Ironically, most of the best-known marijuana strains have unknown origins. For example, Chemdawg is a famous cultivar responsible for creating some top-tier hybrids, but nobody knows the entire story behind Chemdawg’s lineage. Sure, there are plenty of urban legends surrounding Chemdawg’s creation, but all people know is that this strain is pungent and powerful.
People with experience smoking diesel sativa-rich hybrids often respond well to Chemdawg flowers. However, those new to cannabis can easily get “blown away” in the wrong way with a batch of Chemdawg. Before giving Chemdawg a trial run, find out everything we know about this strain’s genetics, aromatics, and effects.
Chemdawg Strain Overview
- Unknown genotype
- 50/50 indica-to-sativa balance
- Average THC percentage: 19%
- Average CBD content: ≤ 1%
- Common terpenes: Limonene, alpha-pinene, and myrcene.
The Chemdawg Strain’s Origins & Genetics
There’s considerable debate in the cannabis community over Chemdawg’s genotype and history, but the most popular theory involves a seed exchange at (of course) a Grateful Dead concert in the 1990s. According to this report, a Deadhead breeder picked up a bag of seeds from California weed enthusiasts in Colorado. Apparently, there were a few leftover seeds in this bag, so Chemdawg’s eventual breeder decided to bring them to his East Coast home and germinate a new batch. The result of this intensive cross-breeding resulted in the “Chemdawg” hybrid we know today.
Again, the theories behind Chemdawg’s origins are pure speculation, but many believe it has some traces of landraces like Thai and Nepalese. On the other hand, these parent strains may be exotic hybrid buds the California breeders called “Chem” and “Dog,” which would help explain “Chemdawg’s” name. There are also various Chemdawg hybrids on today’s market, each with slightly different effects and sativa-to-indica percentages. In most cases, however, Chemdawg tends to have an even mix of indica and sativa properties and THC concentrations in the 19% range.
Chemdawg is probably better known as the starting base for the successful hybrid Sour Diesel and OG Kush rather than as a standalone strain. Other iconic strains like Chem’s Sister, GSC, and Gorilla Glue #4 all owe a massive debt to Chemdawg’s genotype.
What Does The Chemdawg Strain Taste Like?
As the parent strain of Sour Diesel, you should expect Chemdawg to have a strong gasoline flavor profile. True to the “chemical” part of its name, Chemdawg is a heavy industrial strain which often reeks of skunk and citrus terpenes. Some people also pick up whiffs of ammonia when breaking a well-cured batch of Chemdawg nugs.
Aside from its pronounced pungent foreground, Chemdawg has earthy terpenes like alpha-pinene, which provide a fresh woodsy background. Users may also notice musky flavors and just a hint of spice when smoking Chemdawg flowers. However, despite these seemingly harsh notes, many people report Chemdawg is a surprisingly smooth smoke with just the right amount of tartness.
What Does Chemdawg Feel Like?
Since nobody’s sure what a “true” Chemdawg strain’s genotype is, there’s a wide variety of Chemdawg phenotypes floating around dispensaries. In most cases, however, the Chemdawg high leans sativa with pronounced cerebral effects. Even experienced tokers who try Chemdawg for the first time are surprised by this cultivar’s strong head-rush sensation. People not used to cerebral effects will likely feel disoriented and dizzy shortly after taking a hit of Chemdawg nugs. However, people with prior experience using high THC strains may feel extra sociable and euphoric shortly after taking Chemdawg.
Just keep in mind most Chemdawg hybrids have an indica presence, which helps slightly dampen the sativa edge. While Chemdawg isn’t precisely a “nighttime-only strain,” it often offers soothing indica properties, especially as the initial head-buzz wears off. People may experience muscle relaxation and slight couchlock if they take high quantities of the Chemdawg strain.
Potential Chemdawg Side Effects
Similar to other THC-heavy strains, Chemdawg carries a high risk of paranoia. Since Chemdawg often provokes “sativa-like” effects, it’s even more common for people to experience adverse effects like panic, confusion, and lightheadedness. Remember that Chemdawg typically has less than 1% CBD content, meaning there’s no buffer to counter THC’s psychoactive properties. Even people with a high tolerance to THC find Chemdawg to be an extreme strain, so newcomers should probably hold off on trying Chemdawg until they have experience with low-THC hemp hybrids. The safest way for “canna-curious” customers to start tasting strains similar to Chemdawg is to focus on CBD-rich hemp strains. Although CBD is a natural cannabinoid in cannabis plants, it doesn’t have the psychoactive properties found in THC. All of the hemp hybrids on Cannaflower have a high CBD concentration with ≤ 0.3% delta-9 THC, so there’s minimal risk of severe side effects like paranoia. Find out more about Cannaflower’s artisan-quality hemp cultivars on our CBD flower catalog.
