Quick answer
The Purple Kush strain is a pure indica bred from Hindu Kush × Purple Afghani in the Oakland area of California. Leafly lists 19% THC with myrcene as its top terpene, and AllBud about 22%. It tastes of grape and earth, was the first cannabis strain to have its genome sequenced, and Bud Cargo stocks a Purple Kush ounce for $83.
Key takeaways
- Genetics: Hindu Kush × Purple Afghani, 100% indica on both Leafly and AllBud.
- Leafly: 19% THC, 0% CBD, myrcene then pinene and caryophyllene, 4.2 from 2,308 ratings. AllBud: about 22% THC, 4.7 from 58 reviews.
- Flavour: grape, violet, berry and earth. Most reported effects on Leafly: sleepy, hungry, relaxed.
- In 2011 Canadian researchers used Purple Kush from a Vancouver grower to publish the first draft cannabis genome.
- Bud Cargo sells Purple Kush as an $83 ounce ($2.96 a gram), sold as a full 28 g.
Last updated 25 October 2026 from live stock · By the Bud Cargo team
What is the Purple Kush strain?
Purple Kush is a pure indica strain from the Oakland area of California, bred by crossing Hindu Kush with Purple Afghani. It is one of the oldest purple strains still widely sold, and the two big strain databases agree on almost everything except the THC figure:
| Source | Genetics | Type | Listed THC | Top terpenes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leafly | Hindu Kush × Purple Afghani | Indica | 19%, 0% CBD | Myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene | 4.2 from 2,308 ratings |
| AllBud | Hindu Kush × Purple Afghani | 100% indica | About 22% | Not listed | 4.7 from 58 reviews |
| Bud Cargo ounce | Sold as Purple Kush | Indica | No lab result published | Grape, sweet, earthy nose | $83 for 28 g |
No breeder is credited on either database, which is common for strains that spread as clones in the early 2000s. Leafly reviewers mention local versions sold under other names, so two jars labelled Purple Kush can differ.
Is Purple Kush indica or sativa?
Purple Kush is an indica, and one of the few strains that both Leafly and AllBud list as 100% indica. Both parents are indica lines from the Hindu Kush mountains that run between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is where the Kush name comes from.
The label is still only a rough guide. A genetic study that built its markers from the Purple Kush genome tested 30 strains from dispensaries in three US states and found that the samples did not split into indica, sativa and hybrid groups, and that some samples sold under the same name were genetically different (Schwabe and McGlaughlin, Journal of Cannabis Research, 2019). Our indica vs sativa vs hybrid guide explains what the labels can and cannot tell you.
Why is Purple Kush important to cannabis science?
Purple Kush was the first cannabis strain to have its genome sequenced. In 2011 researchers at the University of Toronto, the University of Saskatchewan and the National Research Council of Canada published a draft genome of 534 million base pairs and about 30,000 genes from Purple Kush (van Bakel et al., Genome Biology, 2011).
The plants were clones from an authorized medical grower in Vancouver. The team compared Purple Kush with Finola, a hemp variety, and found the gene for THCA synthase in Purple Kush where Finola had the gene for CBDA synthase. That difference helps explain why drug-type cannabis makes THC while hemp makes CBD. The same Purple Kush genome later served as the reference for other cannabis genetics studies, including the strain-reliability study above.
What does Purple Kush taste and smell like?
Purple Kush tastes of grape and sweet berry over an earthy, slightly spicy base. Leafly’s most reported flavours are grape, violet and earthy. AllBud lists berry, grape and sweet flavours with an earthy, grape, pungent, spicy and sweet aroma.
Myrcene, the top terpene on Leafly, has a musky, earthy smell, and pinene and caryophyllene add pine and pepper. The deep purple colour comes from anthocyanin pigments, inherited from the Purple Afghani side, and growing conditions change how strongly it shows. Our guide to purple cannabis explains why colour has nothing to do with potency.
What are the effects of Purple Kush?
Purple Kush is known as a heavy, body-led evening strain. Leafly’s most reported effects are sleepy, hungry and relaxed, and AllBud lists euphoria, happy, hungry, relaxing and sleepy. The negatives most often reported on Leafly are dry mouth, dry eyes and dizziness.
