Spring 2026 might be off to a rocky start, but we’ve got one thing going for us despite the gas prices: Weed still rocks.
Spring is the time for new experiences, no matter what the damn groundhog sees, so we’ve got some cutting-edge new strains that you need to try. We’ve got one nationwide pick, but the list is mostly broken out by region, so find your state (or the one nearest to you) to find a special strain that’s great for melting the snowpack and helping you get a breath of fresh spring air.
Here are our recommendations for the hottest strains of spring 2026.
Toad Venom
Nationwide pick
Toad Venom has been absolutely lighting up the cannabis critics circuit for a while now, and the wave has now grown enough that the strain can even stay on dispensary shelves for a minute or two before selling out. Toad Venom is Animal Face x Sin Mintz and comes to us from West Coast Connoisseurs and Ronin Seeds, who have delivered a tart and tasty hybrid that smokes just fine from dawn to dusk. If you haven’t tried Toad Venom yet, now is your moment.
Chrome Dome
Washington pick
Originally bred by California’s own Compound Genetics, Chrome Dome (Lemonheadz x Eye Candy) has come to the Evergreen state with significant fanfare. Chrome Dome does it all; an ideal daily driver that hangs at any time of day and any activity, from working in the garden, taking a hike, or shunning all that for an all-day gaming session. We recommend the Fire Bros. cut of this fruit salad strain with a cool whisper of menthol to finish that leads to a refreshing smoke.
Pineapple Mojito
California pick
Pineapple Mojito from legendary breeder Higher Heights is a straight shot of tropical paradise grown in inland Mendocino County, where the redwoods open to hot, sunny meadows. This Emerald Triangle cross of Carambola × Lemon Limez explodes with loud pineapple, mint, ginger, and sour gas; a tropical smoothie coating your mouth long after the smoke clears.
The buds are a kaleidoscope of color. Light and dark blues, violet flashes, and deep greens, all dusted with frost. Tangie-adjacent in spirit but heavy on pineapple instead of orange, it delivers an all-consuming euphoria that transforms you into a cheeseburger in paradise. Check this strain out for a slice of real-deal Mendo craft from growers doing it for all the right reasons. – Lindsay MaHarry
Nectarine Jelly
New York pick
I know that nectarines are more of a summer fruit, but Nectarine Jelly is so good that I had to jump the gun. An intensely fruity strain from the terp fiends at Purple City Genetics, it’s a great strain to have with your morning toast. This buzzy sativa, descended from Peach Panther and Government Oasis, is widely available in the Empire State this spring, so hop on the peaches and diesel and check out Nectarine Jelly.
Blü Frōōt
Arizona pick
A banger from the breeders Green Dot Labs that has recently arrived in Arizona after launching in Colorado, Blü Frōōt is a wildly funky strain and a standout from their Frōōt series, a line so hype that I don’t mind that I had to learn new hotkeys to write about it. The 50/50 hybrid is a sweet, fruity, Sex on the Beach x Black and Blue cross that finishes on a creamy note that GDL likens to cheesecake. Check it out if you’ve got a bold palette and an open mind, and you’ll be rewarded.
Gas Station Sushi
Illinois pick
A cross between High Octane OG x Kush Mints, Gas Station Sushi is significantly more popular and tastier than its namesake. It’s a standout from bread-and-butter strain brand Cresco, who have bred the sativa to be potent and energizing, but without inducing much anxiety. If you’re the type who tends to avoid sativas for that reason, stop by to experience the lemon and gas strain; we promise, it’s a less risky proposition than the name might suggest.
Black Amber
Oregon pick
Black Amber is a gassy, terpy child of GMO and a 2x backcross of OZ Kush, originally bred by Fullmoon Genetics. The strain has proliferated through the breeding community; however, this spring, Oregon is chockablock with tasty, robust cuts of the strain. It brings the classic GMO-loud with notes of the trademark sweetness inherited from The Original Z. It’s a great strain to pair with a dinner party; relaxing and potent, but social enough to keep the conversation alive.
Point Breeze
District of Columbia pick
Point Breeze, hot off the curing racks from industry-leading breeder Khalifa Kush, is a bubbly, mind-expanding sativa named for the Pittsburgh neighborhood where the Khalifa Kush story started. The Khalifa Kush x Gastro Pop cross is building up a head of steam in DC, where more and more dispensaries are catching on. More than candy-gas, Point Breeze is achinglysweet bubblegum first and foremost, with a diesel finish that’s more layered and nuanced than your standard exhaust. Get your dentist on speed dial and start grinding.
Orange Drizzle
Maryland pick
Oooh, baby, what a way to say good morning. Orange Drizzle is a delicious hybrid that makes an awesome companion to those springtime sunrises, especially if you tend to prefer the stronger stuff. It’s a tantalizingly citrus-focused hybrid descended from two heavy hitters, Mimosa and Wedding Cake, that is better than a double espresso when it comes to get-up-and-go. Orange Drizzle comes courtesy of Maryland’s own Evermore Cannabis Company, and Maryland is the place to get it.
Ruby Violet
New Jersey pick
Our second selection from the top-rate breeding collective, Purple City Genetics, Ruby Violet is a slightly sativa-leaning hybrid with a distinctive aroma and stop-and-stare bag appeal that may finally be stepping into the spotlight. It’s been percolating for a year or two, and we think New Jersey might be the spot where it breaks into the stratosphere.
Its unique profile comes from parent strains Grape Nana, and Leafly Strain of the Year 2025 Nominee Gush Mintz, another Purple City Genetics original that looks like it may be influential for a long time yet. Stock up on Ruby Violet when it’s time to get creative, and look for a muse no longer.
Strawberries and Cream
California pick
On a family farm tucked into a bright green Mendocino valley, Sunbright Gardens grows everything from seed. No clones, just patience and dedication. Their Strawberries and Cream (Strawberry Jelly × Cookies and Cream) is a dessert course for the senses. The aroma opens with lush strawberry jam and whipped cream sweetness, followed by a faint flicker of gas.
Soft green buds sparkle with crystalline trichomes and flashes of red hair. The high hits like a morning cartoon: rounded, giggly, and technicolor on the edges. Expect a relaxed, tingly lift that turns ordinary moments playful. A limited small-batch release arrives soon in ⅛ oz jars and 14 g bags. – Lindsay MaHarry
Sour Haze
California pick
Sour Haze from WildLand Cannabis is a heady Mendocino mashup of WildLand Haze (Jah Goo × Super Silver Haze) and the ever-electric Sour Diesel. The nose hits with classic haze first, followed by sour fruit, guava, mango, and a floral streak of diesel and hops. Frosty buds glitter with trichomes, showing off dark green tones and flashes of purple. The effect is bright and motivating: social, uplifting, and dialed-in with a streak of laser focus. This is daytime weed for getting things done: clear-headed inspiration with enough zip to keep you moving. – Lindsay MaHarry
That’s it for us, but these strains should be more than enough to keep you occupied until the weather warms and the days get long. See you at the solstice!
