Starburst

Tracing the lineage of Starburst leads to 4 different family trees, only one of which is attributed to a breeder known by name. The most widely documented is a hybrid of Pre-98 Bubba Kush and Fire OG, which is also listed as Starburst OG, Starburst Kush or Bubba x Fire. The gap between the high THC figures in many strain descriptions and lab data, in which samples of this name contained up to 9.39 % CBD, is striking.

Genetics and Origin:

Several strain descriptions give the cross of Pre-98 Bubba Kush and Fire OG, as does a producer from Maryland that grows flower under this name outdoors. 2 descriptions classify it as a balanced hybrid with 50 % indica and 50 % sativa, while a grow guide calls it sativa-dominant with 70 % sativa. Yet another source derives Starburst OG from OG Kush and a phenotype called Starburst Gum.

Alaska is given as the region of origin, though for different lines: one description attributes the cross of Bubba Kush and Fire OG to unknown breeders from Alaska, another places a sativa-dominant Starburst from Tangerine and The Hook there.

Starburst also appears as a parent in several breeding lines. For StarBurst Bubba, Twisty Seeds crossed its own Pre-98 Bubba selection called Irene with a Starburst from Lemon Larry OG and Nebula. Symbiotic Genetics used Starburst OG and Purple Punch F2 for Purple Starburst; a pedigree directory, however, traces this Starburst OG back to Lemon Larry OG rather than Fire OG. For Starburst Pug, the breeders Meows Trap Seeds and SuperLoud Genetics from Colorado combined a cross of Starburst and Gelato #25 with Money$ Pug Life.

Versions from Different Breeders:

Besides the line from Bubba Kush and Fire OG, 3 further Starburst versions are described. The sativa-dominant cross of Tangerine and The Hook is said to flower for 55 to 65 days indoors; the same description mentions lab tests with around 18 % THC but names no lab. A version without a known breeder combines Lemon Larry OG, itself descended from OG Kush and Sour Diesel, with Nebula from Paradise Seeds and is listed with a flowering time of about 56 days. Lupos CannaSeed lists as Starburst a phenotype of its own variety Roadkill, a cross of I95 and Bacon; about 63 days of flowering are recorded, along with suitability for indoor, outdoor and greenhouse growing.

THC and CBD Content:

Several strain descriptions put the THC content of the Bubba Kush and Fire OG line at 26 to 33 %. Lab data paint a different picture: an analysis of 10 lab results, based on a study published in 2022 with test data from US labs, shows 9.8 to 20.2 % THC and 0.05 to 9.39 % CBD for samples under the name Starburst. Besides samples low in CBD, there were accordingly some with a substantial CBD share; the measurements do not yield a uniform chemotype. The data do not show which of the lines was tested in each case, and values vary by batch, cultivation and phenotype.

Aroma and Flavor:

Lemon and a sweet-sour note dominate several aroma descriptions, joined by diesel, pine and an earthy undertone. Flavor is given as lemon and sweetness, several times compared to fruit candy. One strain description differs and lists tree fruit, peach and strawberry with a peppery note. User reports mention a fruity scent with pine, a spicy or floral-sweet taste and a musky base note with fruit hints.

In the same lab analysis, myrcene had a median of 1.03 %, clearly ahead of caryophyllene at 0.22 % and pinene at 0.16 %. Another strain description gives the same ranking; a different one rates linalool as the strongest terpene.

Effects:

User reports describe a stimulating, cheerful effect with creativity, focus, euphoria and talkativeness, sometimes accompanied by giddiness. Other consumers found the strain body-centered and relaxing, in individual cases to the point of sleepiness and a heaviness that keeps one on the couch. Dry mouth is repeatedly named as a side effect, and occasionally dry eyes, headache, dizziness and a harsh smoke that triggered coughing. One strain description also mentions an increased pulse and, in one case, feelings of anxiety.

Cultivation:

On the flowering time of the Bubba Kush and Fire OG line, the figures differ by weeks: one strain description gives 45 to 50 days, a grow guide 9 to 10 weeks. Outdoors in the northern hemisphere, harvest is said to fall in October. 2 descriptions rate the strain as easy to grow.