Now that the classic marijuana strains are abundantly available by numerous brands in every weed shop in L.A., smokers are on the lookout for those rare, exotic, and trendy strains.
Usually exotics are stronger, which is part of the appeal. But they are also grown by brands that are tapped in to underground urban farmers, musicians and artists, and local weed scenes that stretch way back.
In this article, we discuss some of the brands offering rare and exotic strains that are hot at the moment in Los Angeles. Add a few of these strains to your list the next time you’re shopping for that gas.
Brand: Runtz Media & Jokes Up! Entertainment
Runtz is a super popular brand of cannabis products in California. It was founded by Long Beach rapper Yung LB. Runtz Media is part of Joke’s Up! Entertainment. Sometimes Runtz is described as being made by Joke’s Up. The difference between the strain names and various brand names is unclear.
The brands featured Runtz strain is a hybrid of the strains Zkittlez and Gelato. There are many variations of the Runtz strain out there.
Runtz Strains: Runtz, Pink Runtz, White Runtz, Runtz O.G., Hawaiian Runtz, Money Runtz, Gruntz
Joke’s Up! – Exotic Strains: Certz, Loardz, Creme Saverz, White Gummy, Lucky Charmz, Martian Candy, Cake Batter, Peach Cream Soda, Sharklato, Ether, Frostiez, Otai, Zourz, Trolliz, Gumbo, Big Apple, Vanialla Bean, Lolroz, Macarena (MAC 1), ZaZa (Sharklato x Ether), Peach Kobblerz, Buddha’s Hand, Azul
Backpack Boyz/5 Points
Backpack Boyz & 5 Points are Los Angeles-based growers of exotic strains. Their identities are somewhat hidden.
Strains: White Cherry Gelato, Black Cherry Gelato, Banana Gelato, Lemon Cherry Gelato, Horchata, Guarana California, Italian Ice, Bumpy, Sweet Potato Pie, Cake Mix, Cake Mintz, Lucky, Gotti, Blugotti, Cheetah Piss, Bugsy, Bumpy, Merzcato, Gooberz, Gummy Bearz, Mac 1, Turron, Zerbert, Mac n Mintz, Blueberry Cruffin, Oreoz n Mintz, Tropical Gummies
Powerzzzup
Powerzzzup (K Dizzle) is a grower of exotic strains that are supplied exclusively to Cookies brand, and that use Cookies genetics.
Strains: Cereal Milk, Gary Paton
Cookies Fam
Cookies is one of the best known brands in California at the moment, thanks to its chain of popular dispensaries and custom exotic strains (founded on the Girl Scout Cookies strain).
Cookies partners with other brands, making the Cookies Family of brands, which includes Minntz (Seed Junky Genetics), Grandiflora, Lemonnade, Powerzzzup, and Runntz.
Strains: Cereal Milk, London Pound Cake, Cheetah Piss, Gary Payton, Georgia Pie, Londonchello, The Soap, White Runtz, Devine Runtz, Runtz OG, Pancakes, Sticky Buns, Collins Ave, Pomelo, Pink Rozay, Grenadine, Sweet Tea, Berry Pie, Gelati, Animal Cookies, Cookies & Cream, Mac N Cookies, GMO, Chem D, Devine Runtz, Hardcore Sherbert, Guava, Wedding Crasher, LPC #50, Wedding Cake, Ice Cream Cake, Gelato #42, Ocean Beach, Banana Cream Pie, Bright Fire OG, Lava Cake, Lemon Pepper, Lemonchello 28, Strawberry Shortbread
Cannatique
Cannatique Farms is an Oakland, California grower that specializes in Exotic Strains. They are partnered with the Cookies Fam for distribution.
Strains: Blueberry Cruffin, No Cap, Town Jewels, Lemon Cherry Gelato, Melon Jewels, Redrum, Sweettartz
Lemonnade
Lemonnade is a brand of cannabis products popular in California. It is part of the Cookies family of brands.
Strains: Cake Mix #7, Lemon Pepper, Lemonnade, Medellin, Lychee, Lemonchello #10, Lemonchell0 #28, Blanco, Tangeray, Rollins, Capris, Chiclet, Lemon Bean, Lemon Citron, Yellow Fruit Stripes, Lemon Citrine, Cherry Pie
Minntz
Minntz is a brand of cannabis that is part of the Cookie family. Minntz is the collaboration/partnership of Cookies and Seed Junky Genetics.
Strains: Big Apple, Minntz, Jealousy, The Soap, Christmas Tree, Lemon Minntz, True Triangle, Orange Push Pop,
Seed Junky Genetics
Seed Junky Genetics breeds exotic weed strains in California, but also sells their own grow in pre-packaged form. They are famous for creating Wedding Cake and Kush Mints.
