Unlike its violent sea monster namesake, indica strain Godzilla is incredibly mellow and relaxing. It comes to us as a joint effort between Spain (a burgeoning European center of cannabis production and culture), Canada, and The Netherlands. Breeders Caña de España developed Godzilla from the potent genetics of the award-winning God Bud. Godzilla offers a fruity flavor profile alongside deep, long-lasting sedation. Cannabis testing lab Analytical 360 has measured its THC content at between 15% and 18%.

Godzilla’s flowers are certainly godzilla-sized. The buds are large and chunky and have the fluffy, almost ragged look of varieties that are more sativa-dominant. The loose leaves are a pale sea green and have a high volume of hairy orange pistils. As with parent strain God Bud, many phenotypes of Godzilla also have vibrant streaks of purple in their leaves; these latter colors come about when pigments called anthocyanins in the strain’s genetics are agitated by colder than average weather during the growing process. Milky white trichomes also cover the buds, giving them a silvery sheen when viewed from a distance.

Properly cured flowers of Godzilla have a complex aroma and taste. At first, consumers may notice the sweet tang of cherry and blueberry. On closer inspection, there are also distinct notes of vanilla. Meanwhile, grinding up or breaking apart the flowers yields an earthy, skunky odor, likely due to the presence of Skunk #1 in Godzilla’s lineage. Smoke is particularly smooth for an indica of this quality and leaves behind a fruity taste on the exhale, with a slight ammonia aftertaste. Notably, Godzilla has no discernible grape flavor even when its leaves appear purple; the pigments that determine the plant’s color have no corresponding effect on its taste.

Godzilla takes effect slowly, gradually revealing itself with an increasingly weighty feeling in the core and limbs. After several minutes, smokers may feel as if they’ve transcended their surroundings and any lingering stressors. Tense muscles will loosen up and deep breathing can happen more easily. Cognition and logic, on the other hand, may take a backseat to a more hazy and dreamy mindset -- Godzilla is not the best choice for working your way through an intense to-do list. Many of the strain’s fans opt for maximum comfort when enjoying its heavy sedation. It is almost tailor-made for passive activities like listening to soft music or watching trippy movies. As the high wears on, Godzilla may be so effective at imparting relaxation that users may feel somewhat disconnected from their bodies as their thoughts wander; in high enough doses, the strain will simply lull users into a heavy sleep. More of a nighttime than a morning smoke, Godzilla has been described as lasting longer than average, even for more experienced smokers.

Godzilla has several applications for medical cannabis users as well. Its lengthy sedation can soothe aches and pains -- whether they’re incidental as due to injury or chronic as due to conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia. The strain’s anti-inflammatory properties can also take care of everyday discomforts like headaches or nausea. As noted, in high enough doses, Godzilla can even treat trenchant cases of insomnia. That said, because of its tendency to bring about a psychedelic mind-body separation, this strain may not be the best option for users who are prone to panic or who have a low THC tolerance.

Caña de España has conveniently made seeds of Godzilla available for sale online. Once obtained, it can be grown indoors or outdoors, although Caña specifically created the strain for humid, hot-weather climates; growers in northern latitudes may have some difficulty. The plants grow short and bushy, requiring growers to “top” them by trimming any broad fan leaves that can block light and air from reaching low-growing flowering nodes. Growers looking to bring out the strain’s full purple potential should expose the plant to cold (but not freezing) nighttime temperatures late in the vegetative stage. Godzilla flowers within 8 weeks when grown indoors and is ready for harvest in late September when grown outdoors.

Like Gorilla Glue and Golden Goat, Godzilla is one strain whose power lives up to its bestial name and reputation. It’s a great option for lounging and killing time, whether you’re alone or with some good friends.