New Cannabis Strains to Explore in 2022

2021 was…a lot. On the bright side, there was weed. To paraphrase the Beatles, many of us “got by with a little help from our strains.” There were plenty of old favorites that people relied upon to make it through all 12 months. Many pot consumers got stuck to their couches with Gorilla Glue, took socially distanced walks with Blue Dream, or worked on their passion projects fueled by Sour Diesel.

However, marijuana farmers, grow room wizards, and home-grow geniuses were hard at work all throughout the year. They combined new strains that would lift our spirits through dark times, chill us out when we were done thinking for the day, and provide the countless other benefits that make weed both a medicine and a great time.

Since the New Year has started, why not branch out from your old reliables? PotGuide is here with some of the newest and most exciting cannabis strains for you to explore in 2022.

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Don’t let the name fool you. With a potency of 29% THC, this strain ain’t the Runtz of the litter. This indica-dominant hybrid results from the love child of Gelato and Zkittlez strains, who then met its soul mate with some Orange Punch. The result is Runtz Muffin, a tasty treat for your mouth and your mind. Bursting with tropical flavors of juicy pineapple as well as perfumey lavender upon first smoke, Runtz Muffin quickly makes its way throughout your body, bestowing a serene, euphoric calm. Have some munchies nearby when this strain takes effect. You won’t want to get up from your couch.

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When Cheese Auto and Strawberry Banana Auto collide, the aftermath is anything but gruesome. Strawberry Cheesecake Auto glided through the gate in 2021, still turning heads and making fans cheer. Much like its Cheese parentage, Strawberry Cheesecake Auto is a clear-headed daytime strain. Boasting only 15% THC, this is a strain that idles on low. Not too thinky, not too stoney, Strawberry Cheesecake Auto is made for feeling the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Sweet, skunky, and fruity, try this strain you got somewhere to be, but are in no rush to get there.

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While Strawberry Cheesecake Auto may have come into 2021 at a leisurely pace, Rainbow Road came roaring into the new year with the excitement of one of the harder Mario Kart levels. Breeders pressed A to select Hindu Kush and Strawberry OG as their players, and nature ran its course. Rainbow Road’s souped up, 22% THC potency revs your engines with an electric-feeling high that eventually settles into a clear-headed, focused type of relaxation. A tasty smoke with a red-fruit bouquet, Rainbow Road is perfect for making sure you keep your eyes on the road and don’t skid off into the stars.

Take some GMO (aka Garlic Cookies), throw in some Zkittelz, and you’ve got something strong, both in flavor and in taste. ZMO is a terpene-heavy, THC-heavy, everything heavy kind of stoned that you can only get when separate players combine into one supergroup. This is the kind of strain that’s there for you when you just want something stoney and happy, and don’t feel like leaving your bed, couch, or floor for a while. The smoke is sweet, fruity, skunky, garlicky, and complex, but what would you expect from this strain?

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While you might turn up your nose at this fruity and gassy stench of Apples and Bananas, the flavor is exactly as advertised. Apples and Bananas comes from a complex lineage of a Platinum Cookies x Granddaddy Purple offspring that was then crossed with the Blue Power strain, and that offspring was crossed with Gelatti. No matter how winding that family tree, we’re glad Apples and Bananas branched out. Fruity, gassy, and spicey, Apples and Bananas provides a euphoric lift that never feels racy. It’s a great strain for those who are stressed or just need to take their mind off their problems.

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Does it give you wings? A combination of Grape Gas and White Runtz, this up and coming strain may sound like it's going to provide a burst of caffeinated energy. However, the taste of Red Bullz has much more in common with the energy drink than the effects. Pungent, with a gassy, grapey, candy-like sweetness, Red Bullz won’t give you wings, but it does provide a relaxed, floaty type of ease. This indica-dominant hybrid is great for kicking back at the end of the day with a smile on your face, especially if you’re experiencing any soreness or stress.

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Born of a leafy tryst between Melonade and Biscotti, Biskante is a sativa-dominant hybrid with some long-lasting effects. This is a strain that gives you your money’s worth, no matter what you paid. Biskante’s stoney, cartoon-birds-flying-around-your-head effects last for hours, which makes it a fantastic party strain. Biskante’s flavorful terpenes and 29% THC content leaves you with an uplifting, giggly type of high that’s great for starting conversations, but not for following them. Biskante also has a sweet, nutty, cookie flavored smoke (hence the name) followed by a sour citrus exhale. This strain is a lot of fun, especially if you’re hanging out with friends who will forgive a couple repetitions of “Wait, what were we talking about?”

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Whether your first thought is Tim “The Tool Guy” Taylor talking to his fence-obscured neighbor or Tom Hanks yelling at his volleyball-buddy, Wilson is a new strain you should get familiar with. This strain is known for pumping out resin in ways that only GMO, Papaya, and The White can match. A cross between Panama Punch and Phishhead Kush, Wilson! tastes especially gassy, with a spicy mango funk thrown in. Effects-wise, Wilson! is a friend you can depend on. This hybrid will keep you company with pleasant, cerebral effects that’s more than welcome next to you at a festival or concert.

2022 is looking like it might be…a lot. If your old standard strains aren’t rising to the challenge anymore, or you just want to explore something new after a couple of years that all feel like one long, unchanging year, give some of these new 2021 strains a try. If you can’t find them at your local dispensary, feel free to ask your friendly budtender if there are any new strains that have arrived lately that have been extra fire. Who knows? You might find a new favorite that will make 2022 your year to shine, or at least enjoy a bit more.

Did you discover any new favorite strains in 2021? Are there any you’d add to our list? Let us know in the comments!