Strains: Animal Minntz, Kush Minntz, Big Apple, Lemon Mints, Minntz Jealousy, Minntz Soap, Christmas Tree
Grandiflora Genetics
Grandiflora Genetics is a San Fransisco Bay-area cultivator of exotic genetic weed strains. They are based in Oakland, California and were founded by Mark McCafferty in 2008. Grandiflora partnered with Cookies, expanding the availability of Grandiflora’s unique line.
Strains: Wakanda, Project 4516, Hectane, Yahemi, Pineapple Piss, Super Charger
Scoopz
Scoopz is a brand of cannabis producing exotic strains that use Sherbinskis and Cookies genetics.
Strains: Black Truffle, White Truffle, Biscotti, Guava, Wedding Cake,
Synergy
Synergy Cannabis Co. is a brand of cannabis that focuses on exotic strains. They are widely available in Los Angeles. Synergy cultivates and grows the Golden State Banana strain/brand.
Strains: GMO, Papaya, Apple Fritter, Banana Mochi, Banana Pound Cake, Banana Runtz, Fruity Pebbles, Guava Cake, Lemonata, Orange Skittles, Russian Cream, Got Barz OG, Peanut Butter Mochi, Super OG, BananaLato, Slymer, Golden State Banana
Dr. Greenthumb’s Insane & The Doctors Oracle
Dr. Greenthumb’s is an L.A.-based brand of weed by Cypress Hill’s lead vocalist B-Real. It technically formed in the 1990s, but went legit when Dr. Greenthumb’s opened its own dispensaries in Los Angeles. Dr. Greenthumb’s has two lines of weeds, the Insane strains and the private reserve collection called The Doctor’s Oracle.
Insane Strains: Gotti, Balato, Red October, Wc x Wz, Buttercake, Ducle, Gotti, H.S.C., Cookies & Cream, Hindu Phunk, Insane OG, Plum Loco, California Cherry
The Doctor’s Oracle Strains: GSC, Lava Cake, Alien OG, Church OG, Wedding Punch, Thin Mint Cookies, Gelato #42, Granimals, Gelato OG, Private Reserve
Inflamed
Inflamed is the brand and strain of rapper/fashion stylist Boxxxquiat. Boxxxquiat moved to Los Angeles from NYC about five years ago and has moved from fashion into designer weed while still developing his music. Inflamed is distributed by Terps Distro, which also works with Scoopz and Dr. Greenthumb’s.
Strains: Inflamed, Lava, Spumoni
The Fire Society
The Fire Society is a collective of growers in Los Angeles, California. They produce some of the hottest, most sought out exotic strains in the Los Angeles area.
Strains: Gruntz, Macarena, Big Meech OG, Doja Mac 1, Frosties, Zours, Loardz, Smartiez, Passion Orange Guava, Khalifa Kush, Runtz OG, Ether
Jungle Boys
Jungle Boys is a brand of cannabis products grown in Los Angeles since 2006. Jungle Boys cultivates tasty exotic strains.
Strains: Banana Mints, Hot Cakes, Frosted Cakes, Motor Breath, Jungle Apples, LA Kush Cake, Hot Mints, Beach Crasher, Purple Sunset, Lava Kush, Caps Kush, Zkittlez Kush, Florida Pie, Florida Strawberries, Florida Wedding, Beach Cake, Space Center, Orange Sherb Crasher, Orange Mints, Coma, Florida Kush, Lava Cake, Kush Sorbet, Zacks Pie, Triangle Canyon, TK43, Perfect Triangle, Sour Apple Killer, Sundae Driver, Jungle Pie, Gator Breath, Florida Sunrise, Florida Grapes, Florida Oranges, Wedding Pie, Lemon Drizzle
Alien Labs
Alien Labs is known for quality grows that are strong. It founded in 2015 by Ted Lidie second generation cultivator from Northern California. Alien Labs gets their seeds and genetics breeders all over California. Their focus is on Northern California medical cannabis strains.
Strains: Sherbacio, Lemon Cane, Moonbow #112, Creme De Menthe, Area 41, Gelato 41, Milky Way, Baklava, Moonbow, Lemon Fuel OG
Wonderbrett
Wonderbrett began in the 1990s when Brett began to cultivate the OG Kush strain. Brett supplied exotic weed to artists and musicians in Los Angeles, building a name for himself. Brett created his own brand in 2014.
