if you aren’t too careful. This produces a massive heightening of anxiety and paranoia. So if you are likely to experience paranoid feelings after too much weed, maybe only smoke a little bit of Banana at a time.
Finally, some users report that Banana makes them feel a bit dizzy before their head hits the pillow. Likewise, this can be avoided by only smoking what you can handle.
Final Thoughts on the Banana Cannabis Strain
It is not all that common to find a strain with a flavor profile so utterly true to its namesake. When you smoke Banana, you are able to truly experience the flavor of bananas, as well as a variety of pungent tropical fruits and tangy sweetness.
However, it’s not just great flavor. You can also enjoy intense relaxation and fluid restfulness, leaving your arms feeling calm and your mind at ease.
With an excellent flavor with soothing, relaxing effects, you should head to your local dispensary and find some Banana.
It isn’t exactly like the experience of picking up bananas at your local supermarket, but it is pretty close if you live in a legal state.
