Strawberry Banana a.k.a. Strawnana — the name of this tasty strain conjures up images of ripe bananas and tart summer strawberries. Original breeders for this strain are credited as Reserva Privadas and Serious Seeds. The story of how Strawberry Banana came to be began when Serious Seeds created an especially frosty Strawberry phenotype of a Bubblegum plant.
Strawberry Banana Strain Genetics
This Bubblegum pheno was then crossed with a Banana Kush plant from Crockett Family Farms, a 3rd generation family-run farm. The end result was Strawberry Banana, a wildly fruity, sweet-smelling strain that would go on to become an exceptional award winner. Awards include Best Flower at the Homegrown Cup 2018, winning the 2018 Monster Cup and taking home 2nd place at the 2017 High Times SoCal Cannabis Cup in the hash category.
Today Reserva Privadas is a subdivision of DNA Genetics, an Amsterdam-based seed bank beloved worldwide for its popular strains. DNA also acquired Crockett Family Farms in 2019, making this strain a DNA Genetics offering.
Lineage: Bubblegum (Strawberry pheno) x Banana Kush
Breeder: Reserva Privadas and Serious Seeds
Strawberry Banana Strain Effects
Despite its Kush parentage, this strain isn’t entirely a pure indica. DNA Genetics describes the Strawberry Banana experience as one that “produces happy, peaceful effects that sharpen creativity and sensory awareness.” As such, it’s best to think of it as a flower that leans towards a relaxed body high with some sensory and cerebral elements.
The Kush parent influence sets the stage by inducing total body relaxation. A sense of peace may begin to spread throughout even the most fatigued bodies, providing much-needed relief. Physical aches and pains melt away as these sensations wash over you. This high isn’t purely physical, however; it also has its own distinct cerebral component. An uptick in mood and euphoria are very common, as is the desire to be chattier, more sociable or productive. Some users report experiencing psychedelic effects such as enhanced visual perception (for instance, seeing more vivid colors). Others have noted that this strain’s energetic mental buzz makes it an excellent choice for watching movies, playing video games or attending a concert.
While the body buzz here is wonderfully mellow, it isn’t quite so heavy as to be considered a ‘couch-lock’ strain. It can be enjoyed during the day or night, but may fare slightly better as an evening flower due to its creeping body high, which can also put some to sleep.
This strain is known to possess a high THC content, making it a popular choice with recreational and medical users alike. Medical users report using Strawberry Banana for a number of conditions including chronic pain, lack of appetite, insomnia, depression, ADHD and anxiety. However due to increased THC content, this strain can also induce anxiety if consumed in excess. Other side effects associated with this strain can include paranoia, dry mouth and red eyes.
Strawberry Banana Strain Profile
As appearances go Strawberry Banana is known for its legendary frostiness, or high volume of trichomes. The result is a glittering flower that’s absolutely packed with flavorful terpenes. Buds are large, dense, bright green, popcorn-shaped and coated in long amber hairs.
The smell of this strain is as you’d predict, given its name, but with a slight twist. Initial notes are fruity and sweet: ripe banana and sweet, tart strawberries. A slightly spicy, slightly musky scent evocative of black peppercorns is the next smell to rise up. Finally, the sweet yet vaguely spicy notes are offset with a clean cedar aroma. The overall experience is sweet berries mixed with fruit, pine, and spice. Breaking up nugs reveals a spicy, musky scent that reverts to the taste of sweet berries when smoked.
Strawberry Banana’s terpene profile is rich and complex. Primary terpenes include limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene and both types of pinene (a-Pinene and b-Pinene). Secondary terpenes include ocimene, terpineol and fenchol.
This strain can pack a potent THC punch; some versions of Strawnana have been found to contain up to 26% THC.
Strawberry Banana Grow Info and Seeds
Strawberry Banana is beloved by growers as it’s easy to grow in or outdoors and delivers high yields at harvest time. This strain grows to medium height, making it a great option for growers with limited space. A resilient plant that responds well to many different cultivation methods, growers advise clones to be placed outside as of June 1st to put a stop to premature flowering. Those seeking to grow Strawberry Banana outdoors at an earlier time may want to opt for the gas lantern method, in which growers wake up the plants from their dark phase for an hour of “sunshine,” and then go back to lights out again. This can prevent premature flowering.
Seeking out Strawberry Banana? While DNA Genetics and popular seedbank Seedsman sell the Reserva Privada Strawberry Banana seeds online, as of the time of writing these websites are sold out. Don’t mourn your luck just yet, though; several versions of this popular strain can be found in the cannabis world today. Kyle Kushman’s Homegrown Cannabis Co has their own version, and the seedbank Dinafem also sells Reserva Privada seeds.
By Janelle Lassalle
Artist, Writer, and Content Creator
@jenkhari