Cannabis has many different compounds. THC gets you high, while CBD chills you out – without the high. People all around the world are opting out of traditional pharmaceutical drugs in favor of hemp-derived CBD products for social and recreational reasons, as well as health and wellness benefits including aiding anxiety, sleep and pain.
CBD hemp flower is arguably the most natural and effective way to take CBD. The benefits of consuming hemp flower via inhalation produce fantastic, quick-acting results.
CBD flower is federally legal under 0.3% THC (in 47 states at the state level). You can purchase it online and get it delivered to your door. What's the best CBD flower for you?
Best CBD Flowers (Indica)
Indica-dominant CBD flowers are good for sleep and a full-body relaxation.
Secret Nature
SECRET OG
17% CBD, Indica
Top shelf, organic, indoor grown
Great for: relaxing, sleep
Tillmans
BUBBA KUSH
15.2% CBD, Indica-dominant
Great for: full body relaxation, sleep
Green Unicorn Farms
MAGIC BULLET
18.4% CBD, Indica-dominant
Great for: evening wind-down
Best CBD Flowers (Sativa)
Sativa-dominant CBD flower strains are uplifting and perfect for day-time activities.
How do we choose the best CBD hemp flowers?
When we pick the best CBD flowers, we’re not just choosing something at random. We conduct hands-on testing (smoke or vape the flowers) and vet each flower for quality, purity, and effectiveness.
This criteria is how we vet all our CBD companies and their CBD products before making on to our “Best of…” lists.
1. Look out for well-grown, organic CBD flower from the USA
Hemp flower sourced from certified-organic hemp farms across the U.S. is crucial. You don’t want to purchase hemp flower grown in poor, contaminated conditions where harmful pesticides and herbicides are freely used in the cultivation process.
Always check a CBD company’s website for information on its hemp source. Most reputable CBD brands will post this in a mission statement or “Our Story” section. Hemp from Colorado and Oregon is preferred but don’t count out California or New York.
2. Choose high-quality flower from reputable growers
Choosing high-quality CBD flower from reputable growers/brands is crucial. You don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on poor, ineffective products from sketchy sources.
To determine a brand’s legitimacy, be on the lookout for the following:
- Use review sites and online forums. Reddit is a great, unbiased resource. r/CBD and r/CBDhempBuds are both personal favorites.
- Does the CBD brand make bold health claims? Bogus health claims and promises are generally a red flag unless backed by science and research.
- Is the CBD brand a member of a regulatory organization? The National Hemp Association (NHA) is one to look out for.
3. Make sure the CBD flower is third-party tested
Making sure your CBD bud is third-party tested for potency and purity. Once testing is complete, laboratories will issue a Certificate of Analysis (COAs).
A COA will show you the following:
- Cannabinoid Profile — the number of cannabinoids in the extract and the amount present (as a percentage)
- Terpene Profile — the number of terpenes in the extract and the amount present (as a percentage)
- Heavy Metals Testing — presence of any arsenic, lead, mercury, or cadmium
- Pesticides & Herbicides Testing
- Mycotoxin Testing — presence of environmental/biological toxins such as mold, fungi, parasites, etc.
Credible and legitimate CBD brands will post all COAs for public viewing.
4. Evaluate the flower’s potency
Potency refers to the percentage of cannabinoids in the CBD flower (mainly Cannabidiol). Potency typically ranges between mild, medium, and high.
- Mild potency — Below 10% CBD
- Medium potency — 10–17% CBD
- High potency — 18-22% CBD
Always be on the lookout for medium to high potency CBD strains, even if you’re a beginner. Mild, low-grade bud just isn’t worth your time and effort.
A high-quality CBD strain packed with substantial amounts of Cannabidiol (and other cannabinoids) is the way to go. We recommend:
- Cherry Wine
- Spectrum
- Electra
5. Terpenes
Be on the lookout for a wide variety of terpenes in your CBD flower. Cannabis and hemp terpenes enhance the overall experience. They’re known to work synergistically with cannabinoids to produce better results in your body.
Beneficial terpenes include:
You can find which terpenes are in your CBD flower by looking at the COA’s Terpene Profile. If no Terpene Profile can be found, contact a customer service representative.
6. Aroma
The smell and aroma of CBD bud is a good indicator of its quality. Effective, flavorful, and worthwhile CBD flower is packed full of amazingly rich aromas, primarily from the terpenes. Some distinct aromas include:
- Pine
- Spice
- Sweet
- Flowery/floral
- Herbal
- Earthy/wood-like
Poor quality flower has the opposite. No rich aromas. No distinct scents. Most of the time, bad CBD flower smells like nothing. A bit like dirt on the ground. Sometimes, however, poor flowers can smell like tar or diesel – you want to stay away from these.
