Cataract Kush $130 Indica

With a name that hints at medical relief for sufferers of eye conditions, Cataract Kush is a purely indica strain with a wide range of uses. This bud is a cross between heavy hitters OG Kush and LA Confidential and was created by prolific breeding operation DNA Genetics. With slow-blooming effects and a memorable aroma, Cataract Kush also has knockout levels of THC, measured at between 20% and 25%.

Flowers of Cataract Kush are distinguished by a medium to large size and a tapered, roughly conical shape. These buds maintain a dense, indica-typical structure, with a core composed of tightly-packed leaves. These leaves themselves are a mottled mix of mossy green and yellow with occasional flashes of deep blue and purple; these surprising latter color come about thanks to high concentrations of the pigment anthocyanin. Finally, Cataract Kush’s flowers are twisted through with curly orange pistils and dotted with glassy white trichomes.

Cataract Kush carries a predominantly sweet, fruity aroma that can be so intense as to seem somewhat cloying, with a funky, fermented edge. A closer whiff of these flowers may also pick up on some herbal, almost medicinal scents. When broken apart or ground up, meanwhile, the flowers yield a pungent odor of skunk. This skunkiness may intensify when Cataract Kush is burnt, giving off a thick and acrid smoke that may trigger a coughing fit. On the exhale, this smoke tastes both sweet and sour.

The high that comes with Cataract Kush is a true creeper that may require up to 15 minutes before it sets in. Smokers (some of whom may even forget that they’ve toked before sensing the strain’s effects) eventually experience some head-focused sensations like a twitching around the temples and forehead; flushing in the cheeks and a stimulation of the salivary glands are also possible. Within short order, these strange tics die down, leaving the user in an altered headspace. While some smokers may experience some activation of higher-order thinking, users are more likely to be immersed in a kind of sensory distortion, in which slights visual and auditory hallucinations are possible, as is an inexplicable sense of time dilation. While not ideal for productivity, this trippy vibe is tailor-made for spending some giddy, giggly time with like-minded friends.

As this high wears on, its body stone become more and more apparent, weighing users down and making concerted physical activities unlikely to impossible. Instead, the strain tends to leaves its consumers pleasantly sedated and primed for passive pursuits like binge-watching or snacking. If dosage is increased, prepare to become immobilized and to melt into your surroundings as the outside world feels less and less relevant. Definitely a strain to enjoy in the comforts of home rather than while out and about, Cataract Kush is recommended for nighttime consumption.

Cataract Kush’s deeply relaxing properties can have many uses for medical cannabis patients as well. Its tranquilized mood may temporarily relieve the troubling symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety. Its physical applications include relief from chronic, disease-related aches and pains as well as some anti-inflammatory properties. As the strain’s name suggests, its early “headband”-like effects may even relieve the painful intraocular pressure associated with cataracts. In the right set and setting, Cataract Kush can induce deep and restful sleep, making it a antidote to stubborn cases of insomnia. Because it is not often associated with deeply recursive, cerebral patterns of thinking, this strain is a good choice for patients who are inexperienced with THC or who are prone to paranoia and panic.

DNA Genetics has made seeds of Cataract Kush available for sale online for those looking to cultivate the strain at home. Once obtained, it can be grown indoors or out, with outdoor success depending on a semi-humid, Mediterranean-like climate. Plants have an expectedly short and bushy indica stature; growers may need to occasionally trim these bushes of any broad, light-blocking fan leaves that might prevent light and air from reaching any low-growing nodes. Gardeners who want to highlight Cataract Kush’s shades of blue and purple should briefly expose their crops to cold (but not freezing) nighttime temperatures, right before flowering begins. Cataract Kush reaches its flowering stage within about 8 to 9 weeks.

A smooth, mellow strain guaranteed to take the edge off, Cataract Kush is also medically valuable as it is recreationally enjoyable.