Can You Paint With All The Colours Of The Weed? (Part II: Pink Boogaloo)

Painting With Potent Pink

For the inaugural post of my colourful little experiment, I figured we would take a look at what might be the most popular colour of weed on the market today- The potent and powerful Pink! ‘Pink’ strains have been around for quite some time, but in the last few years they’ve really taken off in terms of recognition and demand.

In Canada especially, we’ve seen a few popular ‘Pink’ strains pop up in the past couple years. The amazingly well-branded Astro Pink has marketed their product to the top of that list, along with the infamous Tom Ford Pink Kush, which is rumored to have been created in the Great White North. Both of these ‘Pink’ powerhouses were derived from the original ‘Pink’ strain, the strain that I can say with confidence is the original ‘Pink’ of the cannabis world: Pink Kush.

Pink Kush is where it all began, at least as far as starting to define the qualities and traits that we associate with ‘Pink’ today. Pink Kush is a descendant of the classic OG Kush, but past that, there’s a lack of information on what other strains were in the mix, or any theories as to the techniques they used to cultivate Pink Kush’s famous flavour. It’s been around since the early 2000’s, at least, so it’s had lots of time to spread its influence throughout the cannabis community.

To kick things off, I think we should look at the traits of Pink Kush, and see which ones are typically passed on or are associated with the countless bastard children the strain has produced through the years. Pink Kush is kind of like the deadbeat husband of the weed world, after all- Just dropping seeds all over town. 

So What Makes A Strain ‘Pink’?

Let’s examine a few of the traits that set Pink Kush apart from other strains:

Some sources claim that Pink Kush is a pure indica strain, but in fact it’s a heavily indica-dominant hybrid. Most believe that the genetic split is somewhere in the realm of 90/10, in favour of indica. This would align with the fact that OG Kush is the only known parent strain in the equation, as OG Kush itself is a well-balanced hybrid.

It seems unlikely that a balanced hybrid could be crossed with anything that would remove so much of its sativa-oriented qualities. Then again, I’m not a breeder! Maybe there’s some magic there I just don’t understand.

In any case, the strain’s indica-dominant nature means that it’s associated with some seriously strong effects, and even in a world where potent indica is fairly common, Pink Kush stands apart. Its effects are long-lasting, and rival the heaviest strains on the market in terms of appetite enhancement, pain relief, and sleep improvement. These are common traits of any indica, however, and hardly unique to Pink Kush. The effects aren’t what make the strain ‘Pink’. Still, they’re worth noting for later.

What really sets Pink Kush apart for me is that it offers those powerful, indica-heavy effects while still tasting and smelling delicious. Most of the popular indica strains of the past have been focused on potency more than the smoking experience, which often results in a powerful strain that either tastes or smells like shit (and sometimes both).

I think the reason for Pink Kush’s popularity is the fact that it brings the same level of indica potency as older strains, but wraps it in a nice, ‘Pink’ package that appeals to a wide audience. As cannabis culture continues its expansion into the mainstream, it’s becoming clear that presentation matters!

On the legal side of the equation, there are tons of craft growers and even extractors adapting to this- Most of the popular strains and vape cartridges I see in the legal dispensaries have names that represent their flavour, almost like a candy, while the grey market still assigns names that don’t make any sense.

Durban Poison, for example- What is that supposed to taste like?! I can’t tell from the name, and the only hint I have is the word ‘poison’, which doesn’t exactly excite the ol’ taste buds. Never mind the strains with names like Violator Kush, which sounds like it should stay 500 feet away from my tongue during school hours. On the legal market, they have strains like Mango. At least I know what that’s going to taste like!

Pink Kush is better than most, in that its title gives you some idea of its flavour profile. The ‘Pink’ is actually a pretty accurate depiction of the taste, which users describe as a mix of sweet berries, vanilla, and florals. Vanilla is white, and sweet berries are usually red, and those colors make pink when you mix them together. As far as the florals, I doubt I’m alone when I think about red, white, and pink when I think about flowers. I hope that I haven’t offended my synesthete audience with what I’m laying down here. Shoutout to my synesthetes.

From that perspective, I think it’s clear what the core of a ‘Pink’ strain should be: It has to taste like ‘Pink’! It also helps to look like ‘Pink’, as the original Pink Kush is well-known for the vibrant pink hairs you can see right away when you look at the flower.

Sounds Like We Know What It Takes To Be ‘Pink’

You might just be correct!

That being said- What are the most important factors when it comes to being ‘Pink’?

(1) The Appearance

- Pink Hairs

(2) The Effects

- Indica-Dominant

(3) The Flavour Profile

- Berries

- Vanilla

- Florals

Those are the traits I think every ‘Pink’ strain should display.

For the final section of this post, I’d like to take a little look at a few of the strains that make claims to be ‘Pink’, and see if they fit with the traits we’ve identified.

First off, let’s look at Pink Cookies:

(1) The Appearance

- Purple/Orange Hairs (-)

(2) The Effects

- Balanced Sativa/Indica (-)

(3) The Flavour Profile

- Black Pepper (-)

- Garlic (-)

- Earth (-)

Looks like a miss on all fronts! I think it’s best to call Pink Cookies by its other name: Wedding Cake! I don’t think it has enough of the ‘Pink’ traits we defined to deserve being called a ‘Pink’ strain.

Next, let’s try Pink Bubba:

(1) The Appearance

- Rust-Coloured Hairs (-)

(2) The Effects

- Indica-Dominant (+)

(3) The Flavour Profile

- Earth (-)

- Florals (+)

- Pepper (-)

This one’s almost half-and-half: considering that it was crossed with the extremely potent Bubba Kush, Pink Bubba still displays a few of the important traits of any true ‘Pink’ strain. I think that it’s still pretty fair to call this ‘Pink’, but it would help to see a few pink hairs amidst the rust!

For the conclusion, let’s look at Pink Panties:

(1) The Appearance

- Orange/Pink Hairs (+)

(2) The Effects

- Indica-Dominant (+)

(3) The Flavour Profile

- Citrus (-)

- Herbs (-)

- Ammonia (-)

This one’s got the look, but as we said before, the flavour profile is the most important trait as far as calling a strain ‘Pink’. Pink Panties sometimes has pink hairs, but otherwise, it doesn’t quite match up with what a ‘Pink’ strain should be.

Given the mixed-colour hairs, we might be able to suggest a new name for the strain- While still maintaining its unique role as the only ‘Panties’ strain that I’m aware of. ‘Rainbow Panties’, maybe? ‘Striped Panties’, perhaps? Striped panties are nice.

All in all, it feels good to define what a ‘Pink’ strain of weed really is! If you think that there are traits I might’ve missed, or some that shouldn’t be considered ‘Pink’, I’d love to hear it in the comments! I’d also love to hear any alternate names for the strains that aren’t quite ‘Pink’ enough to earn the name. Go wild!