7. Flavor
High-quality CBD strains are full of flavor. Strong pine, spice, sweet, and/or fruity notes alongside their trademark skunky, grassy tastes indicate good quality. Subtle, weak, or non-existent flavor, on the other hand, means the flower you’ve purchased is poorer quality and probably less effective.
One way to know if your bud is decent is a method called “dry pulling”. Simply roll your flower into a nice joint, put the butt end to your lips, and inhale (make sure it’s unlit). If the flavors are rich, strong, and powerful on your taste buds, you’ve hit the jackpot. If it’s subtle, weak, or lacking in flavor, it’s probably a dud.
8. Look at the resin coating
Resin glands (otherwise known as trichomes) are where all the hemp goodness comes from. They’re tiny little crystal-like growths that cover the entire hemp plant, carrying large numbers of beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes.
Resin glands on your CBD bud should be very noticeable. If you take a look at it now, the resin glands should look like a coat of white snow. This indicates a quality flower. If there isn’t a white coat, be cautious. The flower might be ineffective.
9. Look at the color of the CBD flower
Effective, high-quality CBD flower has varying shades of color. The buds’ color shouldn’t be uniform. Purples, greens, reds, and pinks are clear markers of a great flower.
Poor quality or ineffective CBD hemp buds usually carry faded brown and green colors. If you see this, the smoke will probably be borderline useless and perhaps a little harsh.
10. Notice the stickiness of the flower
Decent hemp flower should be sticky. It almost feels like there’s an oozy substance in between your fingers. This is from the high number of trichomes on the bud.
Non-sticky CBD flower doesn’t indicate poor-quality, however. Not always at least. Overly-cured hemp flower may naturally have fewer trichomes or it was left to hang and dry for too long.
If your CBD hemp flower doesn’t feel sticky but feels more dry and withered, don’t throw it away. You can easily use it for cooking CBD hemp brownies or cookies.
11. What effects are you experiencing during and after consumption?
The effects of a premium CBD flower are far more pronounced than a poor quality flower. You’ll feel a slight euphoric buzz alongside a sense of relaxation. If you’re using it for a specific health ailment, it may work quicker and more efficiently.
If your flower is on the poorer end of the quality spectrum, it may lead to equally poor results. The effects may be too subtle or, perhaps, non-existent.
What is CBD flower?
CBD flower is the raw or dried bud from the hemp plant used mainly for smoking and vaping but can be used in cooking or as a “juice” as well.
Hemp-derived CBD flower contains high levels of Cannabidiol (approx 10-20%) but very low levels of THC (less than 0.3%). You, therefore, won’t get high or experience any intoxication from consuming CBD hemp flower.
Types of hemp flower you can buy online:
CBD flower
CBD flower is the most common type of hemp flower you can purchase. Most CBD strains contain anywhere between 100-200mg (10-20%) Cannabidiol alongside a range of other cannabinoids (CBN, CBC, CBG, etc).
- Price range: $30-$45 (eighth/3.5 grams), $50-$80 (quarter/7 grams), $90-$120 (half-ounce/14 grams), $130-$220 (ounce/28 grams)
- Potency: 100-220 mg of CBD (10-22% CBD)
- Common CBD strains: Lemon Drop (approx. 15% CBD), Frosted Lime (approx. 16% CBD), Lifter (approx. 19% CBD)
- Useful for: Anxiety and depression, sleep and sleep-related issues, short and long-term pain
CBG flower
CBG flower is a rare purchase. It requires growers to specially breed the hemp in order to yield higher levels of CBG. Some strains contain a generous 11-15% CBG. It’s important to note CBG flower generally contains very low levels of THC (lower than the usual 0.2-0.3%). There’s talk of selectively breeding certain CBG hemp flowers to have no THC in them at all.
- Price range: Varying prices starting at $9.99 (1 gram) to roughly $250 (28 grams/one ounce)
- Potency: 100-150 mg CBG (10-15% CBG roughly)
- Common CBG strains: Jack Frost, Stem Cell, Superglue
How to smoke or vape CBD Flower
CBD flower can be smoked or vaped.
If you don’t know how to roll your own joint, purchase pre-rolls (see our picks for the best CBD pre-rolls). It’s all done for you. If you want to roll your own, simply purchase a high-grade flower, a grinder, some rolling paper, and a crutch (filter).
Vaping is more convenient than rolling your own CBD joint. Simply place the ground flower into the heating tank at the top of your loose leaf vaporizer, adjust the temperature, press the button, and inhale. Vaporizing also produces stronger, more potent results – be careful.
