Mango Haze is a tasty and popular strain that offers as much potency as it does flavor. This sativa-dominant hybrid is the brainchild of Mr. Nice Seeds, the Netherlands-based creators of Super Silver Haze, and is a cross between Northern Lights #5, Skunk, and Haze. The complex genetic combination results in a refreshing tropical aroma alongside a strong, dreamlike high. Cannabis testing lab Analytical 360 measures Mango Haze’s potency at between 9% to 19% THC.

Mango Haze makes its bag appeal clear right away with large, elongated buds. These flowers have an extended spadelike shape, somewhat like oversized pinecones. The leaves are in keeping with a characteristically sativa bud structure — they appear loose and piecey and can be easily torn away from their central stems. These soft, fluffy leaves are a bright shade of spring green and are threaded through with hairy yellow and orange pistils. Translucent amber trichomes cover all surfaces of these leaves, giving the flowers a slightly golden sheen.

When properly cured, flowers of Mango Haze burst with a strong citrus scent. Distinct notes of mango prevail, along with a skunky-sweet, almost fermented odor. When Mango Haze’s flowers are ground up, they give off a rich and spicy incense, likely passed on from the Afghani landrace in parent strain Northern Lights’ background. When burnt in a pipe or a joint, Mango Haze gives off a smooth and easily palatable smoke that tastes both sweet and hashy on the exhale.

Mango Haze offers a slow, creeping high that may take several minutes after consumption to reveal its trippy effects. Eventually, smokers will begin to feel a concerted pressure around the eyes and forehead. As they adjust to this odd sensation, they may pick up on changes to their sensory perception, including an amplified awareness of certain sights and sounds; a strange feeling of time dilation is also commonly reported. Parent strain Haze is notorious for imparting a strong, dreamy head high. This mindset can spark rambling, free-flowing creativity that can be great for brainstorming but not as good for more task-based analytical work. In the right set and setting, Mango Haze can also trigger some mellow introspection. For the consumer in a more active mood, Mango Haze provides the energy needed to illuminate daily tasks like cleaning the house or running errands.

As this high progresses, some subtle indica effects creep in on the backend, numbing any bodily tension and allowing for deep, easy breathing. Such a mindset can help smokers melt into their surroundings as the outside world recedes into the background. Although it’s unlikely to completely knock users out with couchlock, Mango Haze can help to quell any internal mental or physical stress. Because it tapers down into a smooth, downbeat high, Mango Haze is best enjoyed during the late afternoon or early evening.

Mango Haze’s even-handed effects can also have several applications for medical cannabis patients. The strain’s mood-elevating properties can temporarily take the edge off of stress and depression. Meanwhile, its subtle physical high can provide mild relief from deep-seated aches and pains, as well as everyday irritations like headaches and nausea. Because it is unlikely to bring about the kind of intense, recursive thinking patterns that lead to paranoia, Mango Haze may be a good choice for patients who are prone to panic or who have a low THC tolerance.

Mr. Nice has made seeds of Mango Haze available for sale online. Once obtained, it can be grown indoors or out, although successful outdoor cultivation calls for a semi-humid climate with daytime temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This sativa’s plants can grow tall, reaching heights of up to 6 feet; as such, indoor growers should control the height of their crops by trimming back branches early on in the vegetative stage. Like many other indica-leaning varieties, Mango Haze has a long flowering time — in this case about 9 to 11 weeks when grown indoors. At harvest time, the strain offers patients growers a yield of about 42 to 51 grams (or 1.5 to 1.8 ounces) of flower per square foot of plant.

A pleasant combination of mental and physical effects, Mango Haze is a good example of a strain that doesn’t sacrifice flavor for potency. For those seeking a more therapeutic high, there’s also a CBD-rich variety of Mango Haze available.