Blue Dream Strain

The Blue Dream Strain is a hybrid cannabis strain that first appeared on the Santa Cruz medical scene around 2003. It has since become one of the most popular strains on the west coast and elsewhere in the US for both recreational and medical users.

Grown from one indica and one sativa parent, Blue Dream is known for its balance high, which is relaxing and euphoric without being sedating. It has a pleasant, sweet flavor which is often compared to blueberries. With THC levels of around 10-20%, this moderate potency strain is great for beginner and veteran smokers alike.

Where Does Blue Dream Come From?

The exact origins of Blue Dream remain a mystery, although it is known to be a cross between the strains Blueberry and Haze. It likely originated in northern California, and has been available in Santa Cruz since at least 2003. Blue Dream has since become one of the most popular strains on the west coast due to its pleasant cerebral high and relaxing properties.

When Did Blue Dream Come Out?

Blue Dream has been available as a medical strain in Santa Cruz since at least 2003, and may have been unofficially grown around northern California earlier. While Blue Dream initially rose to prominence as a medical strain due to its relaxing, pain reducing properties, it quickly gained popularity across the US and Canada with recreational users as well.

More recently, veteran California cannabis breeder DJ Short created his own twist on the strain, which he called Azure Haze, by crossing Super Silver Haze and Blueberry plants from his personal collection.

What Does Blue Dream Look Like?

Blue Dream has dense, bright green, popcorn shaped buds with prominent orange hairs. The buds are sticky and have a heavy dusting of trichomes that give them a silver to purple tint. The plant itself grows large colas, which can take on a bluish tint from their heavy trichome coverings close to harvest time. 

What Does Blue Dream Taste Like?

Blue Dream is known for its distinctly sweet, berry like flavor that lingers in your mouth long after smoking. The taste is fruity and floral, and has been compared to grapes, blueberries, or lavender.

What Does Blue Dream Smell Like?

The strain has a pleasant aroma that is reminiscent of sweet blueberries. Its smell is noticeable but not overly pungent or gassy.

The most prominent Terpene in Blue Dream is Myrcene, which contributes a peppery and fruity flavor. Blue Dream also contains smaller concentrations of Linalool, which contribute a sweetness that sets Blue Dream apart from many other fruity strains. Other minor terpenes in Blue dream include pinene, limonene, and caryophyllene. 

Is Blue Dream an Indica or Sativa?

Blue dream is considered a sativa dominant hybrid, with approximately 60% sativa genetics and 40% indica genetics. Its parent strains are Blueberry and Haze, both of which were developed in or around the Santa Cruz area.

Blueberry, also known as Berry Blue, is an indica strain with moderate THC and low CBD levels. Haze, also known as OG Haze or Original Haze, is a sativa strain with moderate THC and little to no CBD.

What are the Different Variations of Blue Dream?

Because Blue Dream has been popular for so long, many genetic variations of the strain exist, especially outside of California. Many growers have crossed Haze and Blueberry variants to create their own Blue Dream, which may have slightly different flavors and effects than the older Californian strains. Because of this, listed THC percentages and other attributes can vary a lot for strains labeled blue dream, especially outside of California.

Finding reliable Blue Dream plants outside of Santa Cruz can be difficult, as true Blue Dream is only available as a clone. Seeds labeled Blue Dream, including autoflower seeds, can be found online. However, these seeds are all more recent recreations of the Blue Dream strain, and may have unstable genetics or different properties than are typical for Blue Dream.

Which Blue Dream Variation is the Strongest?

Azure Haze is generally considered to be the most consistent Blue Dream variation in terms of genetics and reliable effects. Created by cannabis breeder DJ Short, Azure Haze is a cross between a male F4 Blueberry and a female Super Silver Haze. Azure Haze has 20-24% THC and a pleasant fruity aroma. 

How Much THC is in Blue Dream?

Blue Dream is considered a moderate potency strain, and it is often recommended to novice smokers at the dispensary looking to try something new. It has an average potency of 17-20% THC, with certain batches having tested THC levels of up to 26%. 

Because the strain has been around for so long, the exact THC and CBD percentages tend to vary depending on who is growing it. If you are buying at a dispensary, be sure to look at the THC percentages for the batch they have available to get a more reliable THC value. Some growers have been breeding towards higher potency than the original strain, which typically had THC levels in the upper teens. 

How Much CBD is in Blue Dream?

