Despite its name, Early Girl is not a strain to savor first thing in the morning. Created by Sensi Seeds, the breeders of strains like Super Skunk and Jack Flash, this indica-dominant hybrid is a cross between several landraces: indica Afghani and South Asian varieties and a Mexican sativa. Early Girl offers physically relaxing effects without overpowering consumers or sending them into a veritable coma. The strain’s pleasant, refreshing aroma and subtle effects make it a great all-purpose bud. Its THC content has been measured at between 12% and 20%.

Early Girl has incredibly dense buds, as is typical of mostly indica strains. These hard, solid nuggets are small to medium in size and cling together in clustered, popcorn-like formations. The leaves, which curl tightly inward toward their central stems, are a dark shade of forest green and are twisted through with dark orange hairs (which are actually pistils, meant to catch pollen from fertilizing male plants). Finally, a light dusting of translucent white trichomes covers the flowers’ inner and outer surfaces, giving them a sticky texture and making them hard to break up by hand.

When properly cured, Early Girl bursts with sweet and earthy aromas. The predominant scent is musky and dank, redolent of damp soil. Hanging out underneath is the unmistakable smell of fresh lemon. Meanwhile, grinding up these buds yields more hash and spice, a testament to the influence of pungent Afghani. Early Girl burns with a smooth and easy smoke and has a citrus taste on the exhale, accented by a lingering earthy, dank aftertaste.

Early Girl offers a creeper of a high that may take several minutes before revealing the extent of its effects. Eventually, smokers will detect a pressure around the eyes and temples that soon gives way to progressive waves of relaxation, spreading down through the neck and core. Smokers may also detect an amplification of their senses, with certain sights, sounds, and even tastes taking on unexpected new dimensions. Speaking of tastes, prepare for strong appetite stimulation, as Early Girl is said to be particularly prone to bringing on the munchies. Despite its primarily indica characteristics and fast-acting body stone, Early Girl is not without some cerebral effects. Users can feel an uptick in freely-associative thought, although this sensation is nothing like the kind of intense, recursive thinking that can come with stronger sativas. While not powerful enough to sustain concentration on complicated tasks, this mental energy is great for inspiring free-flowing conversation among like-minded friends. As dosage is increased, drowsiness and couch-lock may set in. As such, Early Girl is a great way to unwind after a long day or week of work. Because of its mostly sleepy vibes, it’s recommended for use at night.

Early Girl’s sedative properties can have many applications for medical cannabis patients as well. It can be an effective painkiller, whether the pain is temporary, as due to injury, or chronic, as due to conditions like arthritis or lupus. Its mood-boosting effects can also temporarily take the edge off of mild to moderate cases of stress, depression, and anxiety. Because Early Girl does not often lead to paranoid patterns of thinking, it can be a good choice for patients who are prone to panic or who have a low THC tolerance.

Fortunately for home growers, Sensi sells seeds of Early Girl online. It can be grown indoors or out, although successful outdoor cultivation calls for a semi-humid climate with daytime temperatures between 72 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The strain is said to be an easy grow for newcomers to cultivation, as it is resilient in the face of adverse growing conditions. Plants tend to grow short and bushy, and it is recommended that growers “top” their crops by trimming away any broad fan leaves that can block light and air from reaching low-growing flowering nodes. Early Girl flowers within 7 to 8 weeks when grown indoors and is ready for harvest in early September when grown outdoors.

A pleasantly-flavored strain with calming -- but not overwhelming -- effects, Early Girl is a no-brainer for indica fans. It’s as enjoyable when savored alone as it is when shared with friends.