also known as Runtz OG, Gelato Zkittlez, Zwirlz
Runtz is a cross of Zkittlez and Gelato that the Runtz Crew presented in California in 2017; in 2019 it won the sun-grown flower category at the Emerald Cup.
Barely 2 years after its first public appearance, Runtz won the sun-grown flower category at the Emerald Cup 2019, meaning flower grown outdoors under open sky. The winning batch came from a farm in Humboldt County. The Runtz Crew had presented its cross of Zkittlez and Gelato in December 2017 at the same competition in Santa Rosa. In 2020 a US cannabis portal named Runtz strain of the year, based by its own account on retail sales data and editorial assessment.
The Runtz Crew included Nick, his partner Ray Bama and the rapper Yung LB from Long Beach. According to a 2022 report, Nick was the actual breeder while the others handled marketing. A second report from the same year traces the Gelato back to Cookies and the Zkittlez to Dying Breed Seeds. Elsewhere the selection Gelato 33 is named as the Gelato parent. Gelato descends from Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint GSC, and Zkittlez is considered a descendant of Grape Ape and Grapefruit.
Cookies, the brand around Berner, added Runtz to its range in 2018, when small producers in Northern California could no longer meet demand. Own selections followed, such as White Runtz, Pink Runtz, Runtz OG and Divine Runtz; one strain description also lists Cookies as a breeder. Azul Runtz is considered a cross with Blueberry Muffin, and Elev8 Seeds crossed Runtz with Forbidden Fruit to make Runtz of Eden.
The aroma is described as sweet and fruity, reminiscent of candy, berries and grapes, with a creamy undertone and a hint of gasoline. Several descriptions mention stone fruit, apricot to be precise. On the palate, according to one strain description, the sweetness is followed by cream, wet soil and pine. Strain descriptions name caryophyllene and limonene as the leading terpenes, with linalool or myrcene in third place depending on the source.
Reports mention a euphoric, uplifted mood, talkativeness and giggling, along with creativity and focus while the body stays relaxed. How strongly the strain sedates is reported differently: several reports stress that it makes users neither sluggish nor overstimulated, whereas one strain profile classes it as a rather sedative hybrid with a heavy body effect. Side effects named include dry mouth and dry eyes, as well as headache, dizziness and nervousness. One individual report mentions paranoid feelings.
One strain description gives 21 % THC and 0 % CBD. The breeders state higher THC values for their seed lines: Linda Seeds up to 25 %, Zamnesia Seeds 27 % with less than 1 % CBD, Barney's Farm 29 %.
Strain descriptions consistently give around 63 days of flowering, and according to one of them the outdoor harvest falls in mid-October. The strain can be grown indoors and outdoors, and it is rated as a task for growers who have grown before. The yield is considered below average. The owner of the farm that won the Emerald Cup in 2019 put it at roughly 30 % below the average of other strains and described small, compact flowers instead of large colas; his plants turned purple and pink in summer and almost black-purple in autumn. Zamnesia Seeds describes an indica-type growth habit with plenty of lateral branching for its own line, which can be trained well with topping and LST.
Several breeders offer their own feminized, photoperiod lines. Ripper Seeds and Elev8 Seeds list their seeds as S1, meaning a selfing of the original cross. The breeders' figures:
Indoor grows with seeds from Zamnesia Seeds reached 55 and 60 days of flowering respectively. After the switch the plants grew vigorously, in one case from about 30 to 90 cm, in the other from 50 to 90 cm. The growers agree in describing very hard, compact flowers with a low leaf share. One found pollen sacs on 3 flowers late in flowering and suspected stress as the cause. The other found the plants sensitive to fluctuating humidity, cold and feeding errors, with an increased risk of bud rot. This contradicts the statement by Zamnesia Seeds that the line is resistant to mold and pests. For the same line, a stretchy, sativa-type phenotype and a compact, indica-type phenotype are also described.
A grow report from 2019 began with seeds found in Runtz flowers from a dispensary. The plants grew vigorously with short internodes and responded well to topping; no pests or mold appeared.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or therapeutic advice. If you have any health-related questions, please consult a doctor or another qualified professional.
From reviews and experience reports — subjective, not a medical statement
No reviews yet — information from the strain description. Rate the strain to see shares.
Levels vary by batch, phenotype and cultivation — values are indicative
Indicative values from breeder data and grow reports — varies by phenotype and setup
No uniform value; 2 grow reports on the Zamnesia line document 50 to 90 cm and 30 to 90 cm respectively, see community.reported_values.
Small, compact flowers instead of large colas (grower of the 2019 Emerald Cup winning batch). Zamnesia Seeds describes an indica-type growth habit with plenty of lateral branching and compact, nugget-like flowers. For the Zamnesia line, a stretchy, sativa-type phenotype and a compact, indica-type phenotype are described. Grow reports: very hard, compact flowers, good flower-to-leaf ratio; short internodes in one grow from seeds of unknown origin. calyx_leaf_ratio derived from statements on the flower-to-leaf ratio.
Zamnesia Seeds recommends topping and LST for its own line; one grow report describes a good response to topping.
Several breeders sell their own versions under this name. Each figure comes from the respective breeder.
Original cross of Gelato and Zkittlez, presented at the Emerald Cup in Santa Rosa in December 2017; distributed via Cookies from 2018, which released its own selections (White Runtz, Pink Runtz, Runtz OG, Divine Runtz). No breeder statements on cultivation, seeds or cannabinoids documented.
Zkittlez x Gelato; the information comes from a retailer's product page, not from the breeder's page (which could not be accessed). Outdoor yield stated as 1000+ g per plant, outdoor harvest early October.
S1 from Gelato x Zkittlez; outdoor harvest in October; THC stated only qualitatively as high.
More breeders (3): Linda Seeds, Ripper Seeds, Zamnesia Seeds
Reports mention a euphoric, uplifted mood, talkativeness, giggling, creativity and focus with physical relaxation; several reports describe the effect as neither sluggish nor overstimulating. Frequently named side effects are dry mouth and dry eyes. In cultivation, grow reports describe very hard, compact flowers with a good flower-to-leaf ratio and pronounced stretching after the switch.
One strain profile classes Runtz as a rather sedative hybrid with a heavy body effect. One individual report mentions paranoid feelings, another nervousness. One grow report describes sensitivity to fluctuating humidity, cold and feeding errors with a risk of bud rot, contradicting the resistance statement by Zamnesia Seeds; another found late pollen sacs and suspected stress as the cause. One grow from seeds of unknown origin stayed free of pests and mold.
Related genetics, same dominant terpene, similar effects and aroma — excluding direct parents and descendants
Pine 
Tree fruit 
Apricot