Las Vegas Purple Kush is an Indica-dominant hybrid that riffs on the “Purple Kush” trend of Indicas that are bred for color and taste. Crossed from a Hindu Kush landrace variety and perennial favorite Northern Lights, Las Vegas Purple Kush (or LVPK) is a balanced strain that provides an altogether stimulating sensory experience.

LVPK’s buds are small to medium-sized and dense, although not as sticky as those of other Indica strains. True to its Purple Kush name, it produces leaves that are green with varying shades of purple. The scent is primarily fruity, with hints of grapes and berries. Breaking the buds open yields some spicy, acrid notes that are intensified when smoked. Although the smoke is relatively smooth, it does have the rapid lung expansion typical of pure Indicas. On the exhale, LVPK has a vaguely musky taste.

LVPK is heavily sedative, even for more experienced users. The high begins as a lightheaded rush that gradually spreads throughout the body. Users report feelings of extreme calm and a floating sensation. This strain’s cerebral effects tend to be limited to a perception of the strong and long-lasting body melt. Because of its potent physical effects, LVPK is useful for stress, chronic pain, and especially insomnia.

Because of its shorter, bushy plants, LVPK makes a convenient indoor grow. It has a flowering time of 7 to 9 weeks, but this long harvest provides a heavy yield of calyxes. This is a cloned strain, meaning that rather than propagating growth from seeds (whose phenotypes can vary and result in different characteristics and effects), cuttings from a single “mother plant” are used to grow a new, identical plant that has all of the desired qualities of the original.

With Nevada’s first medical cannabis dispensaries opening in 2015, demand for varied, effective strains has begun to grow. Tasty and stoney, LVPK is a great example, with consistent landrace genes that are preserved through clone-only breeding.