Because the effect is heavy, most people keep it for the end of the day rather than for anything that needs focus. If you are new to it, start with a small amount and wait before taking more; Canada’s Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines also recommend favouring lower-THC products and using less often.
How does Purple Kush compare with other Kush strains?
Purple Kush is the most indica of the Kush ounces we stock, and its grape flavour sets it apart from the OG Kush side of the family. Here is how it compares with the other Kush ounces in stock today:
| Strain | What sets it apart | Ounce at Bud Cargo | Per gram | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Kush | Hindu Kush × Purple Afghani, pure indica, grape nose | $83 | $2.96 | This page |
| King Kush | OG Kush × Grape, about 70% indica (Green House Seeds) | $75 | $2.68 | King Kush guide |
| West Coast Kush | OG Kush line, no single agreed pedigree | $75 | $2.68 | West Coast Kush guide |
| Tom Ford Pink Kush | Sold as a Pink Kush cut | $54 | $1.93 | Tom Ford guide |
| OG Kush | The OG line behind King Kush and West Coast Kush | $90 | $3.21 | – |
If you want another purple strain with a fruit-forward nose, the Purple Drank ounce and the Black Cherry Punch ounce are both $75; see our Purple Drank and Black Cherry Punch guides.
Where to buy Purple Kush online in Canada
Bud Cargo has the Purple Kush ounce deal in stock for $83, sold as a full 28 g, which works out to about $2.96 a gram. That sits above the $75 median of the 46 ounce deals in stock, which run from $39 to $110. The ounce is the only Purple Kush format we have in stock right now. Our AAA vs AAAA grading guide explains how we grade flower.
An ounce is 28 g, just under the 30 g of dried cannabis an adult may carry in public under section 8 of the Cannabis Act. Orders ship across Canada for $25 to BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, $30 to Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and $35 to the territories. Shipping is free on orders over $150 (over $250 to the territories). You can pay by Interac e-Transfer or credit card. Bud Cargo is a mail-order dispensary, not a provincially licensed retailer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Purple Kush indica or sativa?
Purple Kush is a pure indica. Leafly and AllBud both list it as 100% indica, bred from two indica landrace lines, Hindu Kush and Purple Afghani. Most people use it in the evening because of its heavy, sleepy finish.
Is Purple Kush strong?
It is a mid-to-high THC strain. Leafly lists 19% THC and 0% CBD, and AllBud gives an average of about 22%. Shop listings with higher numbers describe one lot, not the strain, so start with a small amount if you are new to it.
What are Purple Kush’s parents?
Purple Kush is Hindu Kush × Purple Afghani. Both are indica lines from the Hindu Kush mountain region, and the cross is usually credited to growers in the Oakland area of California.
What does Purple Kush taste like?
Leafly lists grape, violet and earthy flavours, and AllBud lists berry, grape and sweet with an earthy, pungent, spicy aroma. Myrcene is the top terpene on Leafly, followed by pinene and caryophyllene.
Why is Purple Kush purple?
Purple cannabis gets its colour from anthocyanin pigments, and Purple Kush inherits its purple side from Purple Afghani. How purple a given batch looks also depends on how it was grown, so colour is not a sign of strength.
Was Purple Kush the first cannabis strain to have its genome sequenced?
Yes. In 2011 a team from the University of Toronto, the University of Saskatchewan and the National Research Council of Canada published the first draft cannabis genome using Purple Kush. The plant samples came from an authorized medical grower in Vancouver.
How much is an ounce of Purple Kush?
At Bud Cargo the Purple Kush ounce deal is $83 for a full 28 g as of 25 October 2026, about $2.96 a gram. That is above the $75 median of our 46 in-stock ounce deals.
Sources: Leafly, Purple Kush. AllBud, Purple Kush. van Bakel H et al. (2011), The draft genome and transcriptome of Cannabis sativa, Genome Biology 12:R102. Schwabe AL, McGlaughlin ME (2019), Genetic tools weed out misconceptions of strain reliability in Cannabis sativa, Journal of Cannabis Research 1:3. Public Health Agency of Canada, Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines. Cannabis Act (S.C. 2018, c. 16), section 8. Prices from Bud Cargo’s live in-stock catalogue, 25 October 2026.
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