When it comes to understanding the different strains of cannabis that are found on the market today, you’re often left trying to keep up with the latest trends and strains that seem to pop up every year.
Take the gumbo strain, for example. It is a relatively obscure strain of cannabis, and one that is shrouded in a lot of mystery. Where does it come from? What does it look like? What does it taste and smell like?
All these questions and plenty more (especially its effects) are things that you’re going to want to know before you consider purchasing this strain from a reputable source.
Fortunately, we have done some of the heavy lifting for you, by creating this guide for everything that you should know before deciding whether or not you should use this strain for yourself.
Basics – What Is Gumbo?
So, we should probably cover some of the basics before we go into the specifics.
Gumbo is a hybrid, indica-leaning strain of cannabis plant (see also “Best Hybrid Strains“). But what exactly does that mean?
What Are Hybrid Cannabis Plants?
The concept of hybrid cannabis plants may seem like a strange concept to someone who is new to learning about recreational and medicinal uses for cannabis.
However, for those who have been in the business for a while, you’ll know that most of the strains around toady would not be here if it weren’t for hybridization.
To put it simply, hybrid cannabis plants are exactly what they sound like: A crossbreed of plant between the two types of cannabis plant that we are aware of:
Indica, a cannabis plant with a shorter stem and wider leaves. This variety’s buds tend to grow pretty densely, and are known for their relaxing properties when ingested in some form.
Sativa, a variety with a taller stem and much more narrow leaves. The buds on this type are much more sparsely spread and sporadic, with products made form this plant often having a much more cerebral effect on a person when taken.
However, many strains that are around today do not fall into either of these single categories, and will instead be a mixture of the two.
In the same way that different types of apple or orange can be crossbred with other cultivars, or how breeds of dog can be mixed to get unique results, crossbreeding these varieties will get you very distinct strains that can have properties from both types of cannabis plant.
So, bringing this topic back to our topic at hand, the Gumbo strain being a hybrid with more properties coming from the indica variety of cannabis means that many of it’s the most well-known traits will come from this family of plants.
As to when exactly the gumbo strain was first made,
Appearance
So, what exactly does this cannabis strain look like?
Well, being a predominantly indica strain plant, you’ll find that the buds of this plant or often tightly clustered, though the intensity of the growth will differ depending on the specific plant you are growing.
Most gumbo plant’s buds will be a green or olive color, with a hint of blue creeping in to some of the examples that you’ll find out there.
This gives an almost frosted appearance to some of the buds of this strain, especially when taking into account the many thick, tiny hairs that grow in this strain as well.
Experience
This is probably where many people will be more interested in this strain after all, while some people do love to grow a good plant, many more are often more interested in actually using it!
The experience of using gumbo, like many other edibles, comes down to both the smell and taste aspects of the plant.
Smell
Like many other strains of cannabis, you will notice at least a hint of skunk in this plant, especially in hotter conditions.
However, the predominant smell that you’re likely to get from this strain is the scent of pine, as well as a hint of spiciness to it.
And of course, there will be a strong sweet scent that can be picked up from this plant, hence the name.
Taste
That sweet scent also carries over to the taste of this plant once it is ingested, with a distinct bubblegum like flavor coming through, especially a sugary sweetness that you may be able to distinguish.
Outside of this flavor, that piney or woody aspect also carries over a little too, with there being hints of an earthier tone if this strain sits in your palette long enough.
Effects
Outside of what it is like to taste, many people will be very interested to know the overall intended effects that this strain is supposed to have on your mind and body.
Well, thanks in part to the indica aspect being dominant in this strain, this type of cannabis has a distinct relaxing effect that many users have reported, both on the muscles as well as the mind.
There have been many reviews of this strain where users have felt unable to move from the spot where they sit or lay for up to 2 hours, with their also benign a noticeable drowsy effect from the plant.
There are also many reported cases where users have gotten the munchies during this time, so make sure that you’ve packed up some snack for the trip as well!
This often makes gumbo a strain that is used almost exclusively indoors, where a user just wants to relax while watching TV, or even just sitting with their own thoughts for a couple of hours.
That being said, there are some versions of this strain that some people have reviewed has having a more euphoric effect, as well as feelings of happiness as well.
Medicinal Uses
So, with this plant having a relaxant effect on a person, there is also a massive range of possibilities for the medicinal uses of this strain.
The relaxant aspect of gumbo has made it a very popular cannabis strain that is used for reducing stressful feelings in a person, as well as helping people cope with high anxiety, or even people who regularly suffer from panic attacks.
Gumbo can even help treat depression and depressive episodes, when taken at the right time.
This aspect also means that this strain is very popular for reducing pain for people who have chronic issues that they want to be alleviated, with this strain having a high success rate for reducing that issue.
This extends to other aspects of pain relief too. The gumbo strain is often used for people who want to reduce inflammation around the body, as well as treat muscles spasms that a person may suffer around the body.
The drowsy effect of this strain also makes it a popular treatment for people who suffer from insomnia, as it helps a person fall into a period where their mind is relaxed enough to sleep.
For many mild physical ailments and psychological issue,s gumbo is a very popular choice for people.
Negative Effects
Of course, despite the many positive effects that we have covered here, it would be irresponsible of us to not inform you of some of the less beneficial side effects of this strain when it is used.
We have already touched on how this strain can cause users to develop a sudden appetite, but there are other effects of note besides this.
Excessive consumption of this strain can cause some people to develop headaches, which kind of makes the relaxant part redundant.
This strain can also cause dryness and irritation to form in location around the head. Dry mouth and itchy red eyes are common negative effects of this strain, so make sure that you them into consideration before trying to source this cannabis.
Growing
This plant grows best in humid and warm environments, meaning that this is a very popular strain to grow in tropical and subtropical conditions (or in a greenhouse, if you live outside these regions).
Growing under fluorescent light, these plants can take around 9 weeks to fully grow, and can be quite difficult and intensive for newcomers to growing cannabis strains. Leave this variety to more experienced hands.
History – When Was The Gumbo Strain First Made?
So, we’ve covered a lot of ground for this strain so far, but haven’t exactly said too much about the origins of gumbo itself.
When exactly the gumbo strain was first made is still something of a mystery.
Even the strains that gumbo comes from are themselves an enigma, with genetic testing only telling us that most strains are split to around 65-35% between indica and sativa strains, respectively.
All we know is that it started being grown in larger quantities in the last few years, making the history of gumbo a true mystery.
Final Thoughts
So, overall, what do we think of this cannabis strain?
Well, when purchased from a reputable source, gumbo can be a very helpful cannabis plant for calm or relaxing nights in, as well as for reducing anxiety and pain from inflammation
But what do you think of the gumbo strain? Let us know down below!
We hope you have found this guide useful!
If you liked this post, you might enjoy our article on “Delta ExtraX Review“.
Hi, my name is Ian James and I have been in the vape industry for almost seven years. I own a business specializing in vaping products and paraphernalia.
I created this website to share the truths about vaping and to stop the spread of misinformation. Please, enjoy my website and come in with an open mind. You never know what you might come out with!
