If you want to maximize your cannabis harvest, you need to choose the right strain. Certain THC-rich and CBD-rich cultivars naturally produce larger yields, enabling you to get the most out of your harvest. 

Regardless of whether you have an indoor or outdoor garden, you need to introduce productive, potent, and resilient strains if you’re looking to maximize production. 

To help you on your quest, we’ve rounded up the ten highest-yielding THC and CBD strains. We’ll also discuss the factors influencing yield and the most common mistakes that cause low yields. Let’s jump right in. 

The Highest-Yielding Cannabis Strains 

Whether growing for medicinal or recreational purposes, you can significantly improve your harvests by choosing the right strain. With this in mind, we’ve rounded up the highest-yielding strains, including THC-rich and CBD-rich ones. 

Top 5 Highest Yielding Cannabis Strains (THC-Rich)

If you’re looking for powerful effects and resinous buds, these strains are perfect—they’re popular among recreational and medicinal users and growers:

Critical Mass: 20% THC

This legendary indica-dominant strain is known for its massive, thick, resinous buds and exceptional yield potential. If you grow this strain indoors, expect up to 1.3-1.6 lbs per 10 sq ft, while outdoor plants can yield up to  2.2 lbs per plant. 

Ensure branch support to prevent breakage. Thanks to the abundance of THC and relaxing effects, it’s a favorite among growers. Best grown in California, Oregon, and Colorado due to dry conditions that prevent mold. 

Big Bud: 20% THC

This strain is true to its name: marvel at its massive buds and enjoy the perks of its balanced high. It’s a great option for indoor and outdoor gardens, with robust harvest and minimal effort. Indoors, it yields 1.3-1.8 lbs per 10 sq ft, while outdoors it can go over 2.2 lbs per plant. 

This strain has strong genetics that ensure consistent and heavy harvests. It’s best suited for controlled environments or temperate outdoor conditions.

Lemon Shining Silver Haze: 21% THC

This sativa-dominant hybrid has amazing yields and a citrusy aroma. The uplifting effects and quick flowering make it an excellent choice of strain. If grown indoors, expect up to 1.3 lbs per 10 sq ft, while outdoor plants can yield up to 1.5 lbs per plant, when grown under optimal conditions. 

This strain has a long flowering cycle and is best suited for warm, humid conditions in Southern U.S. regions such as California and Florida. 

Amnesia Haze: 20% to 25% THC

This high-yielding sativa thrives in sunny climates and controlled indoor setups. It delivers a euphoric, energetic high, making it a must-try for true cannabis aficionados. Growing this strain will test your patience because of its 10-12 week flowering cycle. 

But, the results will impress you: indoor yields can reach up to 1.4 lbs per 10 sq ft, while outdoor plants can exceed 1.5 lbs per plant. Amnesia Haze’s buds adore sunlight, which makes it best suited for California, Nevada, and Arizona. 

Industrial Plant: 10% THC

This strain is a cross between Afghani and Thai genetics. It was specifically cultivated to produce thick and resilient buds, making it suitable for industrial cultivation. When grown indoors, it can produce 1.3-1.4 lbs per 10 sq ft, while outdoor plants can exceed 2.6 lbs per single plant. 

Industrial Plant is one of the fastest high-yielding strains on the list with a short flowering time of 6-8 weeks. It’s best suited for stable conditions that support maximum production in California, Washington, and Oregon.

High-Yielding THC Strains For US Growers

The 5 Highest Yielding Hemp Strains (High CBD)

If you’re in search of a CBD-rich strain that yields well and is legally compliant, explore the top 5 hemp varieties—they’re among the best for industrial production and medicinal use:

Sour Space Candy (16.6% to 19% CBD)

This strain, known for its fruity aroma and CBD abundance, delivers stunning harvests while staying below the 0.3% THC threshold. This mold resistance strain best performs in places like Oregon, Vermont, and North Carolina. 

Lifter (Around 16% CBD)

This impressive CBD strain is known for its tall branches, strong, large, dense flowers, and balanced cannabinoid profile. It’s an excellent option for growers who need a high-yielding, reliable crop. It thrives in Oregon, Kentucky, and Tennessee. 

Elektra (Around 16% CBD)

This cross between ACDC and Early Resin Berry delivers vigorous growth and thick buds high in CBD. It’s a go-to choice for therapeutic hemp production. Best suited for Colorado, Oregon, and Tennessee, where chill nights enhance the strain’s terpene production. 

Suver Haze (Approximately 18.4% CBD)

This highly sought-after hemp strain brings resinous buds and a high flower-to-leaf ratio, enabling an abundant harvest. Ideal for extraction purposes because of its strong terpene profile, this strain thrives in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. 

Cherry Wine (Approximately 18% CBD)

This strain is known for its sticky, large flowers and its strong terpene profile, positioning it highly among CBD growers, especially those who grow for extraction or medicinal purposes. Best suited for Colorado and Oregon’s terrain where it can produce high resin content and potent CBD levels. 

High-Yielding CBD Strains For US Growers

Related: LCG THCA Flower: Indica or Sativa? A Comprehensive Guide 

What Makes a High Yielding Strain?

High-yielding strains produce a large number of buds per plant. Various factors influence the yielding capacity of cannabis plants—let’s explore each in more detail:

1. The Strain’s Genetics and Structure 

The foundation of high-yielding strains is rooted in their genetics—selectively bred strains for high yields tend to have a more robust structure that supports heavier buds and ensures optimal plant health. 

