Fact: Americans enjoy more weed freedom and variety than any people in the history of the Earth. Our global competitors? Crazy backward about the pot. 

Ganja’s a $25 billion legal industry and the country’s 5th largest cash crop, with 19 rec legalization states and more on the way. The California market alone boasts a mind-boggling 39,000 types of products. This July, newly legal New Yorkers will put smoke in the air. Floridians can hit a medical dispensary. Legalization polls better than any party or politician, because freedom effing rules.

Put down those M-80s and pick up some zaza—here’s 9 scorching weed strains of Independence Day 2022.

Red Velvet

We gotta start with the colors. When I think of a hot ‘red’ strain in summer 2022 that’s actually on the market, my mind goes to Red Velvet. Lemon Cherry Gelato to Pina Acai is pretty on-trend, and top Oakland growers Grandiflora claim it. Our Sunset Connect brand bag had a red hot cinnamon smell to it. There’s a lot of room for more red strains besides Red Dragon and Red Congo.

White Runtz

Sheesh, UMMA Sonoma has the world’s best version of White Runtz, one of July’s most hyped strains. Just look at it—it’s literally white with trichomes. As if Runtz wasn’t blingy enough, White Runtz gets even icier than Runtz, which is Zkittlez x Gelato. That means tropical berry syrup over ice cream cookie smells—and yes, weed can do that. Umma grows for the best breeders and brands in the world, including Compound Genetics.

Blue Power

Shout out one of Las Vegas’ most impactful creations, Blue Power—powering today’s top flavors like Apples and Bananas from Cookies and Compound Genetics. Sin City Seeds’ Blue Power (Power x White Moonshine) has at least 43 direct offspring, and has spawned nine generations of strains: SinMint Cookies, Animal Mints, Kush Mints, Animal Face, Mint Chocolate Chip and on and on. Put some respect on Sin City’s name.

See also: Fig Farms Blue Face (‘blue’ pheno of Animal Face)

GMO Rootbeer

We spotted legit root beer-smelling weed in the wild for July 4—the mythical GMO Rootbeer strain. It’s like GMO lent all of its loudness to some root beer terps. Crazy high in THC and sets you down, of course. GMO x Rootbeer is reportedly a project of breeders Skunktek, and Mean Gene from Mendocino (aka Freeborn Selections). It’s been closely held, but it seems ready for a national debut. Root beer remains hella American for the 4th.

See also: Archive Portland MoonBeam, which combines YuckMouth (GMO x Dosidos) x MoonBow.

Miami Punch

Time to get sweaty. Chicago-based Revolution out in the midwest serves up Miami Punch this July 4th—a crowd-pleasing mix of Florida Orange x Purple Punch. The tropical, cream-cake taste precedes energizing, sativa hybrid effects. Terp heads will note the terpinolene, ocimene, and limonene leading the pack. 

Spritzer

It’s really important to stay hydrated over the long 4th of July weekend, and that includes periodic hits of Spritzer. The Colorado breeder Cannarado combines Runtz, Grape Pie, and MAC—pretty much all the great stuff right now. Peel back layers of candied gas, sugary cereal, and bubblegum funk; the olfactory kaleidoscope never stops turning. This is what even the most the jaded industry folks get excited to smoke. 

Jack Herer

Illinois, the land of Lincoln, cruises into summer number three of legalization with a classic: Rythm’s award-winning sativa staple Jack Herer. July 4th and the fight for independence lives in every puff of the sweet, energy strain. Activist Jack Herer envisioned radical pot freedom blooming across the land. Dare to dream just as big. 

Landslide #4

Washington fire flower growers Freddy’s Fuego democratized exotic pot selection with The Hunt—a collection of fresh flavors smokers can buy and vote on this July. We’re shamelessly lobbying for Landslide #4, a canny cross of Lava Cake x Fleetwood MAC bred by Lit Farms. We voted it terpiest of the bunch during a June field trip. It’s got bright, intense Cake and MAC terps that just sweep you away; probably from the Melonade parentage. Put on some Stevie Nicks and vibe.

See also: Item #9 by Colorado’s Veritas (Kush Mints x Wedding Cake)

Permanent Marker

The writing’s on the wall—Los Angeles indie brand Doja Exclusive dropped Permanent Marker in June on both coasts. Bred and grown by Seed Junky Genetics’ JBeezy and selected by Doja Pak, the strain fuses several well-established cultivars: Biscotti x Jealousy x Sherb Bx. Floral, soapy, candy, and gassy funk smells fully translate into the taste. It has a lingering pungent flavor of a soapy funk with a hint of candy and floral gas tones. The potent strain brings out creativity for daytime relaxation, followed up by the munchies and the urge to roll up some more.

OK, we got an SUV to pack with camping gear, so we’re stopping at these nine. But rest assured, the country is blooming with fragrant, fresh, freedom-blessed trees. So light one up, and take a breath—because far more work on America awaits.

LA freelancer Dan Wilson contributed to this story.

Like this post? Fave it, comment, and order some trees on Leafly.

David Downs

David Downs directs news and lifestyle coverage as the California Bureau Chief for Leafly.com. He’s written for WIRED, Rolling Stone and Billboard, and is the former cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as the author of several cannabis books including ‘Marijuana Harvest’ by Ed Rosenthal and David Downs. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. TW: @davidrdowns | IG @daviddowns

View David Downs’s articles