Blueberry Strain: The Fruity Classic Every Grower Should Know

Blueberry is a sweet, berry-flavored, indica-leaning hybrid bred from Highland Thai, Purple Thai and Afghani genetics in 1970s California, known for a relaxing, long-lasting high and buds that can turn blue and purple in the cold. It comes from an era when growers had few genetics to choose from: weed reached Amsterdam from all over the world, and the first breeders planted it, saved the best genetics and crossed them until the classic strains we know today started to appear.

Blueberry is one of them, and it was one of the strains that really pushed the hybrid revolution forward. So where did it come from, and why is it still so famous?

Blueberry strain: origins and characteristics

The Blueberry strain got its start in the US, somewhere in California, sometime in the '70s, by crossing a handful of landrace genetics. It took three pedigree varieties and decades of selective breeding to land on the Blueberry we know and love today. Highland Thai, Purple Thai and Afghani genes had never been combined before this strain came along.

Indoors, a Blueberry plant is ready to harvest after about 8 to 9 weeks of flowering. Outdoors, it can reach heights of 2.5 to 3 m (8 to 10 ft) and is harvested in early to mid-fall.

If you're thinking about growing Blueberry, here's what you can expect from it:

• A strong, sturdy plant that can perform really well both indoors and outdoors when you give it the right conditions
• Short internodes (the spacing between branch nodes), with dense flower clusters and a good calyx-to-leaf ratio
• An amazing smoke or vape, because it's one of the fruitiest strains on the planet. Fair warning: it might not be the easiest pick for beginners, but it rewards experienced growers with a big harvest.

What does the Blueberry strain taste like?

Blueberry became an icon in the weed world thanks to its sweet, fruity berry flavor and its growth habit: it's a “stretchy” indica with dense, resinous buds, and the space between nodes can open up quite a bit during flowering. It's also known for throwing loads of compact flower clusters instead of long, fluffy colas. On top of that, its terpene profile is one of a kind, and that, more than anything, is what made it famous.

Blueberry strain effects

Beyond those signature traits, Blueberry also tends to turn blue and purple when temperatures drop.

As for the high, it's delicious, relaxing and long-lasting, without leaving you couch-locked. That's why Blueberry gets recommended to commercial and home growers alike all over the world. The effects are satisfying and they stick around for a good while.

The best Blueberry crosses

Blueberry Haze (Haze Berry)

Haze Berry has a sweet, fruity flavor that comes from its sativa side. It's a cross between the super-resinous Shining Silver Haze and the original Blueberry. Plenty of seasoned smokers and growers say it may be the tastiest sativa-dominant strain out there.

The plants usually grow tall and slender and tend to build long, resinous colas with compact buds. It reaches about 1.5 m (5 ft) indoors and can hit 2 m (6.5 ft) outdoors, especially in warm, southern climates. With plants like these, we recommend starting training and/or pruning early.

Because these sweet trees are seriously productive, their branches can snap under the weight of the dense buds. Under grow lights, it can yield up to 675 g/m² (about 2.2 oz per sq ft). If you've got room in your grow, Haze Berry definitely deserves a spot.

Blueberry Auto (autoflower)

If you want all the genetic quality of the original Blueberry, Auto Blueberry is the one to look for: it carries the same THC levels and the same fruity berry terpene profile that defined the original.

Going with autoflower genetics, though, makes the grow a bit easier: indoors, Auto Blueberry does best with about 20 hours of light a day from seed to harvest. It's also a great pick for beginners, because it grows simply and without drama.

And since it's so rookie-friendly, it's also fast: it can be ready to harvest just 8 to 10 weeks after germination. That makes Auto Blueberry one of the fastest cannabis strains around, so if you want a quick, quality harvest, this is the strain for you.

Blue Cheese (Blueberry x Cheese)

Now for the premium stuff, a strain we'd dare to call one of the best, because it comes from a killer duo: the legendary UK Cheese and the original Blueberry. Blue Cheese is a hybrid that turned into a real treat for the palate. It has a complex mix of wild berries and musk, and the earthy funk of the Cheese fills the room and leaves a pleasant aftertaste on the exhale. And don't forget the heavy body high that kicks in after just a few hits.

Flowering takes under 9 weeks and gives you 500 to 600 g/m² (roughly 1.6 to 2 oz per sq ft) with the SOG (Sea of Green) method. Outdoors it's a different story: it blows past its usual indoor height of 1 to 1.2 m (3 to 4 ft) and can reach 2 m (6.5 ft). In a warm climate, each plant could yield more than 500 g (about 1 lb). In that case, pruning will need a bit more attention than average. And pro tip: all those leaves are coated in amazing resin, so you can turn them into excellent hash.

Blueberry Kush: the Auto Blackberry Kush

Kush buds already have a pretty loyal fan base. So for anyone who loves this high-end type of weed with deep blue and purple coloring, we recommend tracking down the gem that is Auto Blackberry Kush. Bred by crossing Blueberry with a resinous hash plant from a seed bank, it goes from autoflowering seed to harvest in about 10 weeks. Some phenotypes can even be ready in just 9 weeks when grown indoors under 20 hours of light a day in a stable climate. Outdoors it may take a few more weeks, but don't worry: it still turns out delicious.

If you get the most out of it when you grow it, you can expect THC levels around 20%. When it's time to smoke it, you're in for a treat: a heavy-hitting smoke with a strong body high and a sleepy, sedating buzz. Blackberry Kush inherits the good looks of its mother, with the blue and purple hues of Blueberry genetics, plus a sweet, fruity flavor.

If you're after fast-flowering indica autoflower seeds that produce dense buds with a gorgeous frosty, colorful look, deep, rich aromas and impressive potency, this is the strain you need to get.