Effects & benefits of inhaling hemp flower
Smoking or vaping CBD flower produces very pronounced effects. Inhalation of Cannabidiol (and other cannabinoids) is very effective, simply because the digestive system is avoided altogether in favor of your lung’s microcapillaries. This results in direct absorption into your bloodstream.
The effects of inhaling CBD flower include:
- Fast-acting, almost immediate experience — short-term euphoric buzz
- Relaxation (useful for stressful days and nights, as well as social events)
- Anti-anxiety and de-stress (useful for nighttime sleep issues)
- Anti-inflammatory (soothes post-workout or post-physical exertion aches and pains)
CBD strains: Indica vs. Sativa vs. Hybrid
What is Indica CBD strain?
- Indica is a sub-species of hemp
- Indica plants are short and bushy
- Indica plants grow quickly but not every tall — usually no taller than 6ft outdoors and 3ft indoors
- Dense, thick buds
- High levels of CBD and less THC
What is Sativa CBD strain?
- Sativa is a sub-species of hemp
- Sativa plants are long and narrow with equally long leaves
- Grow and mature slower than Indica plants
- Requires more light to grow
- Lighter buds/nugs — not as dense as Indica buds/nugs
- Higher levels of THC and less CBD
What is Hybrid CBD strain?
- Hybrid is a blend of two strains — can be Indica + Sativa, Indica + Indica, or Sativa + Sativa
- Hybrid plants grow very quickly depending on genetics and growing conditions
- Difficult to breed — unpredictable results
Flavor profiles:
| Indica | Sativa | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Pungent, almost skunky, earthy, deep pine and spice. | Less pungent than Indica. Sweet, sometimes fruity, grassy, earthy notes. | Depending on the strain, hybrids can have a 50/50 mix of Sativa/Indica flavors. Some hybrids may have more of pungent flavor or a sweet flavor. |
Effects:
| Indica | Sativa | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Sedating, soothing, calming, full body high. Useful for relaxation, sleep, and overall calm. | Energizing, slight buzz. More mind high than body high. Good for concentration and/or socializing | Can produce a mixture of Indica and Sativa effects – dependent on the strain ratio. |
CBD flower vs. marijuana flower
Hemp-derived CBD flower and cannabis (marijuana) flower are very different. They affect you very differently, mainly because cannabis flower contains high percentages of THC (up to 35%). Therefore, when purchasing CBD flower, make sure it’s hemp-derived and not marijuana-derived.
Hemp-derived CBD flower
- Not recreational insofar as intoxication — good for social relaxation and anxiety
- Mild sleep and sleep-related issues — CBD is known to aid symptoms of insomnia
- Immediate results — useful for pain post-workout or post-physical exertion
Marijuana flower
- Recreational — intoxication lowers inhibitions and makes social events comfortable
- Some strains enhance creativity — Indica marijuana strains are good here
- Sativa marijuana strains with 5-8% THC are good for sleep
Is it legal to buy CBD flower?
Yes. CBD hemp flower is perfectly legal to purchase, import, possess, and consume in 47 US states. The remaining three US states prohibiting CBD flower and other cannabis-related products are:
- Idaho
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
If you’re from the above states, it’s illegal to import, possess, and/or consume CBD hemp flower.
If you’re from an international address outside the US, make sure you check your country’s laws on the importation, possession, and consumption of cannabis and cannabis-related products.
Where can you buy CBD flower?
CBD flower isn’t quite as easy to get your hands on as, say, CBD topical creams or CBD gummies. It’s just not as popular amongst casual users. Many believe CBD hemp flower is the same as marijuana, so there’s still a slight taboo surrounding it.
You’re more likely to find CBD flowers online and in specialized stores. You won’t find them in beauty stores, health stores, or pharmacies.
Buying CBD flower online
Buying online is a convenient way of purchasing hemp-derived CBD flower. You just pick and choose which one you like and away you go. No hassles. Many CBD companies offer hemp flowers in a range of packages, usually starting at 1-1.5 grams and ending at 28 grams (ounce).
The only issue with buying online is you don’t get to see or smell the bud up close. The color, the aroma, and the feel of the flower play a huge part in the purchasing process. We recommend purchasing the smallest amount first. If the flower is high-quality and appealing to your senses, purchase more later on.
Recommended online stores for hemp CBD flower
Knowing where to buy high-quality CBD flowers online can be a minefield. Here are our recommended brands for buying some of the best premium CBD flowers online:
- Industrial Hemp Farms
- Cannaflower
- Blue Ridge Hemp
- The Brothers Apothecary
- Secret Nature
- Tillmans Tranquils
- Tweedle Farms
- Cheef Botanicals
- Neurogan
- Green Unicorn Farms
- Plain Jane
- Pure Relief