Strains: Banana OG, Black Orchid, Pineapple OG, Pink Picasso, Orange Banana, OZ Kush, Grapes of Wrath, Orange Sunset, Strawberry Bliss, Lemon OZ Kush, Beyond Blueberry,
Josh D Farms
Josh D Farms is based in Santa Barbara, California. Josh Del Rosso famously cultivated and popularized OG Kush brought from Florida to Los Angeles in the 1990s.
Strains: Ice Cream Cake, Josh D OG, Dynasty OG, OGKS, ORyan OG, Hawaii D
Cream of the Crop Gardens
COTC is a San Diego-based grower of exotic strains.
Strains: Animal Grahams, Pomelo, The Bling, Kilauea Cake, Mandarin Cookies
Connected Cannabis Co.
Connected came up through the ranks of the designer strain scene long before legalization, and now they operate one of the largest growing operations in the state. Famous for inventing the strains Biscotti and Gelato #41, they are now a premier cultivar of exotics.
Strains: Biscotti, Gelonade, Sugar Cone, Animal Style, El Jefe, Guava x Biscotti, Gushers, Mr. Sandman, Gelato 41, Rocky Road, Forbidden Gushers, Fuelato
Sherbinskis
Sherbinskis has been in the game for a long time, and they are known for being the originators of the strains Pink Panties, Sunset Sherbert, and the world-famous Gelatos line: Bacio , Mochi, Gello, and Açaí Berry. Sherbinkskis originated in San Fransisco, California and earned a cult following for their distinct line of genetics.
Strains: Pink Panties, Gello Gelato 43, Acai Berry Gelato 49, Sunset Sherbert, Bacio Gelato 41, Mochi Gelato 47, Malibu Sunset, Banana Split, L’Orange
Big Al’s Exotics
Big Al’s Exotics is a Los Angeles area grower of exotic strains. They’ve worked with brands like Packwoods, Gas House, and Runtz.
Strains: Pink Plushers, Mai Tai, Frozen Cherry Lemonade, Jah Goo, Pineapple Jesus, Gushers, Fish Scale, White Runtz Gushers, Snake Venom, Northern Brights, Wood Grain, Eskimo Cookies, Gruntz
Gas House
Founded by Atlanta growers to the stars Kingston and Felix, Gas House is based in Oakland, California. The brand when legal around 2018 after many years underground.
Strains: Dough, Tear Gas, Pressure, Mai Tai, White Runtz, Balla Berries
3C Farms
3C Farms is more of a craft cannabis operation in Los Angeles, with strains focusing on the OG Kush strain that Josh D brought from Florida in the 1990s. 3C Farms is co-founded by cultivator Brian Schwartz.
Strains: ACDC 20:1, Grape Krush, Illuminati OG, Sasquatch Sap, Club 33, Lime Sherbet, Banana Split OG, Enoch OG, Crystal Skull, Agent Tangie, Strawberry Fields, Kush Cookies, Blu Chardonnay, AC OG 2:1, Tahoe, Kushushima OG, Project Blue Book, Black Lotus, Element 115, Cocoa Dulce, Jack Kraken, Chemdawg Trails, Gelato 33
Crown Genetics
Crown Genetics is based in Los Angeles, California. Crown Genetics focuses on strains of the OG variety. They have won Cannabis Cups many times for their genetics. The strain Dizzy OG was specifically bred for rapper Dizzy Wright.
Strains: Crown OG, Dizzy OG, Director’s Cut, White Buffalo, King Cookie
Exotic Genetix
Exotic Genetix is breeder in Washington that specializes in original cannabis strains. Exotic Genetix flower is available in Los Angeles.
Strains: Luxuriotti, Tina, Rainbow Chip, Mint Chocolate
Team Elite Genetics
Team Elite Genetics is a cultivator of exotic strains and has won the Cannabis Cup many times. Its founder is Steve Castillo.
Strains: Orange Juice, Kosher Kush, Orange Soda, Creme de la Creme, Nova Cane, Banana Taffy, J1, Peach Ozz, Fuzzy Melon, Biscotti, Cookie Dough, Critical Cure, Purple Punch, Vanilla Berry Pie, Sh3rb3rt, Peaches & Crème, Nova Cane
Zushi/The Ten Co.
Zushi is a brand of exotic strains based in Los Angeles. It is distributed by The Ten Co., which was originally founded in England.
Strains: Blue Zushi, Wazabi, Yellow Zushi
Doja Exclusive
Doja is an elite brand of exotic weed grown in Northern California. They have come up through the years as part of the scene in San Fransisco and now they work with exclusive distributors like the Fire Society and Joke’s Up!
Strains: Smartiez, RS11, Ether, Gelato 41, Gushers, MAC #1