Standard Blue Dream has very little CBD, with values typically below 1%. Blue Dream has been crossed with many CBD heavy strains, such as California Orange CBD, to create variants with low to moderate THC and higher CBD levels. 

Blue Dream is also available as a pure CBD flower, with 15-20% CBD and less than .3% delta-9 THC. These variants may be ideal for those living in illicit states, or those who prefer the effects of CBD, but who still want the fruity, blueberry-like taste and smell of Blue Dream.

What Effects Does Blue Dream Have?

Since its parents are a strong indica and a strong sativa, Blue Dream has a very balanced, hybrid high. Blue Dream combines a pleasant cerebral high with full body relaxation and pain relief. Users describe the high as uplifting and energizing, but still cozy without causing full on couchlock. 

Like many strains of cannabis, Blue Dream can cause some unwanted side effects, especially for new users who are less tolerant of higher THC levels. Dry mouth and dry eyes are the most common side effects of consuming Blue Dream. It may also cause a rapid heartbeat, or feelings of paranoia or bodily discomfort if consumed in large doses.

What Conditions is Blue Dream Good For?

Blue Dream is an ideal strain to treat depression, muscle and joint pain, headaches, nausea, and sleep disorders. Users appreciate that Blue Dream is calming without being sedating, allowing them to medicate during the day without risk of nodding off. That being said, Blue Dream can still be used to improve sleep, since its calming and pain relieving properties can allow you to relax into a restful sleep in the evening.

What is the Flowering Time of Blue Dream?

Being a hybrid strain, Blue Dream matures more slowly than a pure indica but more quickly than a pure sativa. Blue Dream is a photoperiod strain. Which means that flowering must be induced by decreasing the hours of light available to the plant. 

This strain is usually ready to flower after around 8-10 weeks, or approximately 70 days after germination. Inducing flowering earlier will not harm the plant, but it will likely lead to a smaller yield at harvest time.

Once flowering is induced, the plant will typically take another 9-10 weeks to fully mature and be ready for harvest. However, individual plants may mature at different rates, and counting the days or weeks of flowering is not the most effective method to determine if your plant is ready for harvest.

How Tall Does Blue Dream Grow?

Due to its Sativa heritage, Blue Dream is a large plant which can grow to heights of 6 feet or more. In California, Blue Dream is often grown outdoors. However, in most of the country it is more practical to grow the plant indoors in a grow tent.

Because Blue Dream can grow so large, using techniques which break apical dominance, such as topping, low stress training, or scrogging, are highly recommended. This will allow you to grow more plants in a smaller area, and ensure that you can see and access all areas of the plant.

Many growers, regardless of other techniques, will attach stakes to their Blue Dream plants. Because the plants are so large and dense, they can get so heavy that they snap their own stems or tip their pots over if their stems are not staked in place.

When to Harvest Blue Dream?

First, wait until the stated flowering time has passed, about 9 weeks in the case of Blue Dream. At this point, you should begin regularly inspecting the plant’s trichomes to determine if it is ready for harvest.

As the plant ripens, the trichomes will change from clear, to milky white, to amber brown. The buds should be harvested when the trichomes are approximately 50% milky white and 50% amber. Clear trichomes with no stickiness indicate that the plant is underripe, while all amber or brown trichomes indicate that the plant is overripe.

Plants harvested early may have a more light, energetic effect, while plants harvested later may have a more sedative, relaxing effect. Plants harvested later will also have a stronger smell and flavor, as their trichomes have had more time to mature.

How Much Does Strain Yield?

Blue Dream is a large plant with high bud yields. When grown indoors, the plant can be expected to produce 15-20 ounces of flower, or about 20 ounces per square meter of floor space. 

Besides its high yield, Blue Dream is considered a good strain for beginner growers, since it is more forgiving of over fertilizing and temperature changes than many other popular strains.

For information on strains, check out the Best Strains for Pain.

Summary

First appearing in Santa Cruz, California around 2003, Blue Dream is a hybrid strain with genetics from indica Blueberry and sativa Super Silver Haze. With THC levels in the upper teens and low CBD levels, Blue Dream is a moderate potency strain with an uplifting, energizing high that’s great for daytime pain relief and relaxation.

Blue Dream is known for its unique buds, which are bright green with a silvery purple dusting of trichomes. The buds have a sweet, berry-like aroma and long lasting flavor.

Blue dream is relatively easy to grow at home, due to its tolerance for a wide range of care parameters. It produces a large plant which can grow up to 6 feet tall or larger, with a yield of 15-20 ounces of flower per plant.