Sativa-dominant strains like Amnesia Haze have a longer blooming cycle, but when cultivated under optimal conditions, can also produce impressive yields. Indica-dominant strains like Cheese or Northern Lights, have shorter blooming cycles and produce dense, heavier buds that contribute to high yields in a shorter time. 

2. Grown Indoors vs. Grown Outdoors 

Strains grown indoors usually produce smaller yields because of the limited space. You can optimize their yield using high-intensity lights, supplementation, and temperature control. 

As indoor cannabis plants tend to grow more compactly, it’s beneficial to introduce training techniques like the SCROG (Screen of Green). This training technique used in cannabis cultivation improves light distribution and exposure, guiding plant growth through a horizontal net. 

Outdoor cultivation requires natural sunlight, which is crucial in encouraging larger plants and high yields. Strains such as Critical Mass and Amnesia Haze thrive outdoors, producing high-THC, resinous buds while Lifter and Suver Haze are the ideal CBD-rich strains for outdoor cultivation.

3. Flowering Time and Growth Cycle 

The longer the flowering period of the strain, the greater its potential for bud production. Strains with lengthy blooming cycles, like Lifter and Amnesia Haze, mature within 10-12 weeks, and often produce higher yields. On the other hand, faster-flowering strains such as Industrial Plant mature within six to eight weeks, making them ideal for growers seeking quicker turnaround times over maximum yields.

4. Nutrients and Feeding 

Cannabis plants need macronutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, and micronutrients like iron, calcium, and magnesium to achieve their full potential. The higher-yielding strains tend to have greater nutrient demands, so you should ensure proper feeding schedules and quality soil. 

Organic nutrients or compost teas make great additions to the cannabis soil and promote larger harvests and healthier plants. Avoid overfeeding because it can cause nutrient burn, while underfeeding can lead to stunted growth.

5. Adequate Training

Without proper training, even high-yielding strains will produce lower yields. This is why cultivation techniques are important—they direct the energy to the most productive buds and boost the yield per square foot. 

Apply low-stress training techniques by gently bending the branches to make an even canopy and exposing all the buds to equal light. 

Topping is also beneficial: cut the main stem to encourage several colas rather than one dominant. Defoliation can also help—it requires removing the excess fan leaves for optimal airflow and light penetration. 

Related: Is Red Velvet Indica or Sativa? Learn Everything About This Hybrid 

What Is the Role of THC and CBD in Yield Capacity? 

Some high-yielding strains are abundant in THC and deliver a potent psychoactive experience. Strains with higher CBD content tend to have strong therapeutic benefits, without causing intoxication. 

By understanding their cannabinoid profile, you can choose the right strains for your garden based on your needs.

THC vs. CBD in High-Yielding Strains 

A strain’s potency is often conditioned by its THC and CBD content. The strains rich in THC such as Critical Mass or Amnesia Haze are known for their relaxing, uplifting, euphoric effects, making them perfect for recreational and medicinal users looking for a psychoactive experience.

High-CBD strains like Lifter are more suitable for medical users who need relief from inflammation, pain, or anxiety. They provide calming effects and don’t cause intoxication, suitable for therapeutic and hemp CBD production.

Related: How to Hide the Smell of Weed? 5 Practical Tips That Really Work 

What Are Some of the Best Tips to Optimize Cannabis Yields?

Growing cannabis to ensure maximum yield is more than picking a high-yielding strain. It requires creating the perfect environment and using the best techniques to ensure thriving plants. 

Whether you’ve just started your cannabis growing journey or you’re an experienced grower seeking more from your harvests, unlock your plant’s full potential with these tips:

• Topping: Cut off the main cola to boost lateral growth—you will encourage more bud sites and a more even canopy. 
• Screen of Green or SCROG: Spread out the canopy using a net or screen so that all buds get equal light exposure and develop uniformly. 
• Low-stress training: Gently bend the branches and secure them, exposing more buds to light and encouraging more yields, without causing major plant stress. 
• Proper lighting: Strains that yield well need potent lighting, especially if grown indoors, like HPS or LED. If you have an indoor garden, you should install a 600W light source per square meter.
• The right macronutrients: Cannabis strains need nitrogen during the vegetative state and phosphorus and potassium during the flowering stage to ensure proper growth. 
• Adequate soil and pH levels: Improve uptake through optimal soil pH, ideally between 6.0 and 6.8. 

What Are the Most Common Mistakes Causing Low Yield?

If your yield has been low, these are the most common mistakes you’ve probably been making:

• Overfeeding/underfeeding: Excessive nutrients may trigger toxicity whereas their lack can cause deficiencies and stunt growth. 
• Uneven light: Poor light distribution may cause uneven exposure to light, resulting in small and undeveloped lower buds. 
• Underwatering/overwatering: Your plants may be stressed if they’re being underwatered, whereas overwatering increases the risk of root rot. 
• Lack of training: If you’ve not topped, pruned, or trained your cannabis plants, the yields may be lower.

Final Thoughts: Maximize Yield with the Highest-Yielding Strains 

High-yielding strains, whether THC- or CBD-rich, can help you enhance your cultivation efforts, regardless of whether you’re a home grower or a commercial producer. 

Choosing the right strain, ensuring the right growing conditions, and using proven growth management techniques can significantly increase harvests. 

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