If you’re new to smoking CBD flower, you may have questions about the differences between hemp strains. That’s right, not all hemp is the same–varying hemp strains can produce subtle differences in their effects. Considering the vast array of reasons that bring people to using hemp, understanding the distinctions between strains can help you choose the best CBD-hemp flower for you. 

Differentiating Strains 

So, what differentiates strains from one another? The main characteristics in defining a unique hemp strain include CBD content, the content of other cannabinoids, and terpene content. These contents indicate their concentration in a given hemp strain. 

You might be wondering why cannabinoid and terpene content matters if you are primarily interested in experiencing the benefits of CBD. The reason it remains important to consider these other factors depends upon the entourage effect.

The Entourage Effect

The entourage effect refers to the impacts that other compounds aside from CBD can have when you smoke CBD-hemp flower. A wide variety of cannabinoids and terpenes also contain many positive properties that can enhance your experience with CBD. Looking at a hemp strain’s total cannabinoid and terpene content on top of its CBD concentration can help you enjoy the benefits of the entourage effect.

CBD Content 

Obviously, CBD content is an important thing to consider when looking at any CBD product. If you’re hoping to enjoy some of the many beneficial effects of CBD, it helps to know the concentration of CBD in the product you’re using. CBD concentration is measured in percentages. Typically, CBD content in smokable hemp flower might range anywhere from 10% to over 20%.

Other Cannabinoid Content 

On top of CBD, the hemp plant contains a variety of other cannabinoids, such as cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While all of these cannabinoids can have effects on your body, it’s important to note that only one cannabinoid, THC, has psychoactive effects. This means that while all cannabinoids can impact your hemp experience, only THC content can make you “high”. 

Like CBD, the concentration of other cannabinoids in hemp is measured in percentages. Any legal hemp flower available for purchase is required to contain a THC content of 0.3% or less, meaning that this very low THC concentration should not impact most hemp users. But the total cannabinoid content of a hemp strain can play into the entourage effect and help you enjoy more benefits of the plant on top of just the CBD content. 

Terpene Content 

Terpenes are a class of compound found in many plants, including cannabis, which is often known for its high terpene concentration. The presence of terpenes is what causes the fragrant smell associated with cannabis plants including both marijuana and hemp–but that’s not the only reason these compounds are important.

Terpenes can also promote many positive effects on the body. Hemp terpenes are shown to provide a variety of benefits from reducing physical pain and inflammation, to containing natural antibacterial and immune boosting properties, to alleviating psychological issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression. 

Terpenes also play a role in the entourage effect and can enhance your experience with CBD. Unlike cannabinoid content, terpene content in hemp strains is usually not measured in percentages. Rather, strains with high terpene content will specifically indicate this by simply stating them as a high-terpene strain. 

Find the Strain That’s Best For You

Now that you know how to navigate through the wide variety of hemp strains on the market, you might want to experiment with what strain works best for you. Check out Silver Rain’s hemp flower collection to find your ideal strain.
Still debating between strains? Try out Silver Rain’s specialty hemp sampler to enjoy a variety of strains side-by-side.