Banana Runtz

For Banana Runtz, at least 3 lineages circulate. Solfire Gardens, to which strain descriptions originally attribute the strain, crossed Banana OG with Runtz. Old School Genetics combines a Runtz clone referred to as a Cookies-fam cut with Banana Ripple #17. Other descriptions name Zkittlez and Gelato as parents, that is, the same strains that make up Runtz; a banana parent does not appear in this account.

Genetics and Origin:

According to strain descriptions, Solfire Gardens is based in the Pacific Northwest of the USA; seed packs of the strain have been documented in grow reports since summer 2020. Both parents are themselves crosses. Lineage information traces Banana OG back to Ghost OG and a banana phenotype from Sagarmathas 60/40, and Runtz back to The Original Z and Gelato.

One seed vendor writes that some consider Banana Runtz identical to Banana Punch. An experience report contradicts this: there, the strain was bought as a replacement for Banana Punch and perceived as clearly different.

Solfire Gardens has further crossed Banana Runtz, for example into Banana Clipz (with Hood Candyz), Gas Nana (with Gary Payton) and Sundae Supper (with Last Supper). Other breeders have produced, among others, Banana Mintz by MOG Seeds (with Kush Mints) and Banana Pepper by Cosmic Wisdom (with Neville's Haze).

Versions from Different Breeders:

Solfire Gardens' product page lists feminized seeds but gives no cultivation values. One strain description claims, by contrast, that the Solfire line has never been released as feminized. Other breeders state the following values for their versions:

• Barney's Farm: F1 hybrid of Runtz and Banana OG, 60 to 65 days of flowering, 550 g/m² indoors and 700 g per plant outdoors, 100 to 120 cm height indoors and 150 to 220 cm outdoors, harvest in the 1st or 2nd week of October, 50 % sativa and 50 % indica each.
• Old School Genetics: feminized, 55 to 60 days of flowering, more than 600 g/m² indoors and 600 g per plant outdoors, stretch by a factor of 3, 75 % indica share, harvest in October.
• Crop King Seeds: feminized, Zkittlez × Gelato, 8 to 9 weeks of flowering, harvest mid-October.
• Homegrown Cannabis Co.: feminized, Banana OG × Runtz, 8 to 10 weeks of flowering.

THC and CBD Content:

Strain descriptions list Banana Runtz at 29 % THC and 1 % CBG. The breeders deviate from this: Homegrown Cannabis Co. states up to 21 % THC with 0 to 1 % CBD, Old School Genetics and Crop King Seeds each 20 to 26 % THC, Barney's Farm 30 %.

Aroma and Flavor:

Ripe banana, tropical fruit, tree fruit and apricot dominate, with a sweetness like fruit candy in the taste. Underneath lie spicy herbal notes with a woody touch, and in the aftertaste some black pepper and tobacco. One experience report compares the scent to overripe bananas or banana bread over a skunky base. In a 2021 grow report, one of 2 plants smelled distinctly of banana bread around flowering day 40, while the other was floral and earthy.

Strain descriptions name caryophyllene, myrcene and limonene as the leading terpenes; Old School Genetics places limonene at the top for its own version.

Effects:

Experience reports describe euphoria, an uplifted mood, drive, focus and creativity, along with tingling, talkativeness, giggliness and arousal, and physically a calm relaxation. Opinions diverge on the degree of sleepiness: some experienced the strain as keeping them awake and had trouble settling down after late use, while others found it sedating to sleep-inducing.

Dry mouth, nervousness and paranoia are named as side effects; one strain description adds dry eyes, particularly at higher doses.

Cultivation:

For the Solfire line, strain descriptions cite 8 to 9 weeks of flowering and, depending on pot size, a height of 80 to 120 cm, suitable for indoor and outdoor growing in a temperate climate. Several descriptions describe dense, resin-rich buds that turn deep purple under suitable conditions; one links this coloration to cool nights. The density makes the buds prone to mold in high humidity and warm regions; good air circulation towards the end of flowering, as well as topping and LST to control the canopy, are recommended.

Sources rate the difficulty level from relatively easy to more demanding. The grow report with Solfire seeds mentioned above shows 2 plants that also differed in growth; the smaller one produced small flowers with, at times, very long spacing between inflorescences.