Sugar Plum (or Sugarplum) is a sativa-dominant hybrid with strong and long-lasting effects. Created by prolific breeders Stoney Girl Gardens, who have also given us Pitbull, Sugar Plum is a cross between Hawaiian Haze Plum and Berkeley Blues. In addition to searing cerebral effects, this strain has a universally appealing flavor profile with distinctly tropical notes. These qualities earned Sugar Plum the title of First Place in the 2004 Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards. Cannabis testing lab Analytical 360 has found samples of this strain to have between 9% and 26% THC.
Sugar Plum is marked by medium to large-sized flowers that cling together in long, spindly formations. The buds make their sativa roots clear with a loose, piecey structure. The leaves have a fluffy appearance and can easily be torn away from their central stems. These leaves are a mossy green and are twisted through with orange and rust-colored pistils. Finally, a dense coat of icy white trichomes gives these flowers a wet, dewy appearance and makes them very difficult to break up without the aid of a quality grinder.
When properly cured, flowers of Sugar Plum indeed boast the fruity aroma of fresh plums. On closer inspection, some sour notes of citrus are also present. If these buds are ground up, they yield hints of herbs and spice, similar to staple grandparent strain Haze. When combusted, Sugar Plum gives off a somewhat harsh smokes that’s liable to tickle the throat and trigger coughing fits. This thick smoke tastes fruity with some ammonia undertones on the exhale.
The buzzy, active high from Sugar Plum hits almost instantly. Before they’ve finished coughing, smokers may notice an uptick in fast-paced cerebral thinking. Certain thoughts may command the bulk of the user’s attention and may flow into other ideas in freely associative ways. For many, this can engender a trippy mindset that’s ideal for spacing out to some atmospheric music. Sugar Plum can also bring about a very social mood, sparking conversation and camaraderie when it’s shared with like-minded friends. For users in a more productive mood, Sugar Plum can provide the energy needed to power through mundane tasks like cleaning the house or running errands. After some time, this bud’s fast-paced high wears off and is supplanted by a thorough feeling of body melt. Limbs and eyelids may begin to feel heavy and smokers may feel inspired to seek out the closest comfortable surroundings. If dosage is increased, couchlock can become a possibility. That said, some trippy, disordered thinking may remain and may have users seeing sugar-plum fairies. Because of its decrescendo from buzzy energy into sedate calm, Sugar Plum is best enjoyed from the late afternoon through the early evening.
Sugar Plum may also have several applications for medical cannabis patients. Its upbeat properties can have a positive effect for sufferers of mild to moderate stress and depression. The strain’s lucid feeling of focus may also be helpful for patients with attention deficit disorders. Physiologically speaking, the subtle body high on Sugar Plum’s backend can soothe aches and pains, from the chronic and serious to minor irritations like headaches. Patients who are prone to panic or paranoia or who have a low tolerance for THC should consume this strain with caution, as its sativa intensity can prove overwhelming for some.
Although Stoney Girl has cultivated seeds of Sugar Plum, these only seem to be available at their brick and mortar location in Oregon and are not listed for sale online. As such, most prospective home growers must obtain clippings from mature, healthy plants of the strain in order to grow genetically identical “clones.” Sugar Plum is said to be an easy, user-friendly grow for newcomers to cultivation. It can be grown indoors or out, although those growing indoors should tame the height of these characteristically tall plants by regular trimming early in the vegetative stage. Despite its almost pure sativa genetics, this bud is a very fast crop, flowering within only 5 to 6 weeks when grown indoors.
Sugar Plum is a powerful, mystical sativa that’s at home in a variety of settings and moods. Use it as a way to enjoy some introspective solo time or as a way to